FANATIC 12’6 RAY LTD TEST REVIEW
FANATIC
12’6 RAY LTD
TEST REVIEW
Verdict:
Fanatic’s Ray 12’6 is a pleasure to paddle, it glides effortlessly through the water with the slightly raised nose. It cut through chop and wind by simply shifting your weight forward a touch and it was more maneuverable than most of the fleet with its gradual nose and tail rocker and soft rails. This sporty light performance tourer was simple but classy-looking and a favorite across the testers.
Overview
Tested in the LTD construction with attractive gloss wood deck and polished rails, on deck it has a long diamond cut pad running right to the tail and it comes with a deep ledge handle and Windsurf option. Forward of the standing area, a subtle vee on deck sheds water and cargo attachment points are concealed in the deck. Underneath a cutting vee bow runs to a soft rounded bottom throughout with softish rails and tail kick.
Brand Claim
The Ray cuts through the water like a raceboard, yet offers an easy and incredibly stable ride at the same time. Whether it’s exploring miles of coastline, lakes, canals or rivers, the Ray glides effortless into new territories with an uninterrupted paddle stroke. If you’re looking for a daily endurance workout, pure family fun or the ultimate adventure tourer, the Ray will give you this great combination of stability and performance for newcomers and advanced paddlers alike.
Performance
The Fanatic Ray felt slippery through the water, the bow cuts through the water easily shedding a small bow wave off each side. It’s gentle rocker throughout and soft rails gave the Ray a very maneuverable feel; it certainly span around well and pivot turned easily. It’s long textured deck pad felt grippier than other ess textured variants on test and in our glide test it came out joint top. Although the Ray was 30” wide it had the narrowest nose and tail of the fleet of boards but certainly felt stable with it’ high volume and flat deck in the centre standing area. The Fanatic didn’t have any ‘bells and whistles’ rather its creators have let the sleek shape and the poise of its gently rockered waterline do the talking on the water. A comfortable, light, glidey tourer and a firm favorite across our test team.
OTHER BOARDS IN THIS TEST:
• RRD GRANTURISMO 12’6 GT WOOD
• STARBOARD TOURING 12’6 PINETEK