Ok, this is turning into a great discussion, most of the stuff I’m reading here I had read (or heard) before. It seems like it’s still hard to get alignment.
I’ll try for what I can.
It seems to me that, unlless very pronounced and radical, they are mostly cosmetic (the Piranha example). My preference would be to go for a smooth outline.
From what I can tell, reading everybody’s response, if we look back at the image i put at the beginning of this posts, I would say that between A and B there wouldn’t be a whole lot of difference, therefore I’d go for A, right?
but then again, why is Skip Frye putting horizontal fins on the rails of twin keeled fins? that changes everything.
well, thanks everybody so far, let’s keep this going.
I think that’s true. That and the thing about the small wave boards using width back to a certain point, then using an abrupt break with a wing to give you back-footability off the feature. The line could really just be like the Anacapa fish’s, but it just doesn’t look as good, does it? The cool thing about the break/bump/wing with a straightened off line to the tail-corner is you have a very positive feature to work off. Personally, I would maybe say this is also a weakness, in terms of the style that results, and in fact, loss of drive off a straightened tailward line. A curve back there has more total rail purchase. I bet that’s what Grif is talking about.
The bump squash is better for pumping off the bump to add up speed in small waves. A bump squash is a good back foot trainer. Develop muscle memory for your smooth line thruster boards of the same size, etc. The winged front-footer like the MTF and the MR work like a fish until you want to get back on the wing and pulled tail. Not boards you want to ride to train for WCT style these days.
Wings allow you to decrease the tail area of the surfboard. You can decrease the tail area while maintaining a wider mid point, to behind mid point. Have you ever tried to design a 22 in board with a 12 in tail? Looks pretty funny without wings.
They work great on bigger boards 7 ft & up, but I don’t see the need on a short board?
I have 3 boards with wings and one of my mates rides a 9’1" x 22" double winged pintail mal too.
I’ve always found they are fast, i’ve never thought they were slow or hard to manuver and they feel good on my backhand.
they hold great in big waves too. my 6’2" supertwin will go an 8’ wave with better results than any other wingless board in that size range. (and that is with a gs back fin too!)
i’ve also witnessed my freind pull into a easy 6 - 8" tube on his winged mal, yet the same board rips in small waves.
I think they work really well if you want a narrow tail but still width. that means you can have a great small wave board with good control in bigger waves too.
only “wants” to pass from one point to another quickly
second, a hip in the outline is far better than a wing
so Im advocate for clean lines
whatever break of those lines and you obtain drag
if you have lot of middle area may be you dont want that in the tail (because is better to surf with the rail than with the bottom for ex in a cranked bottom turn)
and may be you want a pivot point to do tight turns in an smaller arc…there the wings…but better a hip
