Diablo Paddlesports’ Kayak/Stand-Up-Paddleboard Hybrid Watercraft

Chupacabra

Diablo Paddlesports has taken an innovative approach to building a watercraft which allows anglers to stand up and fish, but also sit down and paddle — or vise versa. They took the maneuverability of a kayak and combined it with the stability of a stand-up paddleboard (SUP) for their first model, the Adios (12.5-feet long x 36-inches wide; $1600). For 2011, they are releasing a new model, the Chupacabra. The Chupacabra is a thermoform ABS watercraft that measures 10.5-feet in length and 37-inches wide and weighs 56 pounds. This SUP/kayak hybrid has a weight capacity of nearly 400 pounds. It sports a roomy front cargo hatch and plenty of room to walk around the non-skid foot cushioning, which covers much of the deck.

In an interview with Kayak Angler Magazine, Diablo Paddlesports founder Thomas Flemons said, “The stability far exceeds any of the other kayaks we’ve ever tried to stand in. I can be standing up in one of these and pull in a 70-pound dog over the side and not have any worries about flipping over. We’ve had guys up to the 350-pound mark very easily be able to stand up and paddle around.”

MSRP is $1350.