Surfing Waves

A few years ago I was surfing knee to waist high waves and shared the line up with a lady in her 60ies. She had a beautiful 8'0ish swallow tail surfboard. She effortlessly catched waves and was trimming along the wave almost to the beach, without generating any speed her own. Obviously this lady was an experienced surfer, with good wave reading skills and I don't want to attribute her great surfing only on the surfboard. But since then, I am wondering, why there aren't more longer funboards or longboards especially for smaler waves with a swallow tail.

Am I overeating the accelerating effect of a swallow tail, especially on longer boards?
Would they be just a one trick pony and not versatile enough?

No, I'm not considering one for myself. I am just really curious.

Thanks

Swallows are not one trick ponies but are an acquired taste.
I love mine had one in my quiver since the first appeared. both long and short!
Rode them at all the sized waves I‘ve surfed!

LandlockedDave wrote:Am I overeating the accelerating effect of a swallow tail, especially on longer boards?
Would they be just a one trick pony and not versatile enough?

That is the first time I heard that swallow tails have an "accelerating effect". Usually people say a swallow tail makes the board "looser". I also hear shapers says there are 2 points of release.

My contest longboard has a baby swallow tail. One of my best mid-lengths is a 7'4" Ben Aipa Big Brother Sting that has a swallow tail. I think swallow tails are great.