Parawing Session - 10/20/2026

The forecast was calling for winds similar to yesterday with slightly bigger waves.

The wind looked questionable from the beach - but really the wind line shifted further offshore.  The waves were a little bigger.  And the tide was nice and high.

I really wanted to take the PPC Orbit 4.5 to make sure the C line repair stuck.  I was a little worried, but once I was out in the wind line everything was perfect!

I decided on using the AFS Silk 1050/USurf 150 before leaving the house.

Derek was finishing up his session when Norm, Stu and I showed up.  Norm and Stu did the WP-PV run; I just stayed at WP. 

With the wind out of the NE, I didn't really bother trying to retract the Orbit.  I just practiced flying it and minimizing its pull to the point where it was more or less drifting.

I would use it similar to how I would use an inflated wing for leverage, but it was still out of the way and floating when I didn't want any of its power.  Drifting also made the jibe back out risk free (no redeploy to get screwed up).

The more I use the PPC Orbit 4.5, the more I absolutely love it!

Lots of curvy lines in that spaghetti!!!  And I mostly rode goofy foot going in to keep the stress on my right knee to a minimum.

The first down spell was due to a good lull.

The second one was where the Ride Engine retractable reel leash popped off the Truce harness.  While I was trying to get the leash situated, I drifted downwind a bit.  A gust came through and I figured it would be better to get back to shore and figure out the leash issue - I popped up and headed in.

Another super fun session!

The wind is going to die back for about a week - at least that is what the forecast is calling for.

PF:11/W:3/PW:131/FD:73/S:26

Parawing Repair - 10/19/2026

I was up and riding and then heard a "pop"

I looked and the bridle was noticeably discombobulated.

I tied the C line pigtail to the PAL line and limped in. 

Here is the culprit.  I originally thought a knot slipped - but the more I look at this pigtail, the more I think mine was a Friday special...

I looked up references on the online reviews -

And got an estimate of how long the pigtail should extend from out of the bar.

I had to remove the cleat and really get in to the inside to get a proper stopper knot tied in the spacing that came close to the pictures above.

For good measure I tied a half of a larkshead just to keep the excess intact if I have to make an adjustment.

Tomorrow the wind should be close to what it was today - so I'll get to test out this repair.

Parawing Session - 10/19/2026

Strong winds this afternoon!!!  Unfortunately it was still up and down.

Smaller waves and higher tide - nice conditions to get smaller equipment into rotation.

AFS Enduro 900/Mako Carve Pro (130)

PPC Orbit 4.5

And I used the Truce Parawing Stash Pouch that La modified for me.  I added the Ride Engine retractable leash - super clean storage solution!!!

As strong as the wind was, it still was not instantaneous to get up on foil.  The Orbit can handle ridiculous amounts of wind - when you are already up on foil.  Getting started is getting easier, but it is nowhere near as easy as using the BRM S3s.

The combo of the Orbit and the Enduro made for hauling ass upwind a breeze (pun intended!!!).

I did ride a bunch of waves, but I did so drifting the parawing instead of retracting it.  Worked out really well!

The more I use this parawing, the easier it is getting to jibe.

I think to get the wind range that is advertised by PPC, you'd need a bigger board and an early lifting foil.

It loves wind - it ate the gusts like candy!  And even in the lulls, as long as I was up and going, it behaved nicely and stayed up. 

It was awesome to be up on foil for as long as I was this session.  The first two black areas were when I went down with deeper lulls than the Orbit could handle.

The last black area was the C line pigtail breaking - I'll post on that in the next post.

Super fun day!!!

PF:11/W:3/PW:130/FD:73/S:26

Parawing Session - 10/18/2026

Dawn patrolled Kailua

Wind was splitting the difference between the BRM S3 5.3 and the PPC Orbit 4.5

I opted for the same board and foil as yesterday - the AFS Silk 1050 really has a wide range, which opened up even more with the USurf 150 rear stabilizer.

I was going to bring both the Orbit 4.5 and the S3 5.3 - but I said screw it and just brought the Orbit.

Which at the front end, the Orbit was perfect.

I wanted to test out the stashing characteristics when jibing onto a wave at Jump City.

The parawing just loses its ability to fly in this straight downwind transition - which makes stashing way easier than what I've been experiencing crosswind (or even at times straight one wind) along the south shore spots.

I got several super long stashed rides at Jump City - SO GOOD!!!!  And redeploying the Orbit was pretty stress free.

And just to keep characterizing the capabilities, I tried riding with the parawing up and drifting - it worked fine but I also think that is when the wind started to back off.

The whole back half of the session, it seemed like the wind was just below the Orbit's takeoff threshold.

It's hard to tell from the wind speed graph - but the wind was on the lull side of the readings.

I picked up a gust and decided I should be happy with what I got and call it.

Those stashed rides were definitely the highlight of today's session!!!

PF:11/W:3/PW:129/FD:73/S:26

Parawing Session - 10/17/2026

Hit Hickam today.

Norm was headed there after work, and I wanted to work on tacks so I headed over.

Matt, Naomi and Zach were there winging.  Matt said it was good and so were the waves.

I mixed things up setting up the AFS Silk 1050 and UHM 80cm mast since I got a new rear stabilizer -

New to me AFS USurf 150

The wind was up and down, and even trended towards super light.  This session was basically riding gusts.

Just getting up was a stroke of luck - wind had a lot of north in it.

Lots of light wind jibes - a few of them ended up with lines tangled on my hand holding the bar.

And I did get in multiple tacks (including a super light wind one).

I did down loop jibes on both sides.

I'd say I accomplished what I set out to do this afternoon.

Up and down

Up and down

Wind is forecasted to stick around until Wednesday - I may try Kailua tomorrow morning to see if going DDW will facilitate retracting the PPC Orbit...

PF:11/W:3/PW:128/FD:73/S:26

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