The Paddler Magazine issue 71 Late Spring 2023 | Page 16

REVIEWS

FEATURES :

• Kickpad for step-back turns

• Front deck red strap Bungee system straps for kit

• D loops for kit fixing for journeys

• Swift attach fin

• Coiled leash ( recommend a waist belt )

• Carbon / fibreglass paddle

TECH INFO :

Length : 10 ‘ 6 ” / 320cm Width : 32 ”/ 81cm Thickness : 6 ”/ 15cm Volume : 312 litres Net weight : 20.9lbs / 9.5kg Max . payload : 308lbs / 140kg

The Aqua Marine Beast is a great all-round board and competes well in the market with a solid ride and well-designed board features . The paddle is stiff and light and is suitable for the price point . The board offers a stable iSUP format great for beginners , with a kick plate and tie-on points to suit more experienced paddlers for step-back turns and longer journeys . The colours and features make it easy on the eye and a good board to enter and progress in SUP .

The board arrived in a standard box with good graphics suggesting the potential for a good adventure . Once unpacked , the strong graphics were revealed along with a pump , simple rucksack bag , coiled leash , SUP pump , fin and a good strong paddle with a carbon fibreglass mix . It all seemed solid and of good quality . A quick pump later , the board was at pressure ( 15PSI ), and it had the right blend of stiffness and rigidity and was not overly heavy .

Getting onto the water , we were excited to give it a go . Previously we had snuck it into our hire fleet to see how it fared with beginners and more novice paddlers for stability and performance . They all loved it . A key element of the Aqua Marina board that impressed us was the front deck fixing straps which held the kit , dry bags , shoes and other kit well without any risk of the kit going overboard . The immediate feeling was that the board construction was uncompromising with my heavy timber . There was no flex , and immediately putting the power down through the paddle worked well . The paddle showed no flutter or bend , transferring max power from the board to the paddle . ( important as there is higher flow than usual ).

Once into the swing of things , we tried some stepback turns and ‘ walking the board ’, all of which felt comfortable on the board especially given its forgiving volume , shape and solid construction . Paddling upstream into higher flows , the board tracked well , maintained speed and had good glide for the round market that it was pitching at .

There is an option of a retrofit seat for the top of the board to convert it into a splash and dash kayak model , which can be clipped to the D rings around the board . The double skin construction does feel ready for big adventures and has drop stitch and compression stringers to provide core stability . The bag is functional ( not waterproof ), and the coiled leash should be used with a waist belt . The paddle provided was solid and worthy of the price point . New Aqua Marina boards are equipped with CIRCUPACK™ made from 100 % waste plastic . Every year they aim to prevent over three million plastic bottles from ending up in our landfills .

Overall the Aqua Marina Advanced Series Beast is a fantastic board for ‘ all-round paddling needs ’, which would suit beginner to intermediate needs . It has the volume and rounded shape with a long deck pad and kicker plate to be fun in the waves and deliver on rivers and lakes . Paddle Boarding is all about the feel , and this board felt great to paddle . The deck features were well-spaced , placed and well-thought-out .

We look forward to trying the board on the sea on future trips and in some white water .

The Aqua Marina Beast is available for around £ 549 online , an excellent price for a lot of board .