Garage Works - 5/18/2026

The projects have been piling up in the garage.  I just haven't been in the mood to tackle some of these (plus it has been warm and humid lately).

I got approached by Tim yesterday - he wanted another single window on his Amundson board.  I actually cut this hole yesterday - I thought I ran out of milled fibers and said I'd get some today.

I did get another container of milled fibers - but when I pulled out the epoxy bottles, I found the existing container of milled fibers....

I got the fill mixed up and placed.

And I had enough material leftover to get some onto Stu's mast repair.

I placed mold release on the fuselage, then added the epoxy.

Hopefully the parts release - if yes, then I'll shape the mast foot and even add more material to make the front section more hydrodynamic.

I'll likely be in the garage again tomorrow evening - trying to get these two projects completed.

Afternoon Parawing Session - 5/18/2026

Did a parawing downwind run with Norm this afternoon.

Wind was nice and strong.  Waves were filling in.  Tide was nice and high!

This was White Plains at launch.

BRM S3 5.3, No.34 with the Cabrinha Prestige (160 rear stabilizer and the 78cm Apex mast)

And this was Pavilions at recovery.

This was the inaugural BRM S3 5.3 and Cabrinha Prestige 905 session in waves and strong wind.  And the setup did not disappoint one iota -

Jibing was a breeze - including a down loop.  I even messed up a couple of times, but the glide from the Prestige 905 gave me time to correct the parawing handling and keep going.

I caught three waves from outside Cabins and 5-O's where I'd line up, retract the parawing and just carve up and down a 3' overhead wave that just reeled - this was pure magic!!!!  

The weird twists in the track were the rides.

I had several more rides, but didn't retract because the wave didn't seem like they'd give the same push as the big three.

Norm was up and riding on the Triple Seven PT Skin 7.3 - no problems getting up (actually he said he was overpowered about 50% of the session).  ANd on the back half of the session he was getting up, making the run, jibing, making it through and on to the opposite tack - then repeat.  He made the cycle a few times at least.

This chart was from the Kalaeloa Airport (which on east or NE winds, is usually off by about 5mph).

I hit 20mph on the Prestige - bombing down one of the big waves!!!!

The Prestige was really fun to parawing with - just easy!

Today was definitely one of the top 5 parawing sessions I've ever had!!!  And it is just the beginning of this wind event!

PF:8/W:2/PW:45/FD:37/S:17

Parawing Session - 5/17/2026

Stu and I were planning to hit Kailua after he picked up his wing from the repair shop (Brenda).  But asking folks that live that side if there was wind, they said no - and we shifted to Hickam.

When we parked, the wind was there, but it still felt light.  We said we were there already so might as well go -

I setup the big stuff (No.34, AFS Enduro 1300/HA43) and packed the BRM S3 5.3

Surprisingly the wind did fill in and I had a great session!!!

With the high tide, I just sailed across the reef, hit a wave and came back to the shore side.  I did this a few times - not wanting to get stuck outside if the wind dropped.

The high light of today for me was getting my first toe-side tack on the BRM S3 (which was surprisingly drama free), several more toe-side tacks (some not so drama-free), a few heel-side tacks onto waves, and several more toe-side tacks turning by the buoys.  Tack attack day!!!

I also got in a down loop jibe - so I got in every transition I currently know now using the BRM S3.

The time off foil was likely because I messed up a turn and had to reset/wait for a gust.

Stu got in 3 back-to-back moving jibes - which really was the goal for today for him.  Once that becomes muscle memory, then he can start going to WP-PV without losing ground.

Tomorrow heading in through the week should see dependable wind!!!

PF:8/W:2/PW:44/FD:37/S:17

Dawn Patrol - 5/17/2026

Looking at the forecast last night, the dawn patrol on the south shore was looking good.

Checking the surf this morning it was consistent at chest high.  And occasionally there was an overhead set breaking out at Foil Drive Country.

I had it in my mind that I was going to surf this morning (low tide and foils don't mix in my book).

And I wanted to try out these True Ames High Pro Twins -

I caught a couple of handful of waves - and a few of them were outstanding rides!!!

I swear I got questioned what was I doing everytime I bumped into someone - I said I was mixing it up and that I've been out on surfboard quite a bit lately.

Great session this morning!!!

PF:8/W:2/PW:43/FD:37/S:17

Foil Drive Sessions - 5/16/2026

Dawn patrolled Hickam on Foil Drive this morning.

