Wider tail will generally make the board looser...easier to turn....pin tails will hold a tighter line in steeper sections...

Kagey,
Its a bit more complicated than you might think! You need the boards to adapt to the condititions you want it to excel in. You cannot just say "wider tails" turn tighter for instance because on bigger or more powerful waves, a wider tail can actually hinder the turing circle. Its all about the battle between looseness and drive. If you want to turn tight in small and less powerful waves, wider tails are the go and a swallow tail in the area gives a bit more bite. A round tail is normally looser than a swallow but awell as looseness, you want a bit of drive aswell and the swallow gives that balance. If your designing your board to work in a bit more powerfull conditions, narrow the tail down to give the turn more drive and bite. Narrower tails also require less rocker so this has to be considered also. Pin tails are acutally good for these type boards as the rounded part of the tail privides some loosness to balance out the drive created by the narrower width. Also on an sup, if you don't want to have to move your back foot at all from rail to rail will influence your tail width. Smoothness of the conditions on the wave face also will alter the design a little and rocker and rail profile needs to be considered in all of this.

Hope this helps

Yeah what Scotty Mac said^^^ what sort of waves do you want it for?By the way there is a massive difference between a traditional FISH and garden variety swallow tail too!!
Robboo

I surf small and not very powerful waves, overheads at best. So I've been looking at some larger boards and they have different attributes so In order to make a better decision I thought I'd find out a bit more about the various factors of the manouverability of a board.

What does anyone know about harder rails further up the board as oposed to softer ones? I realise this will hold when in steep waves but does it help/hinder elsewhere?

PFFFFFFt, these are true fish tails

lacey said...

Kagey said...

I surf small and not very powerful waves, overheads at best. So I've been looking at some larger boards and they have different attributes so In order to make a better decision I thought I'd find out a bit more about the various factors of the manouverability of a board.

What does anyone know about harder rails further up the board as oposed to softer ones? I realise this will hold when in steep waves but does it help/hinder elsewhere?

this a fish type tail, not a bad turner and will draw longer lines. if you are surfing soft waves go the softer rail, however a nice taper coming into the tail will give you something to work with


this board is pretty low around to give you an idea
cheers
ps i still have this board, just can't bring myself to part with it

Lacey, Why would you wanna get rid of that board it looks the nuts mate?? (not for me I'd sink it)

lacey said...

Lacey, Why would you wanna get rid of that board it looks the nuts mate?? (not for me I'd sink it)

yeah, i took it out at the alley today, running with those shaper's s9's- fiddled with centre fin a couple of times- goes really well with them. she pulls a fantastic bottom turn if you are on it and the swallow just gives you big projection. love this board in a bit bigger than overhead waves. in my mind i think i'm tom curran in search of,in reality, a gumpy bogging rails everywhere

AWWWW now its a SWALLOW??? lol, friggin
r0bB00000ooOOO