Foil Drive Session - 3/16/2026

Less wind today - so much smoother surface conditions

Nice high tide

Wave energy was down a notch - but still really fun!

Same gear as yesterday, but used the HO battery and I moved the foil forward 1/4"

Roland used the Appletree.  He said he was touching down on the back side turns.  And he needs to move the footstraps back.

The waves were really good - if you were patient overhead sets would come through and present bowls to bash and slash!!!

Got some really long rides -

I tried to kick out before reaching the surfboard lineup.

15 rides (I missed 4 waves when they would flatten out from underneath me).

Super fun session!!!

PF:4/W:2/PW:22/FD:22/S:9

Garage Works - 3/15/2026

Tim just got a Foil Drive and his board has zero connectivity in the water.

So here it is back in my garage getting signal windows.

Here's the bottom deck window.

The two top deck window holes.

Windows filled

Bottom deck hole prepped

And filled.

0.1 ounce resin and 0.04 ounces of hardener per window.

With this epoxy work done today, I can sand and get the fiberglass patch on tomorrow.  I'll have to be careful sanding because that purple is a sticker under the fill coat.

I may have to keep the patch a tad bit proud to preserve the lam.

Regarding the Modification of No.26, I just ordered a new big router and vacuum collar - I kept staring at the cut I was going to have to make to clear the block slot and I didn't want to have to clean up all the shavings.  This new tool should be in on Wednesday - and this board should be done by then.

Afternoon Foil Drive Session - 3/15/2026

It has been a week since I've been in the water - this storm system and work did a good job keeping me out.

The winds shifted and were blowing in from the West (at least it wasn't onshore).

The waves were actually really good - 187kJ according to Surfline

And to top it off - it was high tide at 0.9'!!!

Stu came out - 

I used No.43 with the Cedrus Surf mast, Zip Pod, Enduro 900/HA38 on the standard fuselage - 

The waves were overhead on the sets.  There was enough wind to wing with a 5.0 - but that meant paddling out through some good breakers.  I was good with the Foil Drive.

Outside Towers and Fenceline were working really nicely.

Good drops followed by walls I ripped up and down.

If I knew it was going to be this big, I would have bolted on the Silk 850

 (but the Enduro 900 was still great)

I caught 15 rides in an hour - can't really ask for more than that!

The next time I bring the Enduro 900, I think I'll move it up a notch - I think I can get more glide with it moved up.

PF:4/W:2/PW:22/FD:21/S:9

Garage Works - 3/11/2026

Roland came by this evening to pick up his Appletree board.

And I promptly went to work on modifying No.26 into a Tow Boogie (powered by Foil Drive).

I used the Dremel to get the outline cut out.

And I also spent some effort trying to breakdown the stringer.

I'll use the router to remove the bulk material working from the stringer area out towards the rail - twice (once on each side).

After that, this will be pretty much a repeat of most of the work I have been doing recently.

With the weather being all over the place, chances are I'll get through this project pretty quickly.

Garage Works - 3/9/2026

This was from yesterday - I guess I forgot to post it.

I got the final sanding done.

And I got the clear coat on

Pretty darn flat if I do say so myself

And the holes have a nice bevel to them.

Hopefully Roland got these inserts marked properly.  He is a much more centerline rider than I am.

Now I just need to get this board over to him (I think he is avoiding me because he doesn't have the cash to pay for the modification....)

Garage Works - 3/8/2026

I took a long nap this afternoon - 

When I got up and wasn't groggy, I hit the garage and got Roland's board modification sanded down.

Unfortunately, I found a couple of spots that needed additional epoxy fill.

I got those spots filled - so tomorrow when I get back from work, I'll do the final sanding and get the clear coat on.

This one is pretty much done -

Parawing Session - 3/8/2026

Dawn patrolled again out at Kailua - that stretch of coast was the only spot with strong usable wind.

That's Mike in the picture taking anemometer readings - good strong wind (but not as blustery as yesterday)

I downsized board and foils - AFS Enduro 1100/HA40 and No.40

I also downsized on the parawing - BRM Maliko 4.0

Stu was out - downsized to a 4.2 wing.  Kalani was out on the same gear (but eventually switched out to a longer fuselage and a surf rear stabilizer).

With the strong, relatively steady wind, the Maliko 4.0 was perfect!  No.40 and the Enduro 1100 were perfect also -

The waves at Jump City were awesome!  I stashed on a few and the rides were fun going right - where with a wing I'd have to carry the wing when the apparent wind drops off - with the parawing I just retract and go. 

The wind dropped off the second half of the session and I got stuck (and couldn't get back up on foil) - I had to do a short walk of shame.

If I had packed the Maliko 5.0, I think I would have been able to keep on going.  I should make a habit out of packing a second wing...

In preparation for the new season parawings being released, I have been trying to sell off the non-Maliko V1 parawings.

Yesterday I sold the Ka'a 3.6 (and maybe the Ka'a 4.8) and the Flysurfer POW 5.0

This will allow me to get the Vayu Pyro!  And maybe one of those snazzy new AFS Silk V2 front foils...

PF:4/W:2/PW:22/FD:20/S:9

Garage Works - 3/7/2026

I got this modification request pretty close to the finish line.

First I sanded the fill coat down to 400.

Then I looked for any soft spots from the lamination.  I found two and opened them up.

Then I went probing for the insert holes and opened those up.

One the front insert for the back foot, I missed the insert - but that's ok since I had to fill the soft spots I found, I was mixing epoxy anyways.

Black pigment and milled fibers used as fill for the holes/voids.

I'll sand this down tomorrow and get a layer of clear coat on the deck, and this footstrap insert installation request is all pau!!!

I didn't take a picture of this, but I also outlined the cut for the block slot for No.26 (converting to Tow Boogie).  I'll also try to get that cut out and the slot routed tomorrow.

Parawing Session - 3/7/2026

Went back to Kailua for the dawn patrol.

NUKING WINDS!!!

That kite foiler was lit!!!

Same board-foil as yesterday.  The winds were not supposed to be nuking...

And I used the Flysurfer POW 4.0 (smallest parawing I brought).

Stu and Kalani made the trek over also.  The regular crowd was there.

Mark (from Hilo) was the early bird (on his Neilpryde Fly 4.0).

I was barely hanging on for at least half the session -

I could probably have used the Maliko 2.9 (I'll bring that tomorrow).

The water was pretty choppy and there were two predominant directions the bumps were coming in from.  Made for challenging conditions.

And even though the swell seemed bigger, