Garage Works 3 of 3 - 1/24/2026

Last garage works post for today.

Kalani dropped off his board after his Foil Drive session at WP.  Marlon and I were just getting back from Hapa Surf Shop when he got to the house.

This is the airline vent that the KT board has. 

With the board this dark, sunlight generates a lot of air expansion potential - that's actually how I found the small pinhole leak I fixed when Kalani had me install signal windows.

Here's the retrofit vent kit I got from Fiberglass Hawaii.  With this version, if you are careful, you really don't have to sand the area around the vent.

Here's to vent plug cut out of the board.

Just in case (and since I was going to be away getting lunch) - I placed the fan on the board.

After sanding No.43, I checked the hole to make sure there was no moisture in the foam.  Then I mixed up enough epoxy and aerosil to fill the hole and get squeezed out (making sure there was enough epoxy mix inside the hole).

I cleaned up the edge around the vent plug lip - to make sure this is properly sealed.  I used a mixing stick and used the same technique stick welders use to get an even bead across the work.

I'll drill out the vent hole tomorrow morning, get the vent screwed in, then the board goes back to Kalani.

24 hour turnaround!

Garage Works 2 of 3 - 1/24/2026

Marlon had been looking at getting a new board - and I suggested he get a consignment Firewire Evo that I saw on Facebook Marketplace.

I told him to check out some reviews online and see if this board would fill the niche.  When the advertised price suddenly dropped - he said it definitely met the criteria.

We went this morning just as the shop opened up.

The board was pretty much flawless - so here it is!

And he qued up the Future T1 twin plus trailer set that he got for his birthday.

I went because I wanted to grab a Creatures of Leisure leash I saw on their website - the integrated loop - rail saver.  Marlon also got one and some stickers - always a fun time hitting surf shops with this guy!!!

Garage Works 1 of 3 - 1/24/2026

I skipped out on the dawn patrol to get further ahead on No.43 (and to go with Marlon to Hapa Surf Shop - that's the next post)

I started this morning by sanding the board top and bottom

Then I redid the fill coat on the bottom deck to get a more opaque look.  Don't skimp on the pigment and the small jars pretty much do a single board.

This is where Marlon and I left.  And when we got back, La and I headed out to hit the bookstore and get lunch.

So in the afternoon, I skipped out on an afternoon session to sand yet again.

Top deck - 

Bottom deck

I cleaned the spots where I was going to place the labels, got them on and let them sit for a little bit.  This is when I got to installing a vent on Kalani's board (upcoming post)

Here is No.43 with the decals and the last epoxy fill coat.

Transom decals 

Standard starboard bottom deck label

Standard port side bottom deck label for foil boards 

This build is coming along nicely.

Tomorrow I'll get an epoxy fill coat on the top deck early in the morning.

Once that is hardened, I'll sand the whole board through the sanding grit regime.

I'll target opening the tracks and dressing the slot edges.

I should be able to get the vent and leash plugs installed also.

That'll leave the 2K clear coat for Monday, and deck pad installation for Tuesday.

I'll let everything sit and get settled/cured/hardened for a few days - that has No.43 getting anointed anytime from Friday on (conditions dependent). 

Garage Works - 1/23/2026

I worked on a couple of different projects this afternoon.

First up was getting the starboard finbox on the Firewire Machadocado to get tighter.  This finbox had the Wolverine fin loose yesterday, and when I fitted this fin set, the same thing was happening.  The looseness was lateral.

I used a strip of aluminum duct tape placed on the outside wall of the finbox and "done"!

Nice and tight now.

Then I sanded the entire surface of No.43 to make sure the next layers of epoxy would adhere.

I placed the tape dam, mixed up a batch of slow hardened epoxy, and used a new batch of International Orange pigment.

And this is the color I was going for.

I let the first coat get tacky, then mixed another batch of epoxy, this time with fast hardener, and more pigment.

This second coat really filled in the color to be nice and solid - similar to No.39

Tomorrow morning I'll get a last fill coat on to the bottom deck.  That'll have the first rough sanding happening Sunday morning.  I'll get through to 120 grit, clean the board of dust, place the labels and get a clear sealant coat on one side.  That'll have Monday seeing the other deck get clear coated, Tuesday the fine sanding and plugs day.  Then Wednesday as the final clear coat day.

Thursday I'll get the deck pads on, then the board will sit for a couple of days to get all gelled together.

It'll likely be next Saturday morning when this board gets wet for the first time!!!

The Anointment of the Machadocado

After working on No.43, I figured it would be nice to get some exercise in -

The waves were chest high on the periodic sets.

I didn't have much time so I opted to surf -

And instead of bringing the Sweet Potato, I brought the Machadocado out for its first session (with me - I sold the straight Helium Sweet Potato and got this board).

For it's first outing, I fitted it with the NVS Taylor Knox Wolverine Twin + trailer fins. 

My first few waves were awkward - and even planted seeds of doubt in my mind.  But I made a more conscious effort to focus on my footing and the rides got way better.

