moontails

What are the pros and cons of using a moontail  on a longboard.

Pros: No idea, wait for the pros to respond.

Cons: You can hurt yourself more badly.

With a friend I build and tried a midlenght mini-simmons with halfmoon tail.

I don’t know where I read it, but I agree that tails probably have the least effect on a boards performance. I didn’t notice any real cons. It does look good and attracts attention, I don’t know if that’s a good pro … A lot of people wanted to know about the board.

…think about it man; do you see lots of longboards with swallow tails? You can put whatever tail shape on whatever design but you should think why; I mean, there s thruster longboards out there…why? is a useless set up mostly for a longboard or do you put your back foot there in the very tail on a lboard? so any type of swallow tail is to provide more hold on the pocket of the wave when you are turning in that hollow place, due to with those tails (if they are well done not as a gimmick) you can “see” the back fin hence more hold.

Not really.    But, it IS one of the more frequently embraced myths, about surfboard tail shapes.

…a round pin tail shortboard does not holds the same as a swallow in that critic place

I like a simple square tail for longboards. I agree with Hans, the points on the moontail could hurt you more than a rounded, square or squash tail.

Tail shape does affect performance, but I think less on longboards. Rounded pin for big powerful waves, square or squash for small fun waves.

Not going to give you any noticeable effect on a longboard.   Effect is similar to a swallow tail.  Will get a fair amount of attention from your bros at the beach though.  So be sure you have a good b’'$#!t response on design theory when they ask you about it.  You don’t want to sound clue-less.

I have never embraced this tail.

Why would you lengthen the rail line?

You are on the rail while turning.

Shorte rail turns a tighter radius.

Diamond or round tails turn better.

The fuller the moon the bigger the waves? ;]

I would guess the benefit is in the massive area reduction in the tail, turning a long rail into an ultimate pintail.
Damn ugmo tho.

Another hipster vanity meaningless aesthetic fad.

Tail shape is mostly about rail line. Swallow = long straight rail line plus a little ‘sink’ in the center which equates to less lift = more control at the cost of (a little) speed. This is why you see them on wide short boards that might be a little ‘slippery’ under tha back foot due to the tail width. They used to be more common on guns back in the day - those super narrow swallows - really straight rail line and a little ‘release’ at the tip, I had a Rawson Sunset board like that once…  CONTROL. The ‘moron-tail’ would theoretically be a way to have a straigher rail ine with only a small amount of ‘sink’ — dunno… maybe people like it. The emperor seemed to like his new clothes. I think most shapers can get the desired effect with pin/squash/sqare/swallow and their variants along with wings as desired. The curve of the rail line and the basic tail width and rocker are going to provide far more of the meat in this area. The two points might be good for poking both your eyes out in a very specific wipeout, but then a swallow can do that just as well too.

…hey OBkali, for your knowledge these tails are nothing new;

What you say about that swallow tails straight the tail planshape is incorrect; I mean, is one of the possibilities.

Moon tail looks nice on that simmons style board on a longboard I don’t see any real advantage