tail
This unfinished page contains text from either the 2003 or 2005 print version of Encyclopedia of Surfing. An updated version, with more photos, is coming soon.
The back section of a surfboard, referring either to tail width or shape. Tail width is measured at right angles to the board's stringer, one foot up from the tip; average tail width for a 6'6" shortboard is about 14 inches. Increased tail width means greater speed, particularly in smaller surf, but less control; wide-tailed boards tend to lose traction and spin out during a hard turn. Narrow tail...
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