Parawing Dawn Patrol - 7/4/2026

Forecast favored Kailua - but reality did not match the forecast.

There was texture on the water when I was setting up - but that quickly changed.

And the parking lot was pretty crowded - the 4th of July brings everyone out to the beach.  The "tent'icles were all out and more were coming.  I actually don't like going to most beaches on holidays... too crowded and people are everywhere.

AFS Enduro 1100/Mako Pro Medium on No.34.  BRM S3 5.3 for power - but I actually needed more...

So to start - I didn't get skunked, but I wasn't far from it.

The wind was just below the lower limit of the Enduro 1100 - S3 5.3

I did get up on one gust and was getting along fine on the lower wind level.

I jibed on the outside, caught a wave, retracted the parawing and started riding the wave.  But it was mushing out and when I tried to redeploy the parawing, down I went.

And that was the end of foiling for today.  I spent the rest of the time paddling or hoping the gust was enough.

I did not do the walk of shame - but did have to paddle back.

I don't think the Enduro 1300 would have helped - the wind was just too light.

Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.  Lately it's been a losing proposition as the wind has been fluky.

Probably a sign to start prone foiling again... 

PF:8/W:3/PW:69/FD:53/S:20

Parawing Session - 7/3/2026

Had the day off today - opted to skip the dawn patrol and wait for the wind to come up.  Prayot said he was going to Hickam at 12.  I kinda thought the wind would be better at 2 - but I had other things to do also, so 12 it was.

There was texture on the water - but just like the past several days, it was up and down (and swirly all around).

Big stuff - AFS Enduro 1300/HA43 on No.34 and the BRM S3 5.3 (today would have been good for a Flysurfer POW V2 5.5...., or the big Triple Seven PT Skin 7.2 that Kalani and Norm have).

Early on the wind was too light.  I was out on the water for a bit before I started recording data - just floating around waiting.

Eventually the wind came up, but it was still up and down.  Prayot made a beeline out to Firsts and Seconds.  I stayed inside because I didn't trust the wind.

More north than east also meant skillful navigation was required to avoid the paddle.

Way up and way down.

I mainly worked on light wind get ups and down loop jibes.  I didn't even try tacks because I didn't want to have to do the work to get back up on foil if I botched it.

More time down and up today - but it's been that way for the last few sessions.

I'm going to hit Kailua on the dawn patrol tomorrow to get around all the parking lot nightmares (Happy 250th Birthday America!!!!) 

PF:8/W:3/PW:68/FD:53/S:20

Evening Foil Drive Session - 7/2/2026

Had debated parawinging, but decided to take a nap.  Woke up then assessed the wind - it was up and down and side offshore.  Figured I should use the Foil Drive.   

I was also thinking the waves would be bigger today than yesterday - so I brought the Silk 850/USurf 135

Norm was already out when I got to the parking lot.  Roland was just about to launch.  And Kalani had finished a 12 mile parawing session.

This was a quick session.

The waves were pretty fun - chest high.  They weren't as punchy as yesterday.

Got 12 rides in 38 minutes

The wind is forecasted to blow, but lately the reality is it isn't nearly as strong as what is predicted.  Gonna need to keep the Foil Drive batteries charged and the parawings close hold.

PF:8/W:3/PW:67/FD:53/S:20

Garage Works (Mobile) 7/1/2026

After parawinging, I fixed the Hybrid 4.3 D line 

Took about 20 minutes to get the 1/4" tubing squeezed in to the back hole.  It was easier to do this one since I had done the 5.7 previously.

Kalani tried the 5.7 today and THANKFULLY the tube did not pop out or move.  

Parawing Session - 7/1/2026

Chest to just overhead waves were breaking at the Plains

High-ish tide

Funky winds.  Prayot was out already when Kalani and I were setting up.

I thought I was bringing out the AFS Enduro 1100 - nope, what I had grabbed was the Enduro 900

I figured what the heck - might as well spend more time on this foil on parawing.

I needed slightly stronger gusts - but getting up onto foil was not too dramatic.

Where this foil shined today was in ripping up the waves when I was able to pick up rides on the bigger waves.  After retracting the parawing, I could carve and ride just like I do on this foil while Foil Drive-ing - this is seriously closing the gap on the foils I could get away with.

The shallow (relative term) spot that triggers the waves to stand up and break that is in front of the shack/tower was working brilliantly today.  The whole break would bowl and I came at it riding left.  That allowed me to retract the parawing more easily and setup for carves, glides and hook gouging!!!

As good as the rides were, the wind was wonky and I hardly picked up redeploys.

And you can see the long blue lines where I had to schlogg my way back out.  Perhaps if I had the Enduro 1100, I could have gotten through some of the dead wind alleys better.

This was the wind at Hickam - so we had it probably 5mph less.  I was definitely at the upper range of the BRM S3 5.3 at times - it was just the takeoffs that perplexed me.

