How often do you replace a tail?

[Mermaid Harmony]

So I was thinking about this today, and I know that I have my partial silicone, I'm working on making a partial silicone, or maybe a sequin tail (depending on how frustrated I get), and I'm buying a full silicone from fish butts and I know in the next 3 years I want to get a Raven tail (because they are pretty much the prettiest things in the world). I went from knowing I'd do some parties here and there to having 6+ gigs a month, and my partial is showing it. (Doesn't help that two photoshoots ago we shot in a shallow water place with huge waves and me and my tail got pretty scraped up on the rocks). Before when I was just having fun and swimming around and doing the occasional party it wasn't a big deal, but now that I'm starting to get busy I'm going to get a full silicone that looks really nice, and save my partial for like pool swims or just for fun . How often do you replace a tail, I know Raina has had three, and some others have had a couple. Do you start off with fabric and then move to partials and then silicone? Do you wait for one tail to die before making/buying another? o you have fabric and then sequin, did you have silicone then switch to fabric? I'm just curious about your guys' multiple tail journey if you have had one, or are looking to have one.

**This is NOT a conversation about whether silicone or fabric or sequin tails or better, you can mention your opinion on that for why you chose the tail journey you did, but please no fighting about it like there was in that one thread a while back**:cool: Stay classy my fishy :Dfriends.

[MerEmma]

Raina has had her fabric "practice" tail, the Mertailor that belongs to Mimi now, the Raven and then the Jesse. So, her as a pro, has had quite a few! I don't speak from experience at all but I'd say you can "replace" the tail or create/buy another whenever you have the money to. If it's now, then now works. If it's not now, then keep saving. That's kinda how I look at it...sorry about your tail being worn down though!

[Mermaid Harmony]

Well, yeah, I mean I know that. I mean but what do you plan on doing? Have a fabric tail? What are your tail goals? It's not too worn down, it's just the fluke is looking a little ragged, I plan on fixing it next week.

[MerEmma]

Me, personally, you mean? I don't even have a tail but my own focus currently is to just enjoy making fabric tails for my Oceanika fin until I've stopped growing. :P I don't know what else kind of advice to give you, but I'm sure some other mers have experience.

[AniaR]

For me, until I got a super quality tail is was like every year. :/ now that I have this tail, I am hoping to use it for another year, but then acquire several more to hire more mermaids and rotate mine so it's not always the same one bearing the brunt of all the work! Though, mine is super thin. I think a thicker silicone tail should last a lifetime!

[WavyMermaidy]

I'm in the midst of planning to acquire a new tail and make a new tail so I thought I'd jump in. Personally, I made a fabric one first (before I knew there was the whole world of MerNetwork and tailmakers, etc.), then got a latex/neoprene (Fishbutts) shortly thereafter. My fabric one is the one I have used the most (since last August) and it's starting to show some wear and tear...some seams need to be fixed and the paint is starting to flake. I haven't used my Fishbutts a ton so it's still in pretty good shape. However, I am wishin' and hopin' to get in on Raven's next batch of orders for a partial silicone (her "Basic" tail) as I am going to be doing some more events (definitely dry, hopefully wet too) and would like to have a couple of tails on hand.

I would love to go full silicone but I'm not ready to spend above $2,000 (but believe me the temptation is there!), and Jesse didn't have openings until way into next year for his basic full silicone. So I figure partial silicone is a next best step, and with Raven I know I'm getting an excellent product, even though it's a bit more $$ than some other partial silicones...seemed like a good compromise between a lower cost partial and a more expensive full silicone. Plus I'm going to get a Competitor fin, so an upgrade there too.

I'm also thinking of making another tail, neoprene and something else...still in the planning stages. So as someone who isn't really professional but likes to swim recreationally and also do some events (parties, parades, open houses for my work, etc.) I think it's fun and practical to have several tails...when you know you have a dry event coming up but really want to swim (and the neoprene needs to dry) then there you go. But as far as the step-by-step, from reading around here it seems like it's rare for anyone to jump right into a full silicone...and with all the creative people here it seems like a lot of us make something first, whether its fabric, neoprene, sequins, what have you.

Anyhow, that's my tail journey thus far :)