Boardworks Raven or Raven II for smallish adult?

[Otterishly]

Hi--After trying a few rentals and loaners, I'm about to invest in my first board.  I live in Central Oregon, where there are lots of alpine lakes, and a fair amount of flat water sections of river. Although, since I'll only have one board, I'd like to try various kinds of paddling, I imagine that my primary use will be day trips and short tours on flat water.

I'm wondering about whether I'd be better off with the 12'6" board, or whether--at 5' 5" and 112 lbs--I should consider the 10' 6" board instead, to save weight and bulk.  I do like to go as fast as possible, though--so should I stick with the longer one?  (If so, the Raven ll is 12' 6" long, but an inch or two narrower, so I'm thinking that might be a good choice.)

Oh--one other thing: I have a 42 lb dog that I'd like to take with me sometimes.

Finally, this board (that is, all of the boards mentioned above) are heavier than I'd like, but it sounds like it performs wonderfully, and I also think it's the most beautiful board I've seen (which brings with it an additional level of enjoyment)--so those factors seem worth a little extra weight, maybe.  I'd also be interested in lighter-weight suggestions, though.

Would appreciate any and all input from more seasoned paddlers!

Many thanks,
Leslie

[robon]

I have some experience with the Raven line up, and the 12'6" X 30 3/16" is a bit too large for someone your size. It's quite wide for your frame for proper paddling mechanics (vertical paddle stroke is key), the volume is very high and the weight is over 30 pounds.

On paper, a good compromise is the 11'6" X 29 Raven, which is basically in between all of the choices, has enough volume to float you and your dog and it will be a touch faster than the 10'6" and is lighter than the 12'6". The Raven II is definitely the fastest version of the Raven, and not nearly as bulky as the 12'6" x 30"+ version. I have paddled with a few people who own the Raven II, both male and female and they really like the board. It's stable and very comfortable to paddle and stand on. The females I know who have the Raven II are right around your height but heavier, but it would work for you. Especially if you want to bring your dog. The board is listed at 28 pounds.  Boardworks also offers the Sirena for females, but it is a Raven II with different graphics.

[baddog]

I'm wondering about whether I'd be better off with the 12'6" board, or whether--at 5' 5" and 112 lbs--I should consider the 10' 6" board instead, to save weight and bulk.  I do like to go as fast as possible, though--so...

Finally, this board (that is, all of the boards mentioned above) are heavier than I'd like, but it sounds like it performs wonderfully, and I also think it's the most beautiful board I've seen...

Skip the Raven as it is truly an ancient design.  I found it heavy with soft construction, a bit rolly and not too fast.  The 10'6" version was really slow.  I know nothing about the Raven II, but there are lots of better choices, so keep looking around, especially since pretty is least important factor.  12'6"s will be faster and 10'6"s slower but more manageable, so look at boards in the 11' range.  Check out the Fanatic 11' x 30" Ray, the Starboard 11'6" x 29.5" Elite Touring and the Starboard 12'2" x 30" Freeride.  Besides these, there are plenty of choices from lower tier brands.  Surfboard style 11' x 30"s are great all around boards, but won't be as nice as the dedicated touring boards I first mentioned.  You're light enough that you can go pretty narrow, but check the volume carefully.  Even with your dog, I wouldn't go over 250l.

[robon]

Thought I would throw in some real world shots of the Raven II. A guy I paddle with sometimes has used it for two years now, and it has been through some really rough beach exits and entries, with extensive use, and it only shows some scratches and a couple of very minor paint chips. I don't know about the "soft construction" baddog is referring to about the Raven, but it doesn't apply to the Raven II (at least not this one), and Boardworks is a farily prominent brand in this part of the Kootenays and I have heard no complaints about durability so far for any of the Raven or Great Bear models.

You will notice the water is quite rough in a couple of shots and the beach break was around waist high that day, and I took out the Raven in the chop and it did quite well in the rough conditions. I had it out in swell around 4 feet high for a bit. It's not an ocean board by any stretch but can handle some decent chop, and for the conditions you describe, it would be very good. Try to demo one if you can to see if it is the right board for you or not. As I mentioned previously, I know a couple of girls that have the Raven II, and love it, but they are around 30-40 pounds heavier than you. It handles well for them, but might be a bit corky for you. If you can, try the 11'6" and the 12'6" Raven II to get a good comparison of the two.

