EP003: Surfboard dimensions, tails, and volume. Wat mean?
Sure that board looks sick but can you actually ride it?
Hello, avatar! Before we dive in, allow me to apologize for my absence. It’s been a crazy ride this year full of peaks and valleys.
Check out my interview with BowTiedBodhi on his substack “Jungle Money” to see what I’ve been up to the last couple of months.
I owe it to all of you who came to this corner of the internet to share my knowledge. From now on, you can expect a bi-weekly post from your friend Quoll. I’m excited to see what 2022 has in store for us!
I chose surfboard selection over general technique because you need the right equipment if you want to rip. Then we can get into the good shit like catching a couple fun ones.
I’ve noticed too many beginners jump the gun and drop $700 on a brand new board. The worst part is they don’t even know how to ride it! The best way to learn is to drop your ego at the beach and start with a longboard and lose length the more you progress.
Starting with a bigger board and learning the basics will help you progress much quicker than failing on a shortboard because “it looks cool”.
Buckle up because we’re about to go turbo on the anatomy of a surfboard.
*autism intensifies*
How Surfboard Dimensions Impact Performance
Surfboard dimensions are typically found on the bottom of the board or the tail depending on the shaper. These measurements give hints on how your board will perform in different conditions.
Surfboards are similar to golf clubs. You can’t drive with a putter, the same way you can’t ride a high-performance shortboard in mushy waves lacking power. You can have a highly specialized quiver for different conditions but, finding 2-3 solid boards is optimal.
Are there exceptions to these? Absolutely. But this is a general framework assuming you just began your surfing journey.
Length: How long your surfboard is from tail to nose. Longer boards will help you paddle faster, add stability, and hold in bigger surf.
Shorter boards are easier to maneuver, especially in smaller surf. The lack of length comes with a tradeoff as it’s more difficult to paddle into waves.
Short-boards are anything below 6’2 ft
Step-ups are 6’2 - 7 ft
Funboards/Mid lengths are 6’8 - 8 ft
Guns are anywhere from 6 - 10 ft
Longboards are 8 - 10+ ft
Width: Measures the widest point on the surfboard from rail to rail. Wider boards provide better paddle power and are easier to pop up. Wider boards generally are slower when maneuvering.
Narrower boards allow for tighter turns and better in larger surf quick responses with turns. Grovelers are cruisey boards meant for summer waves that are less powerful. The extra foam and width helps generate speed in mushy conditions.
Higher wider point closer to the nose = Groveler board
Lower wider point near the center = High-performance board
Height/Thickness: Measures much foam is in your board from deck to bottom.
The thickness of the board can vary depending on where the widest point of the board is located.
Rocker is the curve of a surfboard from nose to tail. Boards with more rocker are easier to roll down the face of a steeper and bigger wave. If you’re surfing larger waves you will want more rocker so your nose doesn’t pick into the face of the wave and toss you into the flats.
Flatter boards provide plenty of float and help the board glide on the surface in poor to fair ocean conditions. Flatter surfboards are more suited for mellow waves that don’t pitch as high.
If you are just beginning to surf, the lack of rocker on the board could cause you to nosedive. However, it’s nothing you can’t fix on your own I’ll dive deeper into this in the upcoming technique series.
Chasing Tail
The shape of the tail dictates how your board will cut through the wave. Think of it as the brush that allows you to paint beautiful lines on your wave which will be your canvas.
Not all tails are created equal and they have their own attributes for different conditions.
Squash tails allow for quick, sharp turns in smaller to medium surf. There are pretty popular for both shortboards and longboards, a lot of pros use this tail.
The squash tail is a pretty safe bet and a swiss army knife when it comes to all-around performance. The only problem is they will lose traction when trying to hold a line in bigger surf.
Autist note: See how the tail kinda resembles a skateboard tail? This gives the board more pop for aerial maneuvers.
Fish/swallow tails help generate more speed through mushy and mellow sections. The wide “V” creates a pair of pintails that can dig in and out of turns very well.
It will feel looser compared to a pin or squash tail, comparable to a skateboard.
This type of tail isn’t just for small waves it can perform on bigger waves but the drops need to be mellow. Dropping in on steeper waves will be tougher to lock into the wave and hold a line.
Round tails provide plenty of traction on steeper faces ideal for bigger surf without sacrificing too much maneuverability.
Sharper turns will be difficult to achieve as the board isn’t loose. The tail is more rigid and it’s challenging to slide it around in the pocket for a tight turn.
Pintails are better suited for big waves that hold a line well giving the surfer maximum control. This type of tail lets you hold a line but you lose a ton of maneuverability.
These types are best suited for big barreling waves. Mostly used for big wave guns.
Volume is Whatever Floats Your Boat
Volume is measured by cubic liters based on length, width, and thickness. But in reality, it measures how much float the board will give you.
If you are a heavier surfer, you want to have more volume to provide more buoyancy. If you’re on the lighter side, you want to have less volume.
