The current version of the Raven, at left, and the previous version that we tested, at right, are both single-fin, touring-oriented boards, and they are stunning. That's where the similarities end. The newer version is thinner and narrower with less volume.
Boardworks advertises this new shape as faster than the previous board we tested. It's certainly a racier template, so we wouldn't be surprised. These changes also make an already tippy board even less stable. For this reason, the current version is even less appropriate for beginners or casual paddlers than the version we tested. Experienced paddlers looking to optimize glide over all else may be stoked on the new Raven. See the spec changes below:
Previous Test Version | Current VersionVolume: 290 L | 286 L
The Boardworks Raven is an excellent, high-performing board that is ideal for touring and racing. While it isn't very stable and is far from a leisure craft, this is the perfect board for going far and fast.
In our flat water time trial test, the Raven received an average time of 66.88 seconds. When we repeated the time trial on choppy water, the Raven's average time was 108.21 seconds. Continuing its remarkable performance in this metric, it earned the top spot in our distance per paddle stroke test on flat water. The Raven took an average of 37.5 paddle strokes to cross our course. However, this board got upstaged in the rough water version of the test by the BIC. The BIC beat the Raven by about 2.5 paddle strokes on average. All in all, the Raven is a fast board that has excellent glide performance.
The Raven handled well in rougher water when moving, but its stability drastically decreased when stationary — some of our more experienced paddlers learned this the hard way, taking an unexpected dip when a rogue wake came. This board is also narrower than many other boards, making it somewhat unsuitable for transporting additional passengers or significant cargo. In addition, this board wasn't the first choice for new paddlers, who much preferred boards with a bit more stability.
The Raven did exceptionally well in our slalom course, putting up the fastest time of the entire group with 81.13 seconds. This offset the Raven's mediocre performance in the U-turn test. We attempted to complete a U-turn without back paddling in one of the small lakes that we tested in. While most other boards completed this task without too much difficulty, while the Raven only made half of this turn before running aground and forcing us to abort the test.
This model is relatively easy to carry, only proving slightly unwieldy due to its length. It has a pop-out handle — a nice addition, making it a little easier to maneuver and giving you some more flexibility when carrying compared to the standard, recessed pocket found on most boards. The Raven weighed in at 28 pounds, 14 ounces, about average in our tests.
This model was a little tricky to load on a car, primarily due to its length, and usually needed a second set of hands to be done easily.
Combing through online comments, we didn't find any common issues or widespread problems. However, we found some pressure dents and deformation on the board when we conducted a survey, appearing to be from the crossbars when transporting the board. We padded the bars, so it would seem that the Raven is a little on the more delicate side.
The Raven is a performance board at a premium price — not exactly a bargain pick.
