I’m not too interested in SUP surfing, but I really enjoy flatwater paddling/cruising. Looking at a variety of production race/touring boards, seems that most companies are going with shapes that have fairly wide tails, displacement noses, and pretty square rails…but there’s a few folks out there doing pintails, usually on 14’+ boards.
What is the design logic around the different rail and tail shapes for flatwater/cruising/racing boards? I’m assuming the square rails help keep the volume all the way out to the rail and maintain stability. Manueverability isn’t really a major target, while stability is, I suppose. I’m assuming that a pintail would be more efficient on a long board, as it would let those flowpaths along the rail come back together with minimum disturbance, but on shorter boards would compromise volume.
living in the uk we get plenty of flat days so get on the water in any way posable keeps me sain, here is a flat water board i have just finished. im not so keen on pin tails there negatives for most of the time out way the positives on the smaller boards i have however done on on a 18’8 because im not going to be doing any fast sharp turns in any shape or form on that! . a small square tail can still work well and keep alot of stability and volume. I also like relatively hard rails to keep control however others prefer more rounded, its geting the combination right for the conditions and the rest of the design
Pin tails for down winders. Wide sharp rails for flat water. Wide and flat is stable. Or somethin like that ! Just stumbled on this by Wood_Ogre. But I am Wood_Ogre and I did not post that ! How is it possible for some one to do that ?
10’-1" 27" x5.75" - Womens flatwater-specific SUP (under 150 lbs rider weight). Shaped specifically for sprinting/training, an easy board to load/offload. A quick session board.
**Hard downrail, super flat bottom. Rails thick enough for bouyancy and a stable-enough outer edge for a wide forward-facing paddle stance. **Some top-curve for shedding water. Sharp rails aid in splitting/shedding water. The less underside contours, the less suface area for water to drag and stick to it. “Flatter is faster” seems to be working…
Nose chines on the under (addressing wakes and surface shop); “angled plow”. Slight deck-shed depression ~20" back. 1.5" nose rocker, tail rocker is 1/2".