Also, keep in mind that going to 30" wide or wider at your size is not optimal. 30" is good for stability, but not so good for an efficient stroke in many cases for smaller women, and it's always better to go under 30" for smaller people to optimize the paddle stroke. Weight is another consideration. The Fanatic Ray is a nice board, but the wood lay up is 30 pounds and it is also 30" wide. If you can, keep the weight under 30, and the width under 30, and I think you will be much happier in the long run. You will spend more for the lighter lay ups, but if you have a long ways to carry your board, and have to lift it high, then it's something to consider for sure.

Lots of choices out there these days, and try as many boards as you can and ask lots of questions.

[Otterishly]

Thank you so much for your thoughtful and informative replies!  I managed to find a Raven II in stock in my town, but they wouldn't let me demo it.  Just lifting it, however, has given me pause.  I would not be able to carry it on my own for very far at all (I think I forgot to mention that I have 6 screws and 2 rods in my back, that really don't bother me at all--unless I try and lift things that are too heavy :-) without resorting to using a caddy, which is a complication I'd rather avoid.

In other news, have found a Tahoe Bliss (only 24 lbs. !) for sale, used, that I am going to  check out.  I think there may be durability concerns with this board, but if I can get it used (i.e., for less $), then that's a trade-off I might be willing to make for the weight savings.

There aren't a lot of reviews of this board out there, but what I've been able to find seem positive--save for one on this forum where someone referred to it as a "pig."  Anyone have personal experience of it?

[robon]

Thank you so much for your thoughtful and informative replies!  I managed to find a Raven II in stock in my town, but they wouldn't let me demo it.  Just lifting it, however, has given me pause.  I would not be able to carry it on my own for very far at all (I think I forgot to mention that I have 6 screws and 2 rods in my back, that really don't bother me at all--unless I try and lift things that are too heavy :-) without resorting to using a caddy, which is a complication I'd rather avoid.

In other news, have found a Tahoe Bliss (only 24 lbs. !) for sale, used, that I am going to  check out.  I think there may be durability concerns with this board, but if I can get it used (i.e., for less $), then that's a trade-off I might be willing to make for the weight savings.

There aren't a lot of reviews of this board out there, but what I've been able to find seem positive--save for one on this forum where someone referred to it as a "pig."  Anyone have personal experience of it?

Yeah, even with the Raven II being a bit under 30 pounds, I figured it might still be too heavy for you and it has quite a bit of volume for your weight too. JillRide45 is a forum member here and is around your weight, and I believe she had the Bliss or at least paddled one and liked it. She might chime in here. 24 pounds is a decent weight. Is that weight for the 11'6" or 12'6" model? Tahoe did have some durability issues in the past, but seem to have improved a lot. I'm not sure about the durability on the Bliss.

Good luck.

[JillRide45]

Yep I started out on the Bliss and still love that board. I never had any real durability issues and my board looked brand new when I sold it. Only reason I sold it was to get a narrower board. But if I was in the market for a nice cruising board I would seriously consider the Bliss.

When you go look at the Bliss take a home scale and weigh it. I do this with every used board just to make sure they are near what the person says. 

Post pictures if you get it. Is it pink or teal?  Nothing like paddling a nice looking board. Have fun out there.

Cheers Jill

[JillRide45]

Another board you may consider is the Lahui Kai 11'6" x 29" board.  This is a really nice cruising board.  The 12'6" boards by Lahui Kai are all too thick for a rider of your size but the 11'6" is thinner in the standing area and would work nice.

But really if you have back problems and think loading and unloading will be a problem, get a custom ULI inflatable made.  I have a custom ULI that is 12'6" x 26" x 4" pintail that I love.  If I had one board that would be it.  Go anywhere do anything board, and you do not have to worry about banging it.

Cheers, Jill

[Otterishly]

Thanks, Robon, for recommending that I seek out Jill's opinion.  And thanks to Jill for volunteering, before I even had the chance!

I'm curious, Jill--what does that ULI weigh?  Also, is it okay to leave it blown up and treat it more or less like a hard board?  (I prefer the simplicity of not having to assemble the board each time.)

[JillRide45]

My Uli weighs about 24 lbs but it seems like the lighest board I have because I do not have to be careful with it.  I can always just drop it.  I always leave it blown up to 15 for storage and pump it up to 20 to paddle.  This is only because I am not using it frequently.  It should be just fine to leave at 20 for extended times, I would double check with ULI but when ever we do a camping trip on the ULI it is at 20 psi the entire week. 

You can see my ULI in these pictures from one of our trips. 
http://www.standupzone.com/forum/index.php/topic,25251.0.html

Have fun, Jill