Rails

The first thing you notice when you pick up a board is the foil of the rail. A good shaper will make sure that the taper is consistent from rail to rail and smooth. The biggest performance difference between todays boards and those of two decades ago is the foil, or overall curve, of the rail. Each board may have a variety of rails on it. Most boards have a very soft rolled rail from the nose to the mid point. Closer to the tail, the rail often become boxy with a harder edge for greater control and feel. A basic rule of thumb is that the softer (rounder) the rail, the looser and more forgiving the board.

Rolled Rail: The rolled rail is the most forgiving, easiest rail design. Perfect for beginners. Its a very soft forgiving rail. This is the most common type of rail on eggs, longboards, and many hybrids. Mid Taper Rail: This rail, also known as a "tucked rail" pulls the bottom of the rail a little farther in making the board a little looser. It is still pretty full at the rail though, so you keep floatation The boxy rail gives more drive and is more corky due to increased volume, suited for a more experienced surfer.The boxy rail is thicker providing better floatation. These are great on shorter boards for smaller days as they help you drive across the flat sections. These rails are harder to sink, so power surfers, who might overpower a board with a regular rail, go for something boxier. The low rail will act a little more knifey in the water. A low rail works well in small crappy surf. Because this rail has a lot of taper on the outside edge, you can sink it deeper and turn super sharply of it. Many surfer who like little extra thickness in the middle prefer this type of rail because get the feeling of a thin board but with greater floation.

Continue to: Tails