I posted this in the Surfermag Forum, but I’m interested in more feedback.
What are the effects of a thick vs. thin tail? I’m not talking about width, but thickness. I just shaped a 6’6" Rounded Pin and the tail looks really thin to me. The complete dimensions are 6’6" X 18.5" X 2.25". My plan is for this to be a good step-up board to get me in to some hollow waves with some size…and I think it looks okay, but I’m concerned the tail will sink and create too much drag (or something along those lines). I don’t think my weight should be much of an issue though…I’m 5’9" and 145lbs. The futures boxes should just fit.
This pic looks like the bottom is funky, but I think it’s just the lighting. The concave is single to double, but I don’t think you can see the double in this pic.
Looks fine to me. I like thicker tails in slower waves, as they tend to skate on top of the water–less sinkage. Sounds like you’re looking at hollower, more powerful waves here, where sinking the tail=better responsiveness. You might want to take an extra measure with your calipers, though, to make sure you can sink some fin boxes in there…
Retro, you had me nervous especially since my calipers are homemade. But I just double checked it and it should be fine with the boxes. It’s 1" thick @ 4" from the tail. I believe the trailing fin box for futures is 1/2" deep so I should be fine.
I will be doing 6/4 on the top so you’re right it should beef up a little. I’ll post more pics as I glass and fin it.
Does anyone else have boards with really thin tails?..Pics please!
it will most likely be fine, i helped a friend shape a bonzer steup in NJ, he made the tail a bit to thin and you could see thecenter fin boxthrough the glass, but the only bad thing was that it was a little tough to paddle, but then again i only get to surf half the year so he’s a much stronger paddler than i. oh and 4.5 inches from the tail the board was 1 1/16 so they look to be about the same.
You have tons of thickness left in that blank. Like mentioned above, you’ll be amazed how thick it will be when it’s glassed. Glassing adds about 1/8 to the overall dims. All you need for the fin boxes is about 3/4". It looks like where you got concerned is when you were trying to flow to double concave out the tail. Thats the area where the bottom and rail contours can get away from you. Lots potential for shaped in twisting in that area. I’m probably backwards, but I shape the thickness and bottom stuff first. Then I pull my top rails bands in to finish the board. Nothing worse than having to adjust the bottom after the top rails have been done.
that looks like a good hollow wave board, how big of a wave will you be riding with it ? seems 6’6 is a bit long for a 5’9 145lbs guy , but I could be wrong.do futures boxes let you moove your fins forward and back?
A veteran local shaper out here has been putting a little more thickness in the tail on almost all his shortboards for the past year/year and a half, and they seem to be working well… A little better in slower, mushier waves than tails that are really thinned out… a little earlier into the take-offs, too… Might not have as good hold in really sharp snaps or when you’re tight in the pocket, but I’m not so sure about that… just assuming.
Keep in mind the overall foil of the board… Thicker in the middle and really thinned out in the nose and/or tail creates a tipping point… a balance point… so the “sweet spot” might not be where you’d expect it, depending on the overall thickness flow. I made a three finned “modern fish” that was wide and thick in the middle, but thin and pulled in the nose and tail, and it needed much bigger waves - solid chest to head high - to work the way I wanted. It could have used more thickness in the tail for sure.
a] Keep in mind the overall foil of the board… Thicker in the middle and really thinned out in the nose and/or tail creates a tipping point… a balance point… so the “sweet spot” might not be where you’d expect it, depending on the overall thickness flow.
b] I made a three finned “modern fish” that was wide and thick in the middle, but thin and pulled in the nose and tail, and it needed much bigger waves - solid chest to head high - to work the way I wanted. It could have used more thickness in the tail for sure."
thanks for that !!
re : a] that confirms what Ambrose mentioned in a very helpful private message to me , regarding the “Auslocks board’s” launching ride for me , and also…
re : b] …how my "prawn " felt on some waves , just with the thinner nose and tail
that looks like a good hollow wave board, how big of a wave will you be riding with it ? seems 6’6 is a bit long for a 5’9 145lbs guy , but I could be wrong.do futures boxes let you moove your fins forward and back?
cecil
This board was designed more as a stepup board. I am thinking it will be used in Solid 1.5X overhead, hollow waves…nothing huge. I do plan to take it to mainland Mexico for some punchy beachbreak action where down the line speed is critical on hollow waves. Also for the biggest the East Coast can produce…like Hurricanes!!!. They are predicting a banner year for East Coast Hurricanes this year and possibly one that will devastate the US East Coast. Increasingly warm water temps are partly to blame. Please pray that they stay out to sea and do not make landfall!
(ps…Futures boxes do not let you move your fins around)
To be honest, though, I think this is more of an attempt to warn people that it could happen and to be prepared. Trends are showing that the northeast is due for one soon since we haven’t had one in a long time. Water temps have been a little bit warmer than usual…even this winter I don’t think it dropped below 40 degrees…so you never know. I am no weatherman, but there are a ton of other factors that determine which areas are susceptable to damage. My prediction is that the Gulf will see a lot of action again and the east coast will get skunked. We’ll see I guess.
Feel S rail is useless if the rocker is started early enough from the tail.
I hate thin tails. I’m a standup, but I want my back foot to be standing on 1.5" of board, so I get glide off the bottom turn, and when I go way out on the shoulder, the tail gives enough lift to roundhouse back without stuffing a rail.
Yes, I like hi volume rails also!
OTOH, I like narrow boards with narrow tails!
And no, those boards do not work well in slowmoving mushy waves.
How do people feel about the s-rail approach here?
I’ve been experimenting with s-rails. I find that you either have to increase tail rocker a little bit, or bring the volume a lot more towards the center of the board, and make the rails a little thinner than normal. Otherwise, it’s seems to make the board harder to turn, just like a regular rail board that is too thick in the tail. I’m still experimenting, but I think there definitely is potential to s-rails once they get dialed in.
i read another report predicting another very active year, which by the water temps i was hearing about was confirming, that this will be a very active year. the hurricane arn’t supposed to make land fall as often as they did the past couple years and the ARE supposed to be in the atlantic not the gulf. so hopefully i will surf my fncking brains out this summer
