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TT thin vs thick rails

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sonny2727
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TT thin vs thick rails

Postby sonny2727 » Tue Apr 17, 2018 12:48 am

Hi Guys
there was a change from thin rails to thick rails for TTs sometime back - example Axis Vangourd 2016. What are the pros and cons of thick rails?
On paper I'd assume thin rails on a twin tip would track upwind better since the rails will sink better?
If you want a surfboard feel why not just ride a surfboard.

Thanks

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Re: TT thin vs thick rails

Postby BWD » Tue Apr 17, 2018 1:14 am

nope.
thick rails hold better and re-set better when you are bouncing over chop. Actually easier to ride.
thin rails can seem to have a precise edge feel, whether real or imagined, but they can blow out unexpectedly and usually make board construction more complicated.
In many boards with stepped down or contoured decks and thin rails, there are voids beneath the skin at the steps, meaning a potentially weaker board with voids under the skin, a heavier overall layup, or heavier if resin fills the voids, just to get a tiny bit of volume out of the rail or make it look a certain way.
The main handling traits and upwind bite are more related to overall board features -size, shape, rocker, stiffness, fins etc.

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Kamikuza
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Re: TT thin vs thick rails

Postby Kamikuza » Tue Apr 17, 2018 2:07 am

2018 Axis boards has medium rails :D Adrian did tell me why he thinned them out -- but I can't remember :o he tried increasingly thicker rails on prototypes but they got worse instead of better. Thicker is better than thinner but there is a limit to how far you can go...

I got a 2018 Limited in February to replace my 2016 with thin rails. Definite improvement in riding through chop and holding and resetting the edge. Simply doesn't skip out.

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Re: TT thin vs thick rails

Postby sonny2727 » Tue Apr 17, 2018 2:56 am

Kamikuza wrote:
Tue Apr 17, 2018 2:07 am
2018 Axis boards has medium rails :D Adrian did tell me why he thinned them out -- but I can't remember :o he tried increasingly thicker rails on prototypes but they got worse instead of better. Thicker is better than thinner but there is a limit to how far you can go...

I got a 2018 Limited in February to replace my 2016 with thin rails. Definite improvement in riding through chop and holding and resetting the edge. Simply doesn't skip out.
This is interesting considering 2016 version is marketed as a big improvement to 2015 which had thin rails. So now find one with medium rails? Even the simple twin tip is not so simple :)

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Re: TT thin vs thick rails

Postby Kamikuza » Tue Apr 17, 2018 3:13 am

sonny2727 wrote:
Tue Apr 17, 2018 2:56 am
Kamikuza wrote:
Tue Apr 17, 2018 2:07 am
2018 Axis boards has medium rails :D Adrian did tell me why he thinned them out -- but I can't remember :o he tried increasingly thicker rails on prototypes but they got worse instead of better. Thicker is better than thinner but there is a limit to how far you can go...

I got a 2018 Limited in February to replace my 2016 with thin rails. Definite improvement in riding through chop and holding and resetting the edge. Simply doesn't skip out.
This is interesting considering 2016 version is marketed as a big improvement to 2015 which had thin rails. So now find one with medium rails? Even the simple twin tip is not so simple :)
The 2018 has less aggressive channels than the earlier boards, the combination might have something to do with it. Certainly a lot involved in making a really good TT, must be a fun job :thumb:

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Re: TT thin vs thick rails

Postby rynhardt » Tue Apr 17, 2018 8:00 am

sonny2727 wrote:
Tue Apr 17, 2018 12:48 am
Hi Guys
there was a change from thin rails to thick rails for TTs sometime back - example Axis Vangourd 2016. What are the pros and cons of thick rails?
On paper I'd assume thin rails on a twin tip would track upwind better since the rails will sink better?
If you want a surfboard feel why not just ride a surfboard.

Thanks
Like other design aspects, the rail volume is only one of several variables that work in concert with other attributes.

In general, rails with a sharp discontinuity (say, a square rail) releases the water cleaner and causes less drag, resulting in a more efficient board. A thin rail would qualify as having a sharp discontinuity.

Rails with a rounded profile redirects the water along the profile, which causes more drag. You can google Coanda Effect. However, drag = control, this also improves handling.

Thin rails flex more, but too much flex results in a loss of control.
Thin rails could potentially be more dangerous (if you fall on your board, for example) :D

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Re: TT thin vs thick rails

Postby downunder » Tue Apr 17, 2018 8:54 am

Take two identical boards, sand off one to very thin, and:

let us know :)))

Thinner all the way for light riders. Light as less than 60kg....The difference in going upwind with 120 (thin, DIY) and 126cm (FS Rad 3) board is massive for me.

Just saying....

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Re: TT thin vs thick rails

Postby plummet » Tue Apr 17, 2018 11:05 am

Of course, a radiused thicker rail will give you a nicer carve and transition from rail to rail can be very smooth.


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