Almos tall of these down periods were from me running into a dead wind zone - which again was baffling when you looked around and saw all the wind signs.

The next few days are shaping up to be similar to today...!!!

PF:8/W:3/PW:67/FD:52/S:20

Garage Works - 6/28/2026

Needed to fix Kalani's Triple Seven PT Hybrid 5.7 again.  The D line pigtail was getting frayed again.  I installed and new one and encased it in vinyl tubing.

NO WAY this is going to get frayed again!

I settled on a template for the new prone foil board

I reshaped the previously broken AFS 80cm UHM mast Stu had smashed.  I'm going to have to place more epoxy slurry and do another round of shaping to get this back to 100%.

And I opened the tracks on this conversion (from tiny prone to tow boogie)

I'll add a fill coat on this, sand some more and sand again.

I also sanded the track area on the big wing board.  I didn't take pictures - but I'm preparing to laminate more carbon to cure the shifty box.

Gonna need to setup my hot wire cutter....

Parawinging Session - 6/28/2026

Lazy Sunday - I didn't get out and about until later today, and water time wasn't until mid afternoon.

The reports showed Hickam to be the best bet.

I wanted to mix things up - No.42 with the AFS Enduro 1100/Mako Carve Pro on the short fuselage and 80cm UHM mast.

Power provided by the BRM S3 5.3m parawing.

The wind was a little up and down - but that was good practice for pumping up onto foil.  Which I had to move the mast up from where I had originally started (balance point).  I still think I can move the foil forward some more.... but it kinda is far up as it is.  No.42 is my version of a light wind board, but I felt like I needed more wind to get up.

With the high tide, I felt like playing around - made three trips out to Firsts to pick up a good wave and ride back in.

Holes....

Holes and the forced pit stops.

Nice low stress session! 

PF:8/W:3/PW:66/FD:52/S:20

Dawn Patrol Parawing Session - 6/27/2026

Did a dawn patrol at Kailua - the wind was supposed to be really strong from the get go -

There was texture on the water - enough that I brought up the BRM S3 4.2

Then the wind pretty much stopped - for 45 minutes.

Cabrinha Prestige 905/160/78cm Apex mast on No.34

So the wind was just below where I could pump up.  Just as I was getting up on foil, I'd outrun the parawing.  I paddled to shore and walked back up to the launch.  To add insult to injury, I got stung by a man-o-war.

I switched out the 4.2 for the 5.3 and paddled back out.  I still had to wait a bit - but the wind did fill in - the 4.2 would have been perfect.  I really should start packing two parawings.

But the S3's can handle a wider range of wind and I made it work.

I did get in several fully retracted DW wave ripping runs - this is what this is all about!!!!

I did end up getting tangled a bunch.  I'm going to re-evaluate my leash, the stash belts, and my retracting technique to avoid this issue.

This wind chart is all jacked, but that was the point of showing it.

Fun session - even with the gear issues.

PF:8/W:3/PW:65/FD:52/S:20

Afternoon Parawing Session - 6/26/2026

Smaller waves today -

Higher tide.

Same shifty wind (but slightly stronger and a little more dependable)

Same board/foil - swapped the parawing up to the 5.3

Kalani was out again - and Roland eventually came out.

With the wind questionable, I didn't take too many chances.  Regular jibes and kicking out earlier to stay in the wind line.

I only got a few rides with the parawing retracted.

I only felt overpowered once - the rest of the session was either sitting on the board waiting for sufficient wind, or riding powered.

Looks better than 50-50

Will likely dawn patrol Kailua tomorrow.

PF:8/W:3/PW:64/FD:52/S:20

Afternoon Parawing Session - 6/25/2026

Higher tide, bigger waves, and slightly better wind (compared to yesterday).

All the same gear - just changed out the rear stabilizer from the 180 to the 160.

When the wind was present, it was nice and strong.  But it would lull out and with the BRM S3 4.2, I'd have to take a break and wait for the gusts to push through.

But retracting the parawing to ride a wave... epic today!  The waves were standing up much taller than yesterday.  Hooking turns and aligning to sections that had push - so much fun!!!

I even got in a couple of Prayot's "stash before jibing onto a wave" jibes - and that move actually works.

Based on this wind chart and comparing it with the speed graph, I'm gonna say at my weight the range of this parawing is 17 to 28 mph.

Almost 50-50 today.

If I had the 5.3m out, I think I would have been up on foil for over 80%.  Kalani had his 5.7 Hybrid up and he was on foil for the majority of the session.

I'm going to pair the Prestige 905 with the 160 rear stabilizer, and the Whippit 850 with the 180 rear stabilizer.  I just felt more nimble on the 905/160 today - being able to retract and ride bigger faced waves prone for super long distances - no debating that performance aspect!

PF:8/W:3/PW:63/FD:52/S:20