Squash? Rounded Pin? Swallow? Square? Diamond? Even good surfers with a solid grasp of shaping theory can find themselves feeling baffled by the range of tail shapes on offer today. Others might have a preference for a particular shape, but have no real idea why. So, we asked Johnny (a walking encyclopaedia of hydrodynamics) to explain the fundamentals of tail shape – arguably the most critical aspect of how a board performs on a wave.

If you’re a surfer you’ve never ordered a custom board before… trust me, you’re ready. Many surfers spend their whole lives buying stock models, figuring they are either not good enough for a custom, or that they are too expensive, take too long etc. Well, just like getting a made-to-measure suit will always fit you better...