I go through periods of time that I waiver between Kayaks and Paddleboards. I'm fortunate enough to have a bunch of them to play with. The unfortunate part is that I have a hard time picking "my favorite". The main reason is because it's constantly changing. Every once in a while I will paddle a kayak or a SUP that just inspires me to get out there and do it more. I've been doing a lot of Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP) lately. I just recently got a long 14ft touring/fishing board. I'm a big guy (6'2", 230lbs) and, while I have plenty of fun on 12ft boards, there are not that many boards that are very comfortable with my size paddler. Sure, they'll do it, but there's a bunch of drag so the board doesn't move all that well. In addition, it seems like you paddle a couple times on one side before you have to switch to the other side. That can be annoying when you want to cover some ground.
Because of my size, I have been spending a lot of time looking for a longer board. It's just like a Kayak. The longer the length, the faster it is, and the more capacity...usually. The problem we "heavies" have is that most of the 14ft boards out there are Race Boards. Sure, they're fast, but most are tippy and don't have much more capacity then a wider 12' board. Hmmmm.
One board I was really excited about was the new Bote Boards Ahab. It's a 14ft Touring board that is decked out for Fishing. It has the holes in 2 places for Bote's Tackle Rack. It's got bungee all over the place, plugs to tie down a cooler - TWO of them actually! -, and a few different locations to put an Anchor Pin through the board. These holes are also great for locking the board to something. Handy when traveling, or at your house/dock.
Bote was proud of this one. They were so confident about the results that they discontinued the "touring" version of their 14ft Gonzo (of which I was a huge fan!). The only Gonzo available now is their lightweight racing version. Fun to paddle, but not quite the utility board that I was looking for. The Ahab was initially on a huge backorder because they manufactured it in limited quantity. We finally got our demo version and I was REALLY excited to try it.
The first time I got a chance to paddle the Ahab was just before someone rented it. I was sure to get there early so I could give it a quick go. It's a bit heavy to carry, but still WAY lighter then a plastic "board". When I got it in the water it was a bit heaver there too. Right away I noticed the stability though. The weight came into factor the first couple of paddles too. It was not very quick to accelerate, but it didn't take more then 5 strokes to get it up to speed and when I did, there was no stopping this board! It's a very fast board. At 14 feet, it tracks amazing. I could paddle my hardest stroke on one side for EIGHT strokes before I had to switch sides. That makes is more difficult to turn, but I would trade maneuverability ANYDAY for better tracking and speed. You need maneuverability in the Surf, but on flat water, it's always better off to have good tracking. My first outing was all of about 5 minutes. Enough to impress me, but not enough to convince me yet. I'll had to spend more time on that board.
The next chance I had to take out the board, I decided to really make a go of it. It was the perfect day to put a new board through the ringers. It started off as still as could be, no wind at all. The forecast was for wind to pickup as the day went on. So, I prepared myself. I was able to try the board in perfect conditions, as well as adverse ones. I launched in Charlotte Harbor in the flats. I love the flats because you are more protected from the elements. The waves only get so bad and the shark only get so BIG! Most boats stay off the flats unless they are on plane. That can be annoying, but it's part of the deal. Also, now that most flats fishermen have a kayak in their fleet, I've notice boaters being a lot more respectful out there. Some years back, you couldn't go paddling without some joker trying to swamp you. Times have change for the better on that front. I'm glad.
I paddled to the north for awhile. There was a slight breeze out of the south. No biggie. I absolutely fell in love with the Ahab during this run. I paddled for about 3 miles until I decided to turn around. I went out in the deeper water for a bit to play in the waves. I never once felt unstable on this board. It was a cruiser. I eased forward and back a little bit to play with the "sweet spot". It didn't make much of a difference though; the sweet spot was HUGE. When I turned around, I was surprised at how much the wind had picked up. I was in for a tough ride back home. One thing I notice right away was that the weight of the board was a real advantage in the wind. As long as I kept it up to speed, the momentum of the board would help cut through the wind. Now, that being said, you don't want to stop and take too many breaks in wind like this. I saw a buddy fishing in his kayak, so I stopped by to say "Hi". Is was only seconds before the wind was pushing me back the way I came. I made it brief and heaved on. The wind was picking up. While it was difficult, it wasn't impossible. In most SUP's I would have fallen to me knees or butt to paddle. Standing up in a headwind is tough. This board made it possible and actually quite enjoyable.
As I was approaching my destination, I came to a little Island that offered some shelter. I almost always bring a fly rod with me when I go for a long paddle. You just never know what you're going to come across. This trip, it really paid off when I ran into a school of 30' Redfish! It was on! I threw a couple of casts before I hooked the first one. It was a fighter. It dragged me around a bit but made the mistake of turing upwind. Good luck fish. He tired out pretty quick trying to tow me standing on a board into the wind. He was just over 30". I had to throw him back. Hoping for dinner I gave a couple more casts. Sure enough, the next fish was right there at 27". I didn't have a cooler or anything with me, so I improvised and put him under the bungees. I hung his gill plate on one of the bungees hoping that would deter him from shaking loose. It worked, I got him home!
After 6 miles of diverse conditions and some great fishing, I decided that this board is absolutely amazing. It's perfect for me. It's my favorite board on the planet. It tracks great, It's comfortable, it's stable. While I thought that the weight would bum me out, I actually prefer it. I have since been on it a lot more. I've used the tackle racks on it. I've put 2 coolers on it. I've used Anchor Pins through the holes. I've done it all. The Ahab does everything that I need it to do better then any board that I've been on. If I only had one board, this would be it.
I tend to be a rational sort of guy, so I wanted to see what other people thought of this board too. Since I've had it, I've put about 6 people on the board to try it. Their sizes ranged from 120lbs to 250lbs. Everyone loves the thing. Of the 6 people who have tried the board, 3 of us have bought one, One of us is my wife and has mine by default, and the other 2 are saving their pennies. They are going to have to! The board comes in at $2399. It's an expensive board, but it's worth every penny.
Back to my original thought. Some things give you inspiration. The Bote Ahab has renewed my love for SUP. I've been on it almost daily since I got one. Check this board out!
Jory
Florida Paddlesports
239-214-8300
