Hi, please help me!
I am an avid rower and kayaker (also ski/x-country/snowshoe/bike). Tried SUP for the first time last year and love it! Live on a lake in the French Alps. It is a beautiful place to paddle year round (though I would not want to fall into the lake in winter when it is 10 degrees). I would like to buy an SUP that I can easily carry/put into the water and go. Stable, but also fast so that I can use it for fitness (lake is 50 km around). The problem in Europe is the cost!! oo la la! Am considering the C4 Waterman Wahine 10.10, as well as Naish 10.6.5 and also Fanatic (Ray?) makes lovely boards (wish I could afford the 12.6 clearwood). Also have considered the Tahoe Bliss. But--I am skeptical of "women's products". Seems like a marketing bait and switch? Thanks so much for your advice!
Welcome Biotechlady (strange name).
If I was living where you are talking I would assume that you may be doing long paddles and some touring. I would look at the Fanatic Ray. It is built for this type of paddling.
Cheers.ET.
Hi Biotechlady, I paddled the Tahoe Rubicon on Lake Tahoe last year, and can highly reccomend the brand. they are well built and designed with the purpose of paddling Alpine Lakes like Tahoe. The Rubicon was a stable platform with loads of glide and had a fair ammount of speed for a 12ft. If I had an Alpine lake in my backyard, I'd definately be looking at this brand as an option, but would most likeky go longer than the Rubicon. The Bliss seems to attempt to address some issues encountered by female paddlers (carry weight, manouvarability, width), and also have a lowered deck to help with the "not falling off in the Winter" issues that you wish to avoid. Check out their Facebook page and you'll see that there are already a few paddling around lakes and rivers in Europe. Good luck with your selection, whatever you get, I'm sure you'll need a second board before too long.
