Bluesalt SUP have made a board that Is versatile, colourful & unique. This board has been put through its paces by their dedicated Rep team. Anything they could think of for the board to do, they’ve done it! The Nautilus has withstood the carelessness of hire, the salt of the sea, the abuse of surf and the unpredictability of white water. And is still here, still strong and still going forward.
The Bluesalt Nautilus is truly a multi-purpose SUP. It’s been designed to allow you to cross over the disciplines of flat water paddling, wave riding and white water. No matter what your level of experience, you can use this board and push it as far as your imagination wants to take you!
The Environments
Flat/Sheltered Water: This board shines as a board that will make you stand out due to its unique colourful & design. The Nautilus has a specially designed stern allowing you to be stable when at the back of the board, making those step back turns easier to learn and perform faster once you’ve got the trick dialled down. This board is a great board for first time buyers as you wont need to buy anything else when you’ve progressed.
Open Water: The Nautilus’ length at 10’8” allows this board to soak up long journeys with ease. Plenty of space in the bungee cords lets you carry all the equipment you will need. A US fin box with adjustable positioning giving you freedom to any size fin in whatever position you please to suit your needs.
Surf: As a relatively long, inflatable board the Nautilus is not going to win any surf competitions, however smooth long waves is where the board can really shine! The rigid design, bow rocker and grippy deck pad allow you to catch small to medium waves with ease, allowing for a nice chilled surf session.
Moving/White Water: The Nautilus was never intended to be a white water board, however the Bluesalt design team and the reps can often be seen charging the white water sections of rivers on the Nautilus. Its unique bow rocker lets you carry over features that other boards would sump into. The length keeps you in a straight line when paddling down rapids. And the same US fin box that helps you out in open water comes into its own as you can attach a smaller, flexible fin or remove the fin altogether. Grab handles at the middle, front and back let you climb back onto the board from any angle. This board performs so well on white water, local white water SUP coaching business in the South West of England (Westaway Adventures) use this board to introduce paddlers to white water with great results.
The History:
The Bluesalt SUP design team have a very close working relationship with their committed Reps and respect for their customer feedback. It is this interaction that has seen the board undergo many changes that makes it the board it is today.
Deck Pad: The prototype Deck started to fade after extensive use, the black would fade and reveal a smudged white. The design team addressed this immediately by using a new deck pad that will not fade over time. Maintaining that solid black look.
Hull Change: The original batch of Nautilus boards were colourful and proud. They did however come with a black Hull, this seemed like a good colour pattern as it matched the theme of the board well. The team were finding that white scratch marks would show up quite easily. Another problem was that the large black surface would soak up the heat if left in direct sunlight on a very hot day, building pressure in the board. (no Bluesalt SUP board has ever burst due to building pressure). This matter was quickly addressed with the second and all future Nautilus board having a white hull. This keeps the board looking fresh even when scratched and keeps the heat down when in the sun.
Front D Ring: Not the most important design feature however it took time to decide on this feature so it deserves a mention. The front D ring is placed at the most forward point of the board (front rail), as opposed to on top or underneath. This may seem like personal preference however there is thought behind this. Positioning the ring here makes for the best attachment point when setting up a tow as the board is pulled through the water easier instead of either up or down.
Size: The original Nautilus came in at only 4.75” thick, 2020 saw the release of the ‘Nautilus +’. This board has the same dimensions as the original was only 6 inches thick as opposed to 4.75. Both sizes are still available to purchase.
Conclusion
The Nautilus Sup is a fantastic board. It’s extremely strong and a very durable inflatable paddle board, whilst maintaining a lightweight frame. The Bluesalt team certainly have plenty of credibility behind them with their retro-styled boards and this model is no different. That’s the thing with the Bluesalt development team, they listen to their customer feedback! Bluesalt SUP will undoubtedly bring out new boards for different environments, watch the space and see them on the water!
If you are still considering other paddle boards you may want to check out these paddle board reviews we have done:
- Bluefin Cruise Review 12’ Paddle Board
- Tambo 10.5 Paddle Board Review
- Fanatic Inflatable Paddle Board Review
Guest Author – Tom Westaway
Hey folks! I’m Tom Westaway, and I am an avid whitewater paddle boarder. I live in the beautiful city of Exeter, Devon. Feel free to contact me at tomwestaway37@gmail.com
