BLUEFIN PADDLE BOARD REVIEW | CARBON CRUISE 10’8
BLUEFIN PADDLE BOARD REVIEW | CARBON CRUISE 10’8 REVIEW.
BLUEFIN PADDLE BOARD REVIEW | CARBON CRUISE 10’8.
VERDICT.
You’ll know if you’re in the market for a sup that can fit a seat and the Bluefin Carbon Cruise has obvious benefits for schools, anglers and photographers, or paddlers who just want the option of sitting down and paddling ‘kayak’ style. This is a really well put together product made from premium materials and comes packaged with everything to get you on the water safely. It’s also noticeably stiffer than cheaper packages that are appearing on the market.
OVERVIEW.
There is a lot of kit and features bundled into this package: the board itself has carbon cloth reinforcements in the rails (it still folds up normally), the highest density drop-stitch on the market and has two chambers. On deck you’ve got four carry handles, two cargo bungees and FOURTEEN D-rings for numerous options for carrying, stowing, leashing and fixing the kayak seat. The paddle has a carbon shaft and two stiff, tough PU blades to give the option of a SUP or kayak paddle configuration. The Cruise also has a fixed camera mount and comes with a double-chamber triple-action pump and coiled ankle leash. The fins set up comprises a US centre fin and two moulded side fins.
BRAND CLAIM.
Introducing the Bluefin Cruise Carbon, our next generation SUP offering enhanced special features and modifications. The FRS (Flex Reduction System) benefits from carbon-railing construction; furthermore, a separate central-inflation loop chamber ensures an ultra-rigid and high-pressure board that is stronger and sturdier than ever before.
PERFORMANCE.
We first unboxed the Cruise at a kayak centre on Lake Windermere and were expecting the kayak guys to have some strong feedback on this chimera of iSUP and sit-on-top kayak, but instantly they started pointing out perceived benefits which were carried through on the water. The Cruise is a very rigid board with a broad, flat deck giving a huge ‘working area’ for fishing off of, taking photos, acting as a support craft or just offering maximum stability. The drop stitch density, carbon fibre rails and dual chambers add up to a solid product with a maximum load weight of 130 kg which you could try and meet by loading it up with kit, dogs or kids. So does the seat option work? Yes, surprisingly well. The paddle easily converts to ‘kayak mode’ and the seat quickly pops and secures via the four D-rings. It gives decent back support and all the other advantages of being so low to the water: reduced windage, faster paddle cadence, less chance of falling in…it’s arguably a better solution for many people rather than paddling on their knees (which other than for a few minutes on a beginner lesson should be avoided at all costs). But take the seat away and the Carbon Cruise stands up as a solid, compact tourer in its own right that’s loaded with features and has the extra security of the dual-chamber inflation. We liked it a lot.