Examples of liters by surfboards:
Shortboards 22L - 35 L
Funboards 40L - 60L
Longboards 50L - 100L
For example, BowTiedOx weighs 225lbs, assuming he knew how to ride a longboard well enough, I would recommend him to get a board in the 38-42 liter range, probably a fish. In another case, I’m friends with a professional surfer that weighs 160ish lbs and he likes his shortboards in the 23-26 liter range.
I weigh 180lbs and I typically like my boards in the 28-32 liter range. I can surf lower volume boards but I prefer the extra paddle power in the winter when it’s freezing and I have more neoprene on.
Autists note: If you’re wearing a wetsuit, you might want to consider adding an extra liter or two. Especially if you wear a 4.3mm or 5.4mm suit with gloves and boots.
There’s no magic number for liters it is but a gradient, you learn it from experience.
Remember frens, when Rob Machado said “Foam is your friend.” he wasn’t lying! I see way too many beginners wasting money on boards they shouldn’t be riding. It’s brutal when you’re paddling as hard as you can just to miss the wave. I’ve done it enough times so you won’t have to.
I just want to use this graphic to drive this point home. The graphic above is a little misleading because on paper this makes sense but in practice, it doesn’t work. Volume differs because the concaves and convexes on the board alter the amount of foam.
Prime example math how math is a scam shoutout BowTiedHandyman.
Side note: Definitely check his substack out for help fixing stuff around the house and his Twitter for dank copypastas.
Here are a few volume trackers:
My shaper and I prefer using Rusty’s calculator the best because it grades on a curve with ability.
Quoll’s Advice to Humble Beginners
Alright now that we have a better surface-level knowledge of surfboard dimensions, tails, and volume we can get to the good stuff.
This model is called a Weirdo Ripper, made by channel islands. It’s a high-performance shortboard that’s typically low in volume. I personally prefer working with a local shaper and giving them my money as opposed to a big brand machine factory churning out surfboards using computers and machines.
There’s nothing wrong with boards like this I just would prefer giving my money to a person who built their own business than a soulless surf brand. Avoid boards that look like this until you have enough experience to actually pop up, go down the line, and start going for turns.
When you’re just starting out, you should be learning the fundamentals and instilling good habits. A clown buys this board right off the bat, can’t pop up, and surfs like shit, and then wonders why he surfs like shit. He gives up surfing because he’s ngmi.
Learning the right way means you should start on a longboard. This is where you instill solid fundamentals like popping up, going down the line, and walking up and down the board. We’ll get into that in future technical series.
Once you can walk up and down from tail to nose you can begin to cut down on the length and volume. The funboard/mid-length board type is where you can begin to attempt maneuvers like snaps, cutbacks, and other top turns.
Now that you can perform turns and navigate the board properly. You can drop the volume, shave some length and grab that super expensive sick ass shortboard glistening in the surf shop.
SIKE! We’ll cross that bridge when we get there, I promise.
Putting it Altogether
It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Starting slow on the longboard is truly the most efficient and enjoyable route in your surfing journey.
Purchasing a shortboard as your first board is like trying to buy and flip a website with no experience, you can try maybe you’re a savant and succeed but high odds of failure await you.
Remember dimensions are comprised of length, width, and thickness. Each of these different dimensions plays a key role in the performance of your board with different pros and cons. Generally, a longer, wider, and thick board is better suited for mushier and mellower waves. While, a shorter, narrower, and thinner board is for waves with more power and size.
The picture of pro surfer Tati Weston-Webb is totally unrelated.
Rocker is the curves on the board, more rocker is better suited for steep and larger waves. Less rocker means a flatter board which is ideal for generating speed on smaller and mellower waves.
Tails are what cut into the face of the wave and dictate the amount of stability and hold the board will have on turns. I only covered a few as there are many different tails that blend together.
Lastly, volume is how much float the board has. More volume means a bigger board for a heavier surfer. Lighter surfers can use surfboards with lower volume.
Concluding Thoughts
Anyways, my goal is to shift this into content into shorter digestible topics and try not to go too long. There’s a lot of good content coming to your inbox with beginner techniques, pop-up, advanced techniques, buying a used surfboard, and much much more. I also have some killer threads in the hopper too, so I will be dialing back my shitposting just a hair.
I’m really excited to be your guide as you all improve your surfing ability, no matter where you fall on the spectrum. Surfing is a hobby that allows you to be creative, keeps you fit, and if you’re lucky enough you may be able to make some money doing it.
“I think people who early in life discover something like surfing or some kind of a sport they continue doing through most of their life are very lucky because they found a hobby that will make them fit. — Naval
So if you’re younger (under 30) and just beginning to surf, don’t kick yourself for not starting sooner consider yourself lucky!
Oh by the way, since you are all signed up for my substack this early in the game you are eligible for free coaching from yours truly.
More on this and how it will work next post. T’was written in the stars…