We own a 5'0" Swallow tail. It's a nice board, nothing ground-breaking in the design or construction. Ours is several years old, but I believe it's the same construction, polyester over polyurethane...tried and true in ocean boards, but weaker than epoxy over eps and they lose their liveliness after a season. I think there's only one other manufacture in the wakesurf market that still uses polyester in large quantities.
The 5'0" swallow is 19 1/8 wide and 2 1/2 thick. It's a little narrow by wakesurf standards. Turning was smooth and predictable, but never felt aggressive. Rails are soft and rounded fading to hard in the last 12 inces or so...standard short board offering.
I believe that they came standard with FCS fin plugs. FCS is the largest manufacturer of aftermarket fins and they are reasonably priced. The high end models are pricey though, the H-2 texalium is a great fin, but $'y.
I believe that the 5'0" and 5'6" only came in the thruster configuration...most folks will remove the trailer after they get some miles on their surf legs.
Gloss and polished finish, and the signature airbrushed flames on the bottom, back in the day those were pretty radical graphics. Full EVA traction, a tad heavy, but offers lots to plant your feet on for everyone in the boat.
With a solid wake and weight under 180'ish I think it's a good beginner board. Expect heels dents and dings after your first few outings. The ride is smooth, if not stellar.
Mike Daughterty the editor of Wakesurf Magazine is the proprietor of Shoreline Lakeboards. Jessica Oswald used to ride for them and won many women's open wakesurf events. I can't for the life of me remember the shaper's name, but I believe that for awhile, at least when Jerry Price of Shred Stixx had the falling out with Vernor, Shred Stixx's were manufactured by the same guy that shapes Shoreline.
My $.02.
Linear Mode
