Tail width to shoe size ratio

General Discussion
1

Are there any ratios that should be used when deteriming the width of the tail. I wear a size 9 shoe and if I ride anything over a 14" tail I feel useless. What are the general dimensions that factor into shoe size and tail width. I noticed shoe size is on some custom board order sheets.

2

THIS is my perennial question! I wear size 7. Fred Flintstone shape. Same deal! I have always surfed better on narrower boards for just that reason but never seem to find my way to a long term happy match. Everything has to adjust really to balance the narrower tail I think for same handling. Currently wrestling with just this question in terms of design for finless/DaleSolomonson/CarlOlsen follow up board. Shorter, narrower, thinner, but how much???

3

I used to think it mattered, but since I now ride a 17" tail nugget and I can throw it around better than any other board, I’d now say it matters only if the shaper has not tuned in the board for a wider tail.

4

I have Ksmall right now that’s 6’0" with a tail that’s 15" wide. I can really only turn the thing if I’m on the very back of the tail patch (which I guess is where you want to be). But I honestly haven’t ever found the advantage of having a super wide tail. This board is a small wave board which I guess usually means a wider tail.

5

Howzit Burnsie,

I like wide tails too (they get me up and into waves earlier). But I wear a size 13. I was curious about your comment regarding shaping for a wide tail–what considerations should made? The reason I ask is I’m shaping a gun right now and I want to keep the tail wide, but I’ve never surfed a wide-tailed board in real big waves. Thanks,

C-Slug

6

wouldnt a wide tail board on steep waves skip down the face. i can see the advantages for small guttless waves . but for a gun you want to really dig that tail into the face . harder to do with too much width

7

That’s what they say but I ride a board with a 15’’ tail right now and I’ve taken it out in DOH days with out a problem (from the tail width). I like it because I get up quickly as the tail lifts. Then its more a matter of sinking the rail than the tail. I’m interested in what others have to say because I’m sure, as burnsie said, it’s a matter of all the design factors coming together. What design elements make a wide-tailed board suited for big waves? Solo?

C

8

Tail width counts for a lot but only in the context of rocker, rail shape, foil and bottom contours.