Interested to hear pros and cons of each tail shape on a custom 9,2 Style Lord? I'm not a big wave rider..just medium waves which are often lacking a bit of punch.
Square tail:
- stabler
- extracts more push from the wave: accelerates faster
- requires to move the rear foot more to turn
- gives more acceleration when pushing on the board in turns
Rounded pin:
- smooth and fluid rail to rail
- more fine control, without having to move your foot around
- can handle hollow waves without feeling overpower
Also, a concave tail (fish, swallow) will add bite and hold to the rear rail in turns, where a convex one (diamond, rounded), will add a bit of "drift" in turns by reducing the rear rail bite.
So, I guess you want a wide tail to get more energy out of weak waves.
Hi Slab, I was going to reply but Colas, nailed it 
The Mini Style Lords all seem to have a rounded pin, which for me really suit the out line of the board. The longer Style Lords have the squarer tail to shorten the turns with the ten foot length of the board. The Mini with the pin tail helps the shorter length draw out the turns.
My custom 9'1' x 31" is super stable even with the rounded pin tail, and riding some very punchy waves on the weekend it was the best option.
My M.S.L will catch and ride weak waves easily, and if a pocket of power comes along it will fly into a turn off the tail.
A few photos of my M.S.L.
Cheers.
Steve.
The choice of tail on a LongSup, in my opinion, must be considered according to the type of waves you plan to surf.
If you want to surf big fast waves (winter waves in Europe) the round pin will be ideal, but if you want to surf small cool waves (summer waves in Europe) the squash tail will be more suitable.
Personally on my Style Lord, which I intend to surf mainly in light summer conditions, I have chosen the squash tail.
If you are in the UK, don't hesitate to contact Antoine from Smik Europe, he gives very good advice.
I quite like a squash tail s ,as they release rear foot pressure quicker and seem snapper in turns
Pins and rounded seems more dragged out ,I have both ,
Thanks all..guessing if slacker waves are the norm then a squash is probs better...not that often we get really punchy waves where I am.
Select to expand quotedrivethebus said..
Hi Slab, I was going to reply but Colas, nailed it
The Mini Style Lords all seem to have a rounded pin, which for me really suit the out line of the board. The longer Style Lords have the squarer tail to shorten the turns with the ten foot length of the board. The Mini with the pin tail helps the shorter length draw out the turns.
My custom 9'1' x 31" is super stable even with the rounded pin tail, and riding some very punchy waves on the weekend it was the best option.
My M.S.L will catch and ride weak waves easily, and if a pocket of power comes along it will fly into a turn off the tail.
A few photos of my M.S.L.
Cheers.
Steve.
Such a nice shape Steve
Select to expand quotecolas said..
Square tail:
- stabler
- extracts more push from the wave: accelerates faster
- requires to move the rear foot more to turn
- gives more acceleration when pushing on the board in turns
Rounded pin:
- smooth and fluid rail to rail
- more fine control, without having to move your foot around
- can handle hollow waves without feeling overpower
Also, a concave tail (fish, swallow) will add bite and hold to the rear rail in turns, where a convex one (diamond, rounded), will add a bit of "drift" in turns by reducing the rear rail bite.
So, I guess you want a wide tail to get more energy out of weak waves.
Yup.your last point was my thinking. Thanks.
Select to expand quotedrivethebus said..
Hi Slab, I was going to reply but Colas, nailed it
The Mini Style Lords all seem to have a rounded pin, which for me really suit the out line of the board. The longer Style Lords have the squarer tail to shorten the turns with the ten foot length of the board. The Mini with the pin tail helps the shorter length draw out the turns.
My custom 9'1' x 31" is super stable even with the rounded pin tail, and riding some very punchy waves on the weekend it was the best option.
My M.S.L will catch and ride weak waves easily, and if a pocket of power comes along it will fly into a turn off the tail.
A few photos of my M.S.L.
