There are times when you wanna go paddleboarding, and times when you wanna go boating. The Supmaran allows you to do either, as it's a modular kit that combines both types of watercraft.
Currently the subject of a Kickstarter campaign, the Supmaran has been around in one prototype form or another since 2019. It was invented by Austrian outdoors enthusiasts Martin Schwaiger and Gregor Schuster.
The setup consists of two inflatable standup paddleboards (SUPs), a snap-together tubular polymer frame, a waterproof fabric sunshade, an 80-liter cargo box, and two folding mesh chairs. If buyers already have two identical third-party SUPs of their own, they can save a few bucks and just use those.
Whichever the case, the SUPs can be utilized separately for traditional paddleboarding whenever wished. When it's time to go boating, the frame gets snapped together, the sunshade gets popped onto it, and the whole rig is then secured to the two side-by-side SUPs via four included straps.
Next, the chairs are unfolded and strapped to the frame, and the cargo box (for drinks, snacks, smartphones, etc) is placed in a receptacle between the two chairs. If a third-party electric trolling motor is being used, it can then be secured to the frame's motor mount. If not, the Supmaran gets paddled (by two passengers, each one paddling on their respective side).
The entire assembly process is claimed to take less than 15 minutes, with the whole shebang reportedly weighing in at 48 kg (106 lb). It can support a maximum passenger/cargo weight of 200 kg (441 lb).
When disassembled and packed up, everything is able to fit into the back of a car. And as an added bonus, when the SUPs are being used on their own, the frame, sunshade and chairs can be set up on the shore as a sort of mini gazebo.
Assuming the Supmaran reaches production, a pledge of €1,266 (about US$1,373) will get you a setup without the SUPs, while €1,920 ($2,081) will get you a full SUPs-included package. You can see the system in use, in the video below.
Source: Kickstarter