12'6" Raven

I saw the board and just loved it. I had actually tried out approximately 10 different boards and found this one to not only be beautiful but by far my favorite. It was not inexpensive but it really seemed to perform. I have owed one other less expensive board that held up better than this one. I would have given this review 5 stars if it were not for the following. This is the second summer that I have used this board and let me define that as really only three months since we live in the north country and have a very short summer season. This board has never seen been left in the Sun for more than one or two hours when I was using it only. It is stored under an overhang. I was concerned about the gelcoat fiberglass finish and knew I would have to worry about it with rocks scratches. However here is the real problem... something that I could not have anticipated ... At the end of last summer I noticed some small cracks in the black areas of the board. I did not think too much of that however by the end of the second summer now I have multiple cracks with the gel coat peeling up anywhere from an inch to 2 inches all over the black color areas of the board. I did not feel this should have happened with this expensive board. So I contacted the company and sent them pictures. I got told these were abrasions or scratches and that I should buy some sealing compound and fix them. Truly this is a defect in the material and this should not be happening in a less than 2 year old board. After I asked around from where I bought the board I found out that this is not uncommon. They blame it on the sun and the board getting hot and cold. Let's get real.... this is an outside sport! Pros Beautiful board with respect to the colors, bamboo inlay, etcetera. Paddles well and I feel it is very stable. Cons As mentioned above I think there's a real problem with the fiberglass or gelcoat. I also think the company knows it. I would not recommend this board to anyone in with someone had let me know this one I bought this board. The board is too expensive to have to be repairing in its second summer of use. Usage Generally use it for exercise and just for fun.

Great for touring, exercise, and recreational racing. Pros Designed for flat or choppy water. Bamboo covering for better grip. Cons I love it Usage Exercise

The Raven is the backbone of my quiver. It's fast enough for longer tours and stable enough for any conditions. I use it a lot in the winter for training when I can count on the stability to keep me from taking icy swims. It's got enough volume to handle a passenger, especially unpredictable ones like kids and dogs. Pros Stability, speed, and durability Cons Usage A jack-of-all-trades board

My first board. 12'6" TECV. I was looking for stability and speed to get a great workout on the intracoastal waterway. The Raven tracks well, handles wind chop and downwind conditions easily. Overall a good board for fitness and touring. Pros Quick, tracks well, handles chop and current easily. Very lightweight for the size at 28 lbs. Cons A little big at 12'6" and a bit deep. I would have bought the 11'6" but it wasn't available. Designed, but not made in the USA. Usage Fitness,touring, sun worship ;)

Great board! First that I have owned, 2nd that I had used. Strong recommendation to all looking to buy, do it Now! Pros Easy to carry, great ride control and balanced! Cons Waited to long to buy. Usage Touring and alternative exercise to using kayak. I do Tri's and marathon, nice change and good workout.

The Boardworks Raven 12'6" SUP is a great, stable board. I'm a novice paddler but feel confident paddling on both my knees and standing up - in calm and choppy lake water mostly. Love the gear straps on the front and for easy life preserver storage. This board is large enough for 1 paddler, but can also be used for 2 paddlers, paddler + dog, or paddler + passenger (my boyfriend often swims long-distance and hitches a lift when he's tired). The board is a quite large (but that's the trade for stability) and stands a few inches above the water (it's a 6" thick board). For the smaller paddler, it might be tough to transport, but at only 30 lbs, it is manageable for most. I am on the small side and will stick to launch sites that are within a few minutes of parking. I do wish the traction pad was a bit softer for times that I am kneeling or resting. Pros Design, Size, Stability, Lightweight, Storage Strap, Bamboo Look Cons Traction pad a bit rough when kneeling Usage Touring, Exercise, Yoga

this board is hard to beat. It is smooth, can be used in almost any condition, looks great. You can use it for fishing, camping, racing. Pros multi use Cons a bit big Usage touring

i'm 5'10 Pros stable easy to paddle great tracking durable construction Cons a little heavy not great in the surf but it's not a surfing sup Usage exercise, touring, cruiser