A touring board is designed for distance and cargo. They usually have front and rear tie downs, some life fishing boards have additional d rings to tie down large coolers. Heavy gear should be loaded on the back of the board. 12’-14’ Boards 28-30 inches wide with 275 liters of volume or more. For board volume, take your weight multiply by 1.5 and add 1 liter per pound for cargo. It’s my formula, clothing , water, gear, can add up fast. Im 180lbs w pfd, leash, booties, empty dry bag, phone and electronics. Additional gear can add up to 40lbs for camping.
180 lbs x 1,5= 270liters + 30-50 lbs of gear= 300-320 liters. A 14’ board may be needed for this volume if it’s 28-30” wide. A 12’6”x 32” touring board can come close enough, an 11’x 34” board can also hold the weigh but wouldn’t be good for distance unless on a river. Your board won’t be as fast or stable with less volume but won’t sink either. These numbers are what I find are for best performance at my weight, it’s not an industry standard calculation. Paddling lakes, flowing rivers, rapids, or open waters are considerations to take with your selection of board size shape and volume as well as the distance you will need to paddle.