I had a few rides going right where the face got a tad steeper and the wave lined up - and I got in several great carving turns on these runs.

I had one left where I got three backside schwacking top turns - super fun!!!

This board is definitely a keeper!

But it isn't without a couple of issues.  There is a spot just ahead of the port side fin that looks to be a dry weave spot.  There is balsa/paulownia perimeter rails underneath that area so I am not really worried about water infiltration - but my OCD is kicking in (so I'm likely to do a light sanding and fill job to negate the issue).

And the starboard fin box is a little larger than the fin base.  I end up having to tighten the worm screw more than I normally would - and even after that there seems to be some lateral movement.  I am going to try adding a strip of aluminum duct tape to take up the gap (just like shimming front foils in ferrule setups).

All considered - this is going to be a super fun board!  I've already got the NVS Taylor Knox Pivot Twins loaded up on the Cado - 

PW:5/FD:7/S:5

Garage Works - 1/22/2026

When I got home this afternoon, I started working on the board.

First I sanded the laps from yesterday's lamination.

Cleaned off the dust then taped the bottom of where I wanted the fill coat to stick.

Then got on two fill coats.  The first one was 7 ounces resin and 2.8 ounces of hardener - and a decent amount of international orange pigment.  That wasn't really enough pigment though.  Even repeating the fill coat a second time (same volume of epoxy) didn't give a saturated look (more opaque).

I'll this coat harden overnight.  Tomorrow I give a light sand over the whole board prepping for the top deck fill coat (using more pigment).  And I'll plan on doing one more fill coat on the bottom deck to get it more solid orange.

That has me sanding closer to Sunday.  Oh well - you only have one chance to do it right the first time!

Garage Works - 1/21/2026

I didn't hit the beach today - now that I've gotten some work done on the new board, I'm inclined to get this one over the finish line.

Plus in my mind the waves were going to be small.

I got the cover sheet of basalt placed on No.43

All trimmed and ready for epoxy

The cuts in the cloth are not aligned to the cuts from the bottom deck lamination.

I made relief cuts on the longitudinal side of the foot strap inserts.

15.4 ounces of epoxy - this lamination is super tight!!!

Front foot area

Rear foot area

Really tight!!!

I'm thinking I've got 5 days of work left on this board.

Garage Works - 1/20/2026

Got the laps from the bottom laminate sanded flush

I'll be pigmenting the fill coats so lap lines don't really matter

And I got the foot strap inserts epoxied in.

I took the scrap carbon I had from the last builds and placed patches down to stiffen up the areas expected to take the brunt of jumping.  I also placed innegra where my feet and heels will be spending the most time.

I had to cook dinner so I'll defer adding the top basalt cover laminate, trimming and laminating until tomorrow.

The loose "rectangle" pattern in carbon is to try and get the stiffness more or less symmetrical over the board.  Again - with pigmented fill coats, none of this frankenstein assembly will show - and it is a good way to make use of prior laminate excess to maximize material usage.

Garage Works - 1/19/2026

I finally stopped starring at No.43 and got back to work on it.

I decided on using the basalt fabric instead of carbon.  This was mainly because of the Foil Drive duty it's gonna pull.

I cut out the fabric, got it trimmed and pulled it back.

I mixed the epoxy - 18 ounces - and added epoxy to the track boxes (they had slots).

Then I placed the carbon strips back in place, covered the remainder of the board with the basalt, and started laminating.

I had to mix up another 4.2 ounces to get the laps wetted out.

Everything was nice and flat.

And there wasn't any drama with the tail.

Tomorrow I'll get the footstrap inserts set in place, cut out the top deck reinforcement patches, prep the basalt cover and laminate - hopefully.

I took a break and flew the drone for a bit.  Wanted to scare away any pigeons hanging out on the roof.

Then I tested out the new scale I bought from Costco - this thing will handle up to 30 pounds!!!

I measured the weight of the Machadocado - almost 7 pounds with the deckpad (and no fins or wax).

And I wanted to wax this board up in case the waves are decent this week.

And these are the fins I decided to try out on this board first - NVS Wolverines

I'll weigh the board again once the wax is on and the fins are in place.

Nice new tool!

Foil Drive Dawn Patrol - 1/19/2026

Lighter winds, higher tide, (slightly) bigger waves.

Same as yesterday - wanted to see if the performance is the same.

I was the only one out for a bit - then lots of people were out Foil Drive-ing - Dennis, Kalani, Carlo, Carlo's girlfriend (who foils better than Carlo), Noel, Ben and Roland.

Noel was getting up on waves - by the end of the session it was apparent that he needed to move the foil forward in the tracks to get the appropriate lift.

The waves were slightly bigger than yesterday, but the tide was higher.  Yesterday there were peaks to be hacked - today the peaks were a bit suppressed (higher tide).

Rides were still fun with some taller drops.

28 rides!!!  I did have the HO battery today where I had the normal Max battery yesterday.

PW:5/FD:7/S:4