Until the last 10-12 years surfboard tail design was not as big of an issue. Most designers and manufacturers concentrated on the weight, height and fin design of a board. The last few years however have brought on a number of questions about surfboard tail design. Lets take a look at some of the most popular tail designs. This will help you better understand each tail design and what it is shaped for.
*Remember this, surfboard tail designs must work together with the shape of the board. This – along with the individual aspects of each surfer, will lead to the best results.
Surfboard Tail Designs
Pin Tails – The pintail is designed to provide the surfer with excellent control and surface hold while on the wave. Pintails are almost exclusively found on a big wave gun surfboard. The reason for this is because control is the most important part of a big wave ride. Pintails will not give the board extra maneuverability, but if you are dropping down the face of a large wave the pintail will keep you from snaking.
Roundpin Tails – More width, curve and versatility than the pintail, the roundpin tail design is most ideal for medium sized surf. This tail design allows for good control, but not as much control as the pintail design. A roundpin tail will give a surfer less release while creating a smoother turn. This tail design can be found on a variety of surfboards.
Round Tail – The increased surface area of the round tail design allows the surfboard more lift in the rear, therefore creating a surfboard that turns more easily. The round tail design is most popular on shortboards. This is because maneuverability is so important on a shortboard. Round tail designs help direct water around the end of the surfboard. This provides the surfer with more stability during fast surf.
Squash Tail – This tail design is the most popular tail design for a surfboard. The squash tail pretty much does it all. It has the surface area of a round tail, provides speed and lift in the water, and helps the surfer maintain speeds in slower surf. The rounded corners of the squash tail design will provide more control than the round tail, and the square end allows the board to release. The squash tail design relies on the tri-fin setup to maintain control. The squash is the most popular tail for a shortboard.
Swallow Tail – A swallow tail curves down to two points just like a squash tail. The difference is the area between those points. This area is decreased by a “V” cutout resulting in two soft points. This decreased area between the corners give the board more control during critical maneuvering situations. This design also helps when going in and out of turns. The swallow tail is best for small waves, but it is also ideal for surfers looking for a board that will really stick to the water during deep carves.
Bat Tail – Sometimes called a “star tail,” the bat tail design is a very rare surfboard tail design that you likely won’t see very often. It is kind of a play on the swallow tail design and pretty much performs the same way. If anything the bat tail design is more of a cosmetic turn-on than anything else. While it performs just like a swallow tail, some would argue that the center point of the bat tail design adds more stability in the water.
Diamond Tail – This type of tail design was more popular before the emergence of the squash tail design. What the diamond tail design does is allows the surfer to keep a lot of speed in the water. It was also initially designed to have a softer feel than the square tail design.
Square Tail – This tail is a lot like the squash tail – which we already talked about, but the corners are more pointed to create square turns. This gives you a bit less release, but leaves you with plenty of bite.
Like anything else on a surfboard, i.e. fins, weight, height, board style, the tail will vary depending on the type of surfing you plan to do. There are tail designs that will allow a surfer to do just about anything in the waves these days. Have fun picking the tail that is right for you.