There are a lot of methods to maintain volume in a surfboard while keeping the rails thin. What do you like? What don't you like? What works better for performance boards vs. grovelers vs. longboards? Would love to hear some thoughts.
I tend to dome the deck a lot, keeping the volume in the center of the board with a smooth arc to the rail. This tends to work for the more performance surfboards. This tends to work but takes a lot of time to get the dome smooth and flow with the foil of the board. This was especially the case when using blanks that didn't already have a dome to the deck (sled cut eps for example). I usually add the dome as part of cutting the rails bands. Just a lot broader bands along the deck.
I have tried less dome in the deck with a more angled attack to the rail on some fish surfboards. It flowed well into the beak nose and out to the thinned tail. This required a lot less rail bands and was relatively quick. It took a little time to make sure the "top edge" of the angled band was even for both sides but allowed for thinned out rails while maintaining a lot of volume in the board.
I believe the stretch "skate deck" boards keep a flat deck with an obvious angle to the rail. This is similar to what I do with my fish boards but much more pronounced and the volume goes all the way out to the start of the angled rail. I haven't tried this on a board (haven't seen one in person and haven't surfed one) but people seem to like the feel of the concave deck.