SUP board Tail volume

I thought I would write a small piece on tail Volume on stand up paddle boards and how this can change the boards performance and stability.
There are so many brands producing SUP boards at this current time, and as a ‘beginner’ stand up paddle surfer more knowledge = more fun and the right board choice !

The above picture demonstrates that different boards have different amounts of Foam used in their shape, some are thicker and some are thinner.

As a common rule the more Volume (foam) a stand up paddle board has, the easier and more stable it will be to stand up paddle. Volume (usually in litres) accounts to the amount of water displaced by the boards buoyancy. Boards with more volume sit higher on the water’s surface and are usually easier to paddle than a board with less. SUP boards with lots of tail volume will be more stable than a board with less tail volume. The boards shape and volume can play an important role especially in Paddle surfing, where turning the board on waves is important.
If a board has lots of tail volume the ‘turn’ will usually be slower and more drawn out, if the tail volume is less the board will turn very easily but also be unstable.
So a beginner paddle surfer catching waves is better suited to a board with a wider tail with more Volume, as this will increase the amount of waves they can catch and also be more versatile if the sea state is choppy.

SUP Boards with little volume throughout the board will be hard work to stand on for long periods but perform better on waves, volume has a key role to play in choosing the type of surfing you aspire to do. Longer boards with more volume will have better paddling glide, speed and also catch waves easier than shorter boards.

MORE VOLUME = easier for beginners in a variety of conditions, speed generation is fast , but it is more difficult to control in the steeper parts of the wave.

LESS VOLUME = less stable, but more performance. Speed needs to be generated but the board will be easier to control at these speeds, in the pocket or steeper parts of the wave.