There are many different surfboard tail designs, and each one dramatically affects how your board performs. This guide breaks down the most common tail shapes to explain how their surface area and rail lines influence lift, control, and turning ability.
Key Takeaways & Tips
Squash Tail
The squash tail is the standard everyday shortboard tail. Its surface area gives you a lot of lift and buoyancy, resulting in buttery turns and excellent projection/speed through bottom turns. It does not work well on bigger days.
Round Tail
The corners are removed, resulting in less surface area. This creates one long rail line, making the board easier to sink, more sensitive, and providing more control and connection to the face of the wave on above-average or bigger surf days.
Pintail
An exaggerated form of the round tail. It is used on step-ups and guns for fast, hollower waves. It harnesses speed rather than generating it, and the tight shape allows the tail to sink easier for quick rail-to-rail transitions.
Diamond Tail
This design combines a square tail with a pintail point. It retains a lot of surface area but the point gives you the ability to pivot. The rail line feels shorter than it actually is, providing both lift and pivot.
Swallowtail
This is similar to a squash tail but with a cut in the center. The cut gives you a nice pivot point and more bite through bottom turns than a squash. It is often used on hollower/curvier shortboards to gain bite and hold when dropping in aggressively.
Wingtail
A wing is cut into the outline near the fins. This allows the rest of the board to remain wide while still having a pulled-in tail, creating a pivot point that gives bite. This is beneficial for smaller days, providing lift and drive.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Squash in Big Waves
Riding a squash tail on a bigger day. The excessive surface area makes it hard to control speed and hinders the board’s ability to easily roll from rail to rail.
Pintail in Small Waves
Riding a pintail on average or small days. The tail’s sinking nature is not suitable for generating speed when there is little push or power in the wave.
Swallowtail Projection
Assuming a swallowtail will give you speed and projection out of turns. The design increases pivot and bite but decreases projection, pushing the tail instead of squirting it out.
Wingtail in Big Waves
Using a wingtail on a bigger day. The pivot point can make the board feel too loose or difficult to hold in the line when dealing with strong wave power.