Best Red yet!
I received the 14' Sport + as a Christmas gift, and though I'm a year round paddle, I held off taking the new board on the water until recently, figuring there may be a learning curve to balancing, and I preferred not to risk a fall when the water is icy. I should not have waited.
As a long time user (and lover) of the 13.2' Voyager, I wasn't sure there was an inflatable out there I'd enjoy much more. My only gripe with the Voyager has been that I've always felt that dual fin design creates extra drag, while also inhibiting maneuverability.
I finally got my new Sport + on the water last week. Anticipating a calm day, I was alarmed to find that by the time I was inflated and ready to go out, the wind had picked up considerably, and the chop had gotten real. Realizing how much lighter the Sport + is vs my Voyager, I feared I was about to get tossed around and braced myself for a possible cold plunge. My fears were alleviated when I stood up and felt instantly at home. Within minutes, I was cruising as though I'd been paddling the Sport + for years. Though lighter and more narrow than the Voyager, this board is no less stable, while being quicker and much more nimble. I can change direction much more easily, and I don't find myself locked into paddling on one side or the other for long stretches.
One concern I had was the lack of V nose on the Sport +, a feature that was highly routed with the Voyager series. It appears the V nose is more hype than feature, as I experience no…