Cheers.
Steve.
Hey Steve, next time you get the board out could you take a pic so I can see the rocker line and nose kick? Thanks.
I own a 10 x 28" square tail Stylelord and the other day had a chance to ride it back to back with with a 10 x 29" rounded pin Stylelord, I know they are different sizes, but was surprised how much more lively the 28" was compared to the 29" and was also noted by a couple of other SUPers who had a crack on both boards as well.
Rounded pin for hollow fast waves. Gives nice smooth lines and turns.
Square tail for beachies and more fun less serious waves.
Select to expand quoteSlab said..
Thanks all..guessing if slacker waves are the norm then a squash is probs better...not that often we get really punchy waves where I am.
Note that you can change fins for when the waves get more powerful:
Put fins with more rake, or more swept back.
The Quobba Shifter will be very nice for this (when available...)
quobbafins.com/
Or the S-Wings, that can really make wonders to manage hairy conditions, even with chop.
www.s-wings.surf/en/shop/derives/derives-pour-le-surf/
Or the C-drive, as you can undersize them to keep enough hold, but with small area at tip to not stiffen at speed.
www.cdrivefins.com/
Interesting discussion. FYI - I only SUP on flatwater, so my questions here may be completely baseless.
I love longboard Gliders. 11-12' beasts. I have both an 11' and 12' Munoz glider, which are square tails. I have a custom 10'3" 'mini' glider (but reasonable wide and thick to make up volume) which is somewhere between a rounded pin and pin, and hopefully soon to get my hands on a 11' Takayama glider which is perhaps more of true pin tail.
Long story short, even though it wasn't really in the story, a lot of gliders (re: Skip Frye etc) are pins.
This makes sense for an 11'+ board in terms of 'smooth and fluid rail to rail' and, in particular 'more fine control, without having to move your foot around'... but Gliders aren't often considered for fast, hollow waves. Indeed, most are generally pulled out of the quiver for weak, mushy waves. As an aside, my Munoz's are relative dogs in weak mushy waves, or more to the point, 'slow' waves. They need a bit a speed to 'get up and boogie'.
So, we're stepping outside of SUPs here but I guess the principal carries over, why are so many gliders pin tails?
Is it simply for the control of such a large board?
Additionally, are weak, mushy waves somewhat the wrong place for gliders? essentially being mis-represented, given there's a degree of similarity between gliders and guns?
cheers!
Select to expand quotedamned67 said..
So, we're stepping outside of SUPs here but I guess the principal carries over, why are so many gliders pin tails?
Because you do not "pump" the tail of the glider to gain speed, so you do not need a wide platform on the tail to push onto and resist.
The pin tail will be less pushed by the wave, so the glider will accelerate less,thus will provide a smoother ride, which I guess is the name of the game.
Note that Simmons invented his wide square tail because he craved speed instead :-)
Select to expand quoteSlab said..drivethebus said..
Hi Slab, I was going to reply but Colas, nailed it
The Mini Style Lords all seem to have a rounded pin, which for me really suit the out line of the board. The longer Style Lords have the squarer tail to shorten the turns with the ten foot length of the board. The Mini with the pin tail helps the shorter length draw out the turns.
My custom 9'1' x 31" is super stable even with the rounded pin tail, and riding some very punchy waves on the weekend it was the best option.
My M.S.L will catch and ride weak waves easily, and if a pocket of power comes along it will fly into a turn off the tail.
A few photos of my M.S.L.
Cheers.
Steve.
Hey Steve, next time you get the board out could you take a pic so I can see the rocker line and nose kick? Thanks.
Hi Steve, I rode my Hipster this morning in some punchy rip bowl beach breaks, great board choice.
When I arrived home I grabbed the M.S.L. for a photo shoot on the curves for you.
First up side profile...
Looks flat through the middle with a kick at either end, notice how thin the nose and tail are. The tail really lets the board turn so well being so thin, close to a surfboard really.