I setup No.41 with the Evolution Cedrus Surf mast, AFS Enduro 900/Mako Carve 130

I brought Kalani and Stu over.  Phil, Bill and Arvin were also out.  And Eli (and Mark?) and Prayot when out once we had finished.  Tow Boogies and SUP DW Foil respectively.

I used two batteries.  First was the HO battery, and I had the black props on.

Waves were chest high on the sets.  I got several fun rides, but oddly enough the waves would peak outside of the breakwater, then disappear on the inside - which made catching them a little difficult.

Eleven or twelve rides this first run.  I did efoil out - but felt my right knee pressurizing so I backed off at the channel marker.  And at the end of the first run, I did go over to seconds and caught a good one.

Second battery was my original endurance battery.

I hit Seconds first (ha ha) - caught some good ones, then went over to Firsts.

Nice opportunities to carve, with the inside bowls working.

Ten rides - shorter run (with the ride out and back chewing up about 15% of the battery).

Hickam is great on those super low tide days!!!!

PF:8/W:2/PW:43/FD:37/S:16

Parawing Session - 5/14/2026

I forgot my watch at home, so no tangible data today.

When I got to the parking lot, there was wind.  I dropped off my board/foil and headed down to PVs so I could catch a ride back up and do the downwinder.  Stu and Norm were going to DW also.

Prayot was at the beach holding his Power Pack 4.3 - I told him he wasn't going to be able to get up on foil with that PW today.  I loaned him the BRM S3 5.3 - 

And I packed the Triple Seven PT Hybrid 5.7

When I was dropping the truck off at PVs, I did put up the Hybrid 5.7 to ground handle it - it had plenty of power with the wind present.

The rest of the setup was the same as yesterday - AFS Enduro 1100/Mako Carve Pro Medium/Short fuselage/UHM 80cm mast all on No.34

As soon as I hit the water - as usual the wind died.  But I figured the clouds overhead would blow through and the wind would return.  At least that's what I hoped would happen.

I drifted for quite some time before I picked up a gust strong enough to get me up onto foil.  I was able to get up in front of the last few cabins and make it out to outside Campgrounds.  I was WAY outside (bluewater).

The wind started glassing out - so I began paddling back in.

The wind did eventually filled in and I got up on foil making a direct beeline in.

I got in without issue - and to make sure I can in good conscience call this a session I jibed and headed back out.  I really didn't want to get stuck outside so I jibed again and made it in.

I bet I could have done this faster with a big PW like Norm's Triple Seven PT Skin 7.3

The forecasts are all over the map again - I think I'll avoid the skunk and break out the Foil Drive -

PF:8/W:2/PW:43/FD:36/S:16

Parawing Session - 5/13/2026

When I got home, there were some big rain clouds as far as the eye could see.  And they were choking the wind off.  I felt like they would pass, so I loaded up the truck and headed over to WP.

The sky was clearing by the time I parked.  And there was wind, but I didn't trust it.

So I setup the insurance policy - AFS Enduro 1100/Mako Carve Pro Medium and the BRM S3 5.3

I wanted to bolt on the Cabrinha Prestige 905/160 - but I also wanted to see if moving the rear stabilizer into the back position would get rid of the pitch instability (it did)

The wind was up and down - but with the S3 it manifested as being perfectly powered or overpowered.  Probably 60-40.

I did retract the PW once but was not able to redeploy it.  The waves weren't all that good for riding without the parawing.

I think I could have gotten away with using the Triple Seven PT Hybrid 4.3 and the Cabrinha Prestige 905 - but better to have the insurance (Prayot and Paul Cooper were probably 40-60 on the up on foil/down and schlogging ratio)

I did not attempt any tacks today - but I did get a few down loop jibes in.

I'm sure there is a correlation in this somewhere....

I think I'll start rotating the Evolution Cedrus Wind mast into the rotation to get more height 

Over all it was a weird wind day.  Rechecking the forecast, it looks like Saturday and Sunday may be better for FD or regular surfing.

PF:8/W:2/PW:42/FD:36/S:16

Parawing Session - 5/12/2026

Strong wind is here for at least 7 days (if not longer).

It looked less gusty today compared to yesterday - still gusty, just not knock you off the board gusty.

Nice full tide and some big waves breaking outside.

Norm, Robby, Stu and Paul started at WP (Paul probably further up).

I did a repeat of yesterday's Upwind-Downwind.

With the conditions present, I opted for the AFS Enduro 1100 and the Triple Seven PT Hybrid 4.3

I was a little hesitant - but the wind was strong enough.  Realistically I didn't even have to hook in (but I did just to make sure I wouldn't get fatigued).

