Photo by @NaturalSkimboards
Board shape will most likely be the most influential in your ride experience. These features significantly factor into side slipping, transitions, responsiveness, turn angle, speed on rail, riding a wave and tricks. Floatation and turning will be at the hands of your board's shape.
Quick Directory
Width of a board is critical in fitting a rider's dimensions, ride style and conditions.
Narrow boards will be more agile, quick in their maneuvers, and easier to flick for tricks. More narrow shapes can slice through chop and hold relatively faster lines on waves. The responsiveness allows feedback from your board and an improved sense of control over your movements. In larger conditions, where volume is not needed as much due to wave power, a more surfboard-like shape will be able to navigate better with its added maneuverability.
A wide board will be more stable and floaty with the added volume under your feet. More flat space in the belly makes it easier for you to keep your feet off the rocker of the board when sliding out. This let’s these boards hold a little extra speed when sliding out to a wave. A wide, more skateboard like board, can power through chop and hold float on turns through weaker waves as well. In smaller conditions the added volume will significantly help in keeping the board afloat. Additionally, larger riders should consider a wider profile board for that boost in float.
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Photo from Exile Skimboards
Pin tail A pin tail functions in giving a controlled and predictable snap. Pin tails slide into turns easily with weight on the tail and pivot around a face as you rock from a snap on the tail to pressure on the nose, sending you out of your turn. This tail is great at holding speed through turns and driving down lines fast. More wide pin tails in the form of round tails and even square tails function similarly, but adding more consistency in exchange for some snap response. The added tail volume aids the ease-of-use to control and pop. Pins feature stable, consistent turns for beginner and advanced riders alike.
[Rider: Johnny Weber on a Victoria Lift, captured by thisismov](https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/secure.notion-static.com/517dfde7-cce9-4190-b849-a7031367f223/PinTailWrap.mp4)
Rider: Johnny Weber on a Victoria Lift, captured by thisismov
Pin tail by Victoria
Fish tail A fish tail gives a guided, drawn out, turn emphasized by its twin points that act as fins to grip water as you engage rail. Fish tails have notable more volume on the back of the board which requires more backwards leaning to get it on rail and use the tail. They're often more stable in the back, but harder to turn effectively. This added volume and turn style requires waves with more power and or speed to support it. A fish tail struggle more in choppy conditions where the added edges of the tail, relative to a pin, catch water more often which causes the tail to slow you down or fidget. It will also be trickier to transfer from rail to rail. Additionally, a fish tail offers more pop on tricks due to that rear volume. Fish tails are best used by advanced riders and often require relatively more tail rocker.
[Rider: Blair Conklin on a Exile Blairacuda, captured by Skid Kids](https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/secure.notion-static.com/5348fc8e-83f6-4da2-bc65-4a43e33c4254/FishTailWrap.mp4)
Rider: Blair Conklin on a Exile Blairacuda, captured by Skid Kids
Fish tail by Exile
Nose shape is generally compared based on float because it is a board width argument. A wider nose will put more volume under your feet for maintaining float when planing or taking a turn into a line. The most popular hybrid type shapes feature a full nose. Narrow noses will maximize maneuverability are often found on more surfboard-like shapes for more powerful conditions. Narrow noses often allow for more driving power down the line because of their lighter footprint.
Victoria skimboard models for nose comparisons. From left to right: Fish, Lift, Flying Fish, Muchu
For the sake of clarity, the left shapes, Fish and Lift, have full noses. The right shapes, Flying Fish and Muchu, and narrow noses.
Pro Shapes As alluded to by the board width section, pro shapes emphasize surfboard-like performance. They cut fast on faces, easier to flick for tech, and are the most responsive shape available. These shapes excel at close to shore breaks as well as larger conditions. Volume on these boards can often be found in the tail for back foot heavy riders.
Exile Pro, Grape Pro Shape, Zap Cazador
Hybrid Shapes As the definition of consistency, these shapes take the elements of the pin tail and make them more user friendly. Hybrid shapes feature a full nose and wider shape overall to make them an excellent choice in 99% of conditions. This is a responsive and easy-to-use shape for all skill levels. This nose volume is fantastic for being heavier on your front foot to hit the gas down the line.
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Victoria Lift, Exile Hybrid, Zap Fuse-X
Fish Shapes Fish shapes are built with most of their volume in the back to support their tail, while having an aggressive nose with less volume, to complement how weight is distributed when riding. Fish tails have to take full advantage of their rails and will be very responsive under the right riders feet with this build. They're harder to snap on a turn in the way a pin tail board would and perform better in longer, drawn out turns. This is a board for advanced riders. They function best in above average conditions, free of bumps that would otherwise catch its tail and slow it down.
Victoria Weber Shape, Exile Blairacuda, Natural Sirena
Wing Shapes Winged boards allow the board to have a large amount of volume in the belly of the board while not being too unresponsive. These boards are excellent for weak conditions due to have wide they are. Winged boards specialize in float and are often in the conversation for achieving maximum distance. To keep the board responsive, despite being so wide, they feature wings which taper to more narrow tail. These function by allowing the board to pivot onto rail, and more easily engage their tail. Winged fish are more commonly seen because the turning ability of a fish tail complements the lack there of in a wide shape. These shapes are excellent for weak conditions to make the most out of average and below average waves.
