Parawing Session - 10/16/2026

Wind was a little stronger today

Waves were a little more energetic

Same board and foil

I brought both the BRM S3 5.3 and PPC Orbit 4.5

I started out using the S3 - and never really felt overpowered (close but nothing sheeting out didn't handle).

The wind still hadn't turned east like the forecast was predicting (which made retracting pretty difficult)

I did get the S3 stashed a few times - but the waves were petering out (and getting the PW redeployed wasn't working out today).

The wind did seem to pick up - so I switched over to the Orbit.  The lines further east are from the Orbit - which hauled upwind at much higher angles than the S3

A large rain cloud moved overhead and shutdown the wind (right most blue line on the chart above).  I switched back to the S3 and was able to get back on foil.

You can see a correlation between the wind and my time up on foil.

I called it a day when I got back to the fenceline.  Unfortunately a set came through and the S3 got tangled up under the board (and another puka ended up on the opposite side of the S3)

Planning to dawn patrol Kailua tomorrow and likely switch over to the AFS Silk 1050 (and the new to me USurf 150).

PF:11/W:3/PW:127/FD:73/S:26

Parawing Session - 10/15/2026

Winds were blowing while I was at work, but when I got to the beach, it was up and down, and it had a bunch of north in it.

Surf was decent (and probably better for getting back into parawinging after the long hiatus).

Kalani was already at the beach when I got there.

I opted for No.44 with the Cabrinha Prestige 905/Union 160/Apex mast

And I was optimistic and loaded up the PPC Orbit 4.5

I really wanted to get more time on this parawing to get a better understanding of how it flies.

Kalani went more conservative and packed his 5.7 (which was the better call).

Eventually Roland came out on wing (even though he said he was going to parawing).  Immediately after Prayot was out on his 5.0, Norm was out testing his modified Flysurfer POW V2 5.5, and Ben motored out on his V1 Foil Drive.

It took a bit, but I had to get used to parawinging again.  I breached twice and lost power in the parawing a couple of times - then the wind got decent and I was able to stay up for a bit.

I even had one waves where I retracted the parawing and rode to the inside.  The pack down was ugly - I'm going to have to work on that... but the ride was fun.

The wind dropped off and I was drifting around.  I eventually had to paddle in.

Everyone else made it back to the launch point.  Lesson learned - go big (unless it is whitecapping).

Despite the ride on the struggle bus - getting some more time under canopy was great!

PF:11/W:3/PW:126/FD:73/S:26

Evening Foil Drive Session - 10/14/2026

Swell size was smaller than yesterday - but the direction was lined up much better.  Longer walls and periodic bowls to carve up!!!

Tide was a little lower.

And the signs that the wind is returning were showing up (in fact it was parawinging at times).

Norm and Roland were out on FD.  Raf and two others were out on prone.

Same everything as yesterday - except I loaded up the High Output battery.  I love this foil (Whippit 850/Tweaker 160/390) more every session I go out on it.

The tide made the wave shape nicer than yesterday - long walls and lots of carving opportunities.

Tight riding pattern today - nearly the same point to takeoff from.

20 rides - and even with a chunk of time chatting.

Forecasts are lining up for wind to return tomorrow!!!

PF:11/W:3/PW:125/FD:73/S:26

Evening Foil Drive Session - 10/13/2026

The forecast (surfline) was calling for good wind - enough to parawing in, BUT it just seemed too be a little on the lighter side as I was looking at my normal indicators.

Also knowing the tide was on the low side, I figured it best not to parawing.

Instead I setup No.43 with the Cabrinha Whippit 850/Tweaker 160

This front foil (with this rear stabilizer) has taken over as my favorite foil combo for destroying waves.  Small, giant or anywhere in between, this foil can handle and rip!!!

But even as good as it is, it doesn't hold a candle to this (La asked to come to the beach today!)

And with La at the beach, I used the regular Max battery to keep the session at a reasonable timeframe.

Curvy, squiggly lines!!!

I've developed the feel for this foil now and I can lean in and get harder turns out if it.  I think the AFS Silk 850 V1 can still hook into a peak better, but the Whippit is turning out to be faster, more versatile, and easier on my knees.

11 rides - super fun and this foil combo keeps getting better!!!

Probably gonna take a rest day tomorrow knowing the winds should be coming back in a couple of days.

PF:11/W:3/PW:125/FD:72/S:26

Dawn Patrol - 10/12/2026

The surf was just below the closeout size - 

No wind (but it wasn't entirely glassy)

Nice higher tide to dull the edge to the bigger surf.

I brought out the J Splee Big Fish

And I tried out the Neal Purchase tiny canard fins in front of the Futures Rasta Reverse 3/2 Vectors

Lots of energy still coming in - and I could see the outside breaks throwing lip (breaks outside of Campgrounds).  I stayed on the inside of the main break in front of the shack.

