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I believe the other reviewer had issues that were way out of the norm for Bote. I recently received my Rackham 12' in the super slick Dorado pattern. Let me say first, this thing has got attitude, the branding is nice and the pattern is bright. It ships with a single fin which isn't the best quality, but I had other fins on hand. I'm not saying the fin is bad by any means, just not premium like everything else on this SUP. I ended up getting matching FCS II in a 5 Fin pattern to slot around the 4 extra fin slots. These are sidebite sized and really allow you to get the board in nearly 6 inches of water. The board also includes a nice paddle, I would rate it as a mid-high range paddle, it's certainly not ultralight, but I wouldn't even classify it as heavy. Totally a standard weight and built for carbon fiber/fiberglass premium paddles. Oh did, I mention the pattern on the paddle matches the dorado pattern on the board? Totally Rad. Though I still gravitate towards my Yoloboard race paddle which is half as light. Let's move onto the board itself, this thing is a tank. Heavy but still tracks well and moves decent for its size. Perfect for fishing. With a single fin it's the most stable 12 foot board i've ever been on. With 5 fins, you can breakdance on the board it is so stable. The nice displacement nose is great for cutting through waves too. Bote advertises a stash pod in the middle which is only water tight if you over tighten it. Might need oiling later down the line too. The recessed deck makes you feel connected to the board. Paddle slot up front, genius and works every time. SOOO many tie down spots too, you could string up anything your heart desires. Touching on the padding now, it's good... I certainly have no complaints, comfy enough for 4 hours on the water fishing. I would end this by saying that the board is worth the money. It's certainly not cheap (or lightweight), but the gatorshell is worth it. That's not where Bote makes their money though, check out their attachments..... I purchased the tackle rack and a cooler tie down. I didn't need any more than that. Though Bote advertises the cooler rack, and the Kula to fit in it, and the standing rack, and the sandspear, and the wheels, and the bag and the... I could go on for days. All of the attachments I have received are really well built, but I feel that they are about 30% overpriced. Pro tip, strap something buoyant to the tackle rack, if you turtle the board (flip it completely over) and fall off, you could lose the rack to the depths. If you fish, and you want a SUP, get this board 100%. I've fought northern on the fly rod off it as a total SUP beginner and never felt unstable. Bring a PFD, toss a yeti 35 (perfect width and height) on it as a seat, grab some cold drinks, and enjoy the water! PS get a bote sup bag to protect your investment, it's one of the best bags on the market right now. Extra padded, paddle slot, and a VENT.

Let’s talk about the Journey. Both the board and my unique experience to pick up this board. Grey Duck is local to Minnesota and designed by a Minnesota local. Rob knows his stuff. The company is producing what I would describe as modernized classic designs. Some with a Scandinavian flare, others with Grey Duck’s unique style. The Journey is no exception. At 11’6 this touring board is a dream to ride on. We ended up picking up two of them so me and my better half could paddle together. This was my first real board after learning on a big box retailers hunk of rotomolded plastic. This board tracks well, is durable and relatively stable for beginners. I can tell that we will enjoy this board even more as we become more comfortable in rougher Minnesota waters. Board aside, I contacted Rob directly on his website and asked for all the help, since I was new to the sport and looking to make a good investment. There are simply so many boards to choose from nowadays and I really wanted a personalized experience for spending a good chunk of change. Rob invited us out to his store, gave us a mini tour of his shop, and took all the time we needed to make a comfortable decision. The experience was everything we could have asked for. The biggest bonus at the end of the day was that this board continues to feel like a worthy investment. After learning to keep my paddle more vertical, I can say that the tracking is leaps and bounds better than my older borrowed board. 5/5 stars, look no further, I’ve never experienced customer service like Rob provided.