I let Norm use the BRM Maliko V1 5.1m (and it worked great for him!!!).

Today's session was pretty darn great!

I made it all the way to Fenceline before I turned back down.

Outside the Shack I caught a monster wave - 3' overhead (and I was up high on foil) and I was in the pit just in front of the whitewater for a really long time.

I had two more bigger ones - more towards the back half of the session outside Campgrounds.

Strong east component today.

At one point Stu lost his board, but Robby was able to recover it.  Stu also got in a couple of jibes (in open ocean - this is a milestone for him).  Norm was up on foil a lot more than he has been with the PW.  He got in solid jibes and even did a retract (but the redeploy didn't work because of a snagged line).

Comparing yesterday's equipment to today's choice -

The AFS Enduro 1100 as setup needs more pitch maintenance (maybe moving the rear stabilizer back can reduce this, but do I even need to do that???).  It gets up slightly earlier than the Cabrinha Prestige 905 (and that was with a smaller parawing - so the extra surface area does contribute to this performance characteristic).  The Enduro seems to be a notch faster.  The Enduro felt "serious" - all business no joking around.  The Prestige was just plain "fun".

The BRM S3 felt more direct.  And it had the inclination when moving in the underpowered direction to sit towards the back of the wind window.  It moves where you want it to go (D Handle).  Pulling on the rear of the handle allows you to pump the PW almost like an inflated wing.  Almost.

The 777 Hybrid is more stable.  And it delivers power in the smoothest presentation I've ever felt from a parawing.  When conventionally jibing the Hybrid without banking it, the PW will drop deep into the wind window and accelerate coming out of the turn.  Banking (when you have sufficient wind) produces super smooth turns with no surge of power.  I though I wanted to sell the Hybrids to fund the Cab Prestige purchase - but I think I'm going to have to keep these (because they are really fun to use).

The two graphs are again strongly correlated.  I think it is really cool when this happens.

PF:8/W:2/PW:41/FD:36/S:16

Parawing Session - 5/11/2026

White Plains was closed - there are repairs on a sewer line going on.

PVs was open!!!

It hard to see in this picture, but there are good whitecaps all around the course.

Decent high tide.

Norm came to wing - 5.6 Blue Planet with his Code foil.

I setup the Cab 9 and the BRM S3 5.3 - first test in unprotected waters.

And as anticipated - this setup worked really well!

Lots of north in the wind - which made doing an upwind-downwind run pretty darn easy.

I was initially having some issues jibing the S3.  When I started turning it like the big Hybrid, everything started going way smoother.

I also made a tack - used a wave to roll over - and I got the PW to go over, but I kinda stalled at the top.  But the thing about the Prestige... it helps you recover from sloppy execution and I was able to pump through the tack and got on the wave!  First tack with the S3 and with the Prestige 905!!!

Norm was able to get up past Fenceline from my vantage point.  The wind was more turbulent at the Cabins - I was able to get to the shack - but then the wind felt like it was weakening (and there was a big rainstorm headed our way).  We headed back to make sure we didn't get stuck upwind.

The two charts line up nicely - and reveals the minimum required wind for takeoff for the S3 (equipped with the Prestige 905)

We both made it back without drama.

After we had broken down our gear - Roland showed up.

The wind was still cranking, but he didn't want to do a solo session - instead he broke out the parawing Derek let him borrow to figure out how to fly it.

With the forecast calling for strong winds for the foreseeable future, tomorrow I may put up the Triple Seven PT Hybrid 4.3

PF:8/W:2/PW:40/FD:36/S:16

Parawing Session 2 - 5/10/2026

As I was leaving Kailua, I checked the wind report and it said Hickam was blowing 17mph from the east.

I made a beeline there wanted to test the Cabrinha Prestige setup.

There was good texture on the water!!!

That is until Arvin and I went out - then it dropped off considerably.

The balancing trick worked perfectly for this foil on No.34

Despite the wind dropping, I felt that conditions would improve so I schlogged up towards the last buoy.  Then I had to paddle up to towards the last buoy.

Finally a gust came through and BAM - the Cab lifted without much drama (maybe even less drama  than the AFS Enduro 1300...)

Between the BRM S3 5.3 (second session) and the Cabrinha Prestige 905/160/Apex 78 mast - there was some special sauce coming from somewhere.

And even though the wind was absolute shit, I did manage to get up multiple times.

Now I'm really going to have to buy this foil...

PF:8/W:2/PW:39/FD:36/S:16