Safety first – FatStick Rescue 11’ 2 x 30”
We’ ve seen a few boards of this type during the past few months. When you think about it inflatable rescue SUP boards make complete sense. Being applicable to a wide range of scenarios, from flat water to surf, the biggest positive is the craft being inflatable and therefore not as much of hazard as hard composite boards – especially where waves and casualties are concerned.
Price:
£ 699( discounts available for pre-ordered volume orders)
Info:
https:// fatstickboards. com / shop / inflatable-rescueboard-112 /
CONCLUSION
We can quite easily see inflatable SUPs becoming the norm as far as rescue craft goes on coastal beaches and inland water alike. FatStick’ s version is an efficient paddler that pulls on touring board elements to make it as such. It’ s also pretty adept at catching bumps. The additional air chamber is a neat safety feature and the underside stringer increases the board’ s tracking no end. All in it’ s a board that everyman paddlers will find favour with whilst having the additional benefits of being a rescue orientated sled.
FatStick’ s version comes rocking and ready at 11’ 2 in length with standard inflation via high pressure pump. There’ s a secondary air chamber up front designed to keep it floating should rapid decompression occur. Two leash points, both nose and tail, give increased security, and an additional plastic stringer on the underside increase tracking through rough water. A number of grab handles complete the package, although a couple of extra at the mid-section wouldn’ t have gone amiss.( We appreciate this was a proto version we tried, the final product being tweaked as we speak).
So how does she paddle? Extremely efficiently as it happens. Even though it’ s billed as a rescue SUP FS’ s 11’ 2 would make a good hybrid touring board. The slightly elongated nose and
features mentioned above see it performing well across all water states. In particular it shoots downwind with the best of‘ em. We didn’ t get a chance to try in proper waves but can assume it glides well on swell and would deliver pilots and their rescues back to the beach quick smart.
As a stand alone board there’ d be nothing wrong using FS’ s rescue sled as SUP for covering miles and touring about your local‘ hood. You may get odd looks from others due to its vivid yellow and the word RESCUE scribed on the deck and hull. But that shouldn’ t out you off. That said FS are firmly aiming this board at the outdoor industry and the need for quality safety equipment on hand. Still fun to paddle about in normal SUP mode though. k g i e t a r s h e d: i n f l a t a b l e s
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