The next three will hopefully let you see the concave in the nose, changing to a double through the middle of the board, getting deeper as it runs into the tail
And finally the tail, which as mentioned is very pulled in and quite thin.
Hope that helps.
Cheers.
Steve.
Select to expand quotedrivethebus said..Slab said..drivethebus said..
Hi Slab, I was going to reply but Colas, nailed it
The Mini Style Lords all seem to have a rounded pin, which for me really suit the out line of the board. The longer Style Lords have the squarer tail to shorten the turns with the ten foot length of the board. The Mini with the pin tail helps the shorter length draw out the turns.
My custom 9'1' x 31" is super stable even with the rounded pin tail, and riding some very punchy waves on the weekend it was the best option.
My M.S.L will catch and ride weak waves easily, and if a pocket of power comes along it will fly into a turn off the tail.
A few photos of my M.S.L.
Cheers.
Steve.
Hey Steve, next time you get the board out could you take a pic so I can see the rocker line and nose kick? Thanks.
Hi Steve, I rode my Hipster this morning in some punchy rip bowl beach breaks, great board choice.
When I arrived home I grabbed the M.S.L. for a photo shoot on the curves for you.
First up side profile...
Looks flat through the middle with a kick at either end, notice how thin the nose and tail are. The tail really lets the board turn so well being so thin, close to a surfboard really.
The next three will hopefully let you see the concave in the nose, changing to a double through the middle of the board, getting deeper as it runs into the tail
And finally the tail, which as mentioned is very pulled in and quite thin.
Hope that helps.
Cheers.
Steve.
Fantastic..really thinned out. That'll turn and carve a dream. Many thanks
Select to expand quotecolas said..damned67 said..
So, we're stepping outside of SUPs here but I guess the principal carries over, why are so many gliders pin tails?
Because you do not "pump" the tail of the glider to gain speed, so you do not need a wide platform on the tail to push onto and resist.
The pin tail will be less pushed by the wave, so the glider will accelerate less,thus will provide a smoother ride, which I guess is the name of the game.
Note that Simmons invented his wide square tail because he craved speed instead :-)
Thanks for that!
Hi guys, had this bunch of Tails profiles in one spot,
Hope it's food for thought...
top down,
10'0 Style Lord
10'0 Style Lord custom Noserider's (her n his )
9'7 Ezy Rider
9'3 Hipster Twin
In this pic of board tails uptop the rafters,
Round tail on white wake Sup,
Squash on red GL Surf Music ,
Square on blue JL BnB 10'1
Enjoy ??
Select to expand quoteBighugg said..
Hi guys, had this bunch of Tails profiles in one spot,
Hope it's food for thought...
top down,
10'0 Style Lord
10'0 Style Lord custom Noserider's (her n his )
9'7 Ezy Rider
9'3 Hipster Twin
In this pic of board tails uptop the rafters,
Round tail on white wake Sup,
Squash on red GL Surf Music ,
Square on blue JL BnB 10'1
Enjoy ??
Nice collection! Which one do you use most?
Select to expand quoteSlab said..Bighugg said..
Hi guys, had this bunch of Tails profiles in one spot,
Hope it's food for thought...
top down,
10'0 Style Lord
10'0 Style Lord custom Noserider's (her n his )
9'7 Ezy Rider
9'3 Hipster Twin
In this pic of board tails uptop the rafters,
Round tail on white wake Sup,
Squash on red GL Surf Music ,
Square on blue JL BnB 10'1
Enjoy ??
Nice collection! Which one do you use most?
Depending on the wave of the day ,
That said, haven't used them recently, (pics were pre uplift to Lombok),
was tending to push regularly with the BnB to see what range I could master, a Log is a different Zen.
Am looking forward to exploring the personality of latest custom before the LSR next month.
Then taking time with your guys shared knowledge n intuition to find local waves to match the boards . 
