The coiled leash is shorter and stretches only when needed, so it automatically does not get entangled between your legs when paddling. Fins The excellent quality and workmanship of the board and accessories is in the top range. Especially the stiffness of the Bluefin boards convinces me every time. Basically, the Bluefin paddle boarding are no bargains, but real price / performance winners. In my last review, I commented on 2 things I disliked about the Bluefin, the way it looks and the fin mechanism. I’ll keep the fin mechanism in here, but I personally think the Bluefin Cruise range looks great now. It comes with a hose that attaches to the already stand-up paddle board and a gauge that lets you know when you’ve reached the optimal pressure. Leash As a result, one of the few points of criticism, namely the high weight of the predecessors, is now a thing of the past.

Paddling while sitting in this seat is very relaxing and easy to do when you are using the supplied dual blade paddle. If you are looking for a true canoeing experience you can just use the normal SUP paddle. So if you are concerned about flawless gliding properties, then you should also consider the larger model early on! Areas of Application and Driving Characteristics We tested the Bluefin Cruise on a stunning July morning in Emsworth, Chichester Harbour. The wind was very light and perfect for paddleboarding. Stability This does not mean that the board has to stop, but with more load the volume slowly reaches its limits and the boards sink deeper and start to lose their desired handling characteristics.The maximum payload of the two 10’8″ versions is again identical at 330 lbs (150 kg). The recommended maximum user weight is 185 lbs (85 kg) max. On this Cruise version, Bluefin have added a bonus safety feature by making the D rings reflective. This is a small but fantastic addition, and we’d like to see more of this on future ranges, particularly as it’s not detrimental to the aesthetics of the board. Accessories In this point, the two variants differ significantly from each other. To make the comparison as clear as possible for you, I decided to list the similarities and differences of the standard and carbon boards separately: Similarities

The main advantage of this technique, apart from the excellent bonding of the layers, is the low weight.

Download our 60-page SUP Guide

With this small kit you can repair or glue small damages on the board yourself. The repair kit is included with all boards. Driving Characteristics I’m not going to say the negative of the Bluefin is its weight, because every other blog on the internet says that. I’m more than happy to take on a board that weighs a little bit more because it’s constructed so damn well, so we’ll leave it there. You can adjust it from 175cm to 210cm, which makes it suitable for people of different heights. The grip on the paddle is made of a rubberized material, which feels comfortable in your hands and does not slip when wet. I’m not a huge fan of how the Bluefin looks, in terms of the graphic design it’s not the best looking board on the market. I think Bluefin is absolutely doing the right thing on getting the construction perfect first, so hopefully on the next Cruise version, they can work on improving the aesthetics. Secondly, you can convert this paddle into a kayak version for when you want to have a sit down on the board.

Due to the very high volume, the Bluefin Cruise Tandem has an impressive maximum load of 530 lbs. This should be sufficient even for 2 stable paddlers, or even for parents including a child. Areas of Application and Driving Characteristics The Bluefin Cruise includes a very easy and comfortable triple action hand pump, so it inflates both on the upstroke and the downstroke. True, this is not as effective as the Triple action pump that is included with the Bluefin Carbon Cruise. But since I inflated this board in only 3.5 minutes with this pump do you really need a better one?

What Other Inflatable SUPs Should You Consider?

Most paddlers are not into anything in particular. They may decide to do yoga on one day, cruise around with their pet on the next, explore a SUP spot on the other side of the country, etc. For someone like that, the Bluefin Cruise 10’8 would be perfect.