There are many of you out there that would best suit this type of board as it is usable in the widest range of conditions and for varying levels of rider and disciplines.

The Jimmy Lewis Cruise Control shows a well balanced board perfectly suited to All rounder paddling as is the Jimmy Lewis Hanalei in the larger sizes.  We are also veyr impressed by some of the inflatable boards out there that also fit into this category so check out the Mistral and C4 brands and inflatable blog to find out more.

Jimmy Lewis Hanalei

Average dimensions:

  •     width range  30-32 inches wide
  •     length between  11-12 feet and 10ft upwards for lighter riders
  •     volume should be above 180 litres
  •     shape varies but generally wide stable nose and tail
  •     fin setup is 1 to 3 but makes more sense to use single fin
  •     weight and construction vary

The all rounder paddle board can turn its hand to most conditions give or take the extremes but is mostly used for flat water paddling on rivers, lakes, canals, estuaries and flat water to small wave  days on the sea.

It will be an easy board to ride with lots of stability and an easy glide meaning as you paddle you feel you are travelling easily per stroke of the paddle.

Stability isn’t just about volume or even the width of a board.    Imagine standing on a large plank of wood where you have a person each holding a corner.  While all of those corners are widely spaced and evenly held you feel very secure and don’t really wobble.   Now imagine pulling those corners in close so the people holding those corners are allvery close together.  Any little movement you make is magnified and instantly you begin to wobble making it hard for the people to keep the board stable.  Now take those people away and replace them with water.   Hopefully this paints a picture for you of how nose and tail shape play an important part in board stability.

Stability on a SUP is dictated by length, width and volumeWhilst we are talking about stability you also need to know that length plays a big part to.  Riding a shorter board creates SHUNT. Shunt is when the board can surge backwards and forwards depending on your body position above it.   As you paddle and your body sways forwards and backwards you will feel a shorter board drive the nose down as you tip forwards and this in turn slows you down.

So looking at those factors it starts to become apparent that we need to have a wider nose and tail with a long enough water line/length to aid in glide and stability and ultimately enjoyment for the all round paddler.

Looking at fins we would suggest a single fin configuration.  What this does is reduce drag compared to a triple fin setup.  You won’t have the bite of a triple fin layout but you don’t need it so go single.

The weight and construction will vary  depending on the brand and size.  Making sure such a long board can be easily carried and transported is important to many of you so look into the options.  By spending less on your paddleboard right now means you will be getting a heavier board so bear this in mind if you are planning to keep it for all the family.

What I really enjoy about the all rounder style board is when the family come down to the beach and we all spend time on the water paddling out the kids jumping on for a play, catching any little bumps rolling in and having a chilled out cruise further out where it is so peaceful.  This sort of board is a keeper and even if you decide to progress to something more wave or race oriented this board will always have a place in your quiver.

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