The very elegant, pointed nose splits the water wonderfully, but does not give the board the stability of more bulky touring boards. Anyone switching from a 30 mm touring board will therefore experience a new balance challenge, but also a much sportier riding experience with wonderfully low riding resistance, which enables a brisk cruising speed of more than seven km/h even with moderate paddle pressure. This means that even high paddle frequencies can be sustained over longer distances, as is appropriate for a real sports chassis. The sharp, all-round edge at the rear (not very well glued in places on the test board) ensures clean water separation during fast sprints, which can also quickly result in speeds above nine km/h on the speedometer display. With a lot of paddle pressure or an increased load, the slim board already shows some deflection; we would consider alternatives for paddlers weighing around 85 kilos or more.
As with all long, narrow boards that lie deeper in the water, the crossbow turn requires one or two more strokes than a shorter touring board, and if you can make it to the wedge-shaped part of the pad with your back foot during the pivot turn, you are already a buoy artist. Nevertheless, this challenge is also a lot of fun, but you should plan to practise on warmer summer days. The equipment corresponds to the more sporty area of use, a small net has to suffice for a day trip, you will only find a handle in the centre. The small, waterproof pack sack for the repair kit is also good for packing valuable small items.
Conclusion on the RRD Air Race 14'0" x 28":
A board that is particularly easy to paddle and appeals to very experienced paddlers in particular.
Technical data and notes RRD Air Race 14'0" x 28":
- Price: 1399 Euro
- Length: 381 cm
- Width: 71.1 cm
- Weight: 13.7 kg
- Volume: 315 litres
- Info about Roberto Ricci Designs
Very fast, very easy to paddle, good directional stability.