I caught a handful of waves (paddling in is HARD) - going right is pure joy!!!

Got to crank some good top and bottom turns (but still haven't unlocked the over rotation move that comes so easy with the Boogie Fish).

I'm glad I surfed today - and I'm even more glad to say I can still surf surfboards!!!

PF:11/W:3/PW:125/FD:71/S:26

Dawn Patrol Foil Drive Session - 10/11/2026

Nice swell hitting town this morning!  Surfline was showing 600 kJ in the swell -

I took Stu on to Hickam and Prayot also came out with his SUP.

Same lower as the past couple of days - just swapped boards to No.40 (wanting speed to pick up the larger waves)

So after today's session, I can say the battery wasn't the difference (I used both and had similar results).  The wing screws did have a contributing factor - having used those first, then switching to the nuts only on the battery swap.

The swap back to the blue shim was probably the larger factor in regaining pitch stability and takeoff ease.  And the swap over to the Tweaker rear stabilizer was what gave me the grip in the turns (which is still weird to me).

Anyways -

You had to wait for the swell, but when it came around... Freight Train!!!!!

The east bowl was firing at Seconds today!!!!

These were taken by Peter the lifeguard - but I caught some bigger ones when he wasn't taking pictures

First run was with the regular Max battery and the wing screws (just in case I needed to adjust - which I did once - the original marks seemed to work just fine).

Drops, carves and pit sitting!!!

11 rides (including the ones pictured) on this first battery

I didn't count this as two separate sessions - since they are pretty close together in time and I really didn't change equipment.

Second battery was the High Output

Even more carves!!!!

10 rides this session - and I caught probably one of the best bowling waves I've ever had at Seconds - double overhead and I stalled to stay just in front of the gaping maw - EPIC!!!!

 

The Whippit was confidence inspiring - except when I was driving through whitewater - little flutters, but not surprising (which is where the Silk dominates)

I'm going to let this session sink in a bit (and shift over to shorter sessions surfing).

PF:11/W:3/PW:125/FD:71/S:25 

Foil Drive Dawn Patrol - 10/10/2026

Dawn patrol at PVs

Slightly overhead on the sets.

Norm and Stu were also on Foil Drive.

Same setup as yesterday - but I made three changes:

1. High Output battery

2. Streamlined bolts

3. Blue shim on the rear stabilizer

Definitely better performance today - the whole setup felt like surfing a shortboard on a perfect wave!

I'm just not sure which change made the most difference...

The HO battery certainly made an endurance difference.

The curvy tracks show how well the Whippit turns.  I really don't know why I didn't gel more with the foil when I first got it???

But from today's performance, I'd say this turns nicer than even the AFS Silk 850.....

The sets had some time between them, but when they came and you picked the right wave - the rides were phenomenal!!!

20 rides - and they weren't all overhead runners either.  I had several chest and belly sized waves where I could carve equally as well as on the bigger waves.

In regards to getting rid of the looser back end feeling I used to have when riding this foil (and the reason I stopped using it) - I'm thinking the Tweaker rear set is helping.

And check out that top speed!!!

Super fun session!!!

PF:11/W:3/PW:125/FD:70/S:25

Garage Works - 10/9/2026

This one is getting close to being finished.

I sanded the laps and got two coats of epoxy on the rails.

Tomorrow I'll sand the rails again fairing everything in, and then finish it off with a clear coat.

I should be able to return it on Sunday (or Monday).

That will leave room for me to work on No.45 - a prone/FD foil board that I'll wax the top deck instead of using front foot pads.  It'll have a flat nose and higher tail rocker (similar to No.44 - but cut for prone board dimensions).

Foil Drive Session - 10/9/2026

Decent surf this afternoon, and a nice high tide to boot!

Went out with Stu (AFS Silk 750 V2)

I wanted to try something different - the Cabrinha Whippit 850/Tweaker 160 rear stabilizer on the 390 fuselage.  I used the yellow shim to see if I could get a grippier feeling out of the tail (as compared to the last time I used this while Foil Drive-ing)

It took me the better part of the session to get the feel of this setup.

The yellow shim did make the tail not slip - going to have to continue experimenting with this...

I had the wing screws on to make sure I could adjust the foil position if I needed to - but what I got out of them was more drag.  That coupled with my using by old regular Max battery, I felt like I was not gaining speed on takeoff.

By the end of the session I was using the steeper wave faces to takeoff.  Stu said he saw me taking off at the peak of a good sized one - principle described in motion.

Towards the end of the session I had figured out how high I was up off the water and I could then use that to work out my turns. 

There were some good overhead sets - but placement was pretty crucial today.

17 rides - with the earlier ones being shorter, and the later ones being super long and carvy.

I'll get in a dawn patrol tomorrow on Foil Drive - but also will keep an eye on the wind.  Surfline is calling for parawingable trades to be blowing....

PF:11/W:3/PW:125/FD:69/S:25