What’s in a tail?! I’m looking to upgrade my 220 tail to something smaller that works better for a 1210 and 980 front wing. Would a 178 or 158 from Takuma be noticeably better or am I better off with a KDmaui Marlin like the 13.5" ? Are there other tail options that are compatible with Takuma like the Progression tail?
I’m still in my first year of foiling, so I’m just now noticing differences between gear. I rode my brother’s 1095 with Marlin tail on a Barracuda 7’10" and it felt amazing. Then I went out yesterday on the 1210 and 220 tail and same board and it felt like a bear. Turning, pumping, gliding, yuck. It felt like I needed a wider board to get more leverage on the foil. It could be the 1095. Or it could be that I was wearing booties yesterday.
Booties will do that to you, so don’t underestimate that. 1095 is also a faster and glider foil.
Ive used all those tails except the 158. I didn’t care for the 220, but I chopped it down and it wasn’t too bad after that - quite draggy, but it rolled much better and still had a ton of low end. Even then its probably too big a tail for a foil like the 980. Nothing to lose by taking an inch+ off of both sides.
178 is a LOT better than the 220. Its not a fast tail, but it turns amazing, very easy to pump and still a lot of low end. I find that tail “tames” a lot of setups and just makes them easier. It would be an excellent option on both of your foils, as long as speed isn’t your focus.
Marlin is definitely faster than the 178, but I find it to be a bit less controlled in pitch and roll. If you want speed and glide, the Marlin is hard to beat.
First things first - throw your brother’s Marlin on whatever setup you are familiar with and see what you think of it.
The 178 with no shim works great on the 1210. The wings turns so much better when you switch from the 220 to 178. Took a few sessions to get used to a new pup technique but works amazing.