Bottom & Rail Contours

Longboard Bottom and Rail Contours

There are a few broad categories of rail and bottom contour options for longboards and each will influence the performance and feel of your longboard. In this article I will walk you through the various terms and definitions then follow up with common combinations of longboard contours and how they can affect your surfing.

Rail Apex and Rail Tuck – Rail apex is a measurement along the outline of a board. It is defined by the distance of a rail’s widest point from the bottom of the board. Rail tuck is the point where the rail ends and the bottom contour begins.

Soft rails - A soft rail is a rail with so much tuck that there is no discernible edge where the bottom and rail meet (a soft transition between bottom and rail junction). Soft rails are common on classic and/or retro longboards intended for smaller surf or a more “classic” feeling.

Hard rails – A hard rail is achieved by shaping a defined transition between where the rail terminates and the bottom starts. Hard rails will typically have a decreased tuck measurement and are common on more “performance” oriented longboards or boards designed for larger surf.

Round Bottom/Belly – Classic longboards will often feature a rounded bottom or belly throughout the length of the board to mimic some of the classic logs of the 60s. This means that there is essentially no rail tuck or discernible transition between rail and bottom.

Flat bottom – A flat bottom is a pretty self-explanatory feature. I define it as a leveling of stringer and rail tucks on either side of the outline along the length of the board. See illustration.

Concaves – It is uncommon to find double or single concave features throughout the tail or mid-section of a longboard as you might find on a shortboard. When referring to longboard concaves I am referring to nose concave: an extra curve in the bottom of the nose of a longboard giving the bottom of the nose more surface area.

Edge in the Tail – this is defined by a sharply shaped transition between rail and bottom.

Beak/turn down nose – This feature is less common in longboards but is has been implemented by several designers throughout history. Typically, a longboard’s rail will turn upward towards the deck of the board as it culminates at the nose.

Vee – In a vee a boards rails (if viewed from the bottom) are positioned lower than the center (stringer) of the board (not to be confused with the term “high stringer”.

This is the most common rail and bottom vocabulary you will come across (or should utilize) when buying or ordering a longboard. Each represents a parameter in not only the design process but also the performance of the board. Some of these features can be combined with one another for varying results.

For me, the Bruce Jones Modern Longboard (and similar designs throughout the 90s/2000s by shapers like Takayama, Harbour, Jacobs and a couple others) represents the benchmark for compromise between high-performance and classic longboarding. A happy medium achieved by careful consideration for combining design parameters like rocker with a certain type of rail and bottom. Boards like the Modern Longboard will typically feature a flat bottom and a hard rail (tucked at around 7/8”) with some vee through the tail. This combination of features will make a board user-friendly in a wider range of surf conditions and sizes. The flat bottom helps maintain momentum and the harder, down-turned rails lend traction useful in steeper/hollower sections. I apply this list of features to Jones Shapes models like the Diamond-T, BXTR, Orion and Trenponti Glider…boards designed to enhance maneuverability in a wider variety of conditions.

 Alternatively, a flat bottom can also be combined with a soft rail for a classic feeling without some of the friction that comes with a rounded bottom. The flat bottom will lend momentum while the soft rail takes away the bite and traction of a hard edge. This is the stock bottom contour I add to my more classically oriented longboards and is derived from the designs my dad started making for my friends and I as kids. It’s dependable and will work well in a wide variety of waves and conditions.

Nose concave can be added to either of the two contour combinations I’ve mentioned above. Nose concaves enhance the lift of the nose (stalling the board) and make noseriding considerably easier. There are two types of common nose concaves: defined or blended. A defined concave is characterized by a distinct edge along the outline/transition of the concave. A blended concave, in contrast, features a smooth transition between bottom contour and concave. My stock concave is a blended concave with a scalable length measurement depending on the board dimensions or customer preferences (my personal boards typically feature a 36” blended concave). There is a legitimate conversation around whether or not a concave is necessary for those who love to noseride. I’ve written an article on the topic here.  

I’ve added rolled bottoms to some of my personal and team rider boards, which I’ve ridden extensively and enjoyed greatly. The longer curve of this contour displaces more water…it creates a deeper hole in the water for the board to escape from. The initial expectation is that this type of feature can make boards feel more sluggish. I really think it depends on the rider’s skill level and the conditions. My 10’0” Bruce Jones Jackie Baxter has a pronounced belly throughout the length of the board. The best way I can define the sensation is to point out that once the board reaches a certain velocity it lifts from the hole it has displaced in the water and maintains constant momentum. I’ve ridden that Baxter in head high central coast surf with some face…memorable sessions. However, this is not a feature that I would add to a board for someone ordering their first log. Controlling this type of feature takes time to learn. I would recommend a flat bottom until the user gains some experience.

Vee, these days (and regarding longboards), is typically applied to boards with a flatter bottom and a hard rail. Longboard vee usually extends from just ahead of the fin to the end of the tail and can be shaped to begin at a variety of measurements ahead of the fin(s). Vee adds a considerable amount of rail-to-rail play to a longboard’s tail making the board easier to turn and maneuver. It is very uncommon to add concave to the tail vee of a longboard. Longboards, being more massive and therefore buoyant, do not tend to need the extra lift of this type of concave.

Tail edge (bead) is usually added to the tails of boards with hard rails but can also be applied to soft rail boards that transition to a hard rail in the last roughly 6 inches of the tail. This edge is “suggested” /added by the shaper but is actually refined by the glosser and the sander who build up a bead of resin along the rail’s bottom edge. Once cured, the sander will sharpen and refine this bead into a distinct feature which confirms and realizes the shaper’s intentions. I am currently playing with this in Joey’s Orion models (he’s had two so far) where a number of very subtle contours all come together to create a symphony of design features that might not at first be noticeable to the passerby. That is to say that my aim is not to add edge for the sake of edge. It is integrated. I want Joey to have a soft, rail-to-rail experience that will work in a wide range of waves.

I haven’t found (for myself…for Jones Shapes) a longboard design where a beaked nose makes sense. I’m not too hot about the visual aesthetics of the feature. I also think that added functionality is arguable if not negligible. However, I’m open to it…perhaps I’ll come across an appropriate design idea in the future where it can be intentionally integrated.

In short, and to wrap the article up (my Word doc is now 3 pages long), I think that’s the moral of the story…intentional integration is the key when adding features to a design and simplicity with a high level of functionality is the goal.

I’d be happy to discuss these features with you more. Head over to Instagram to join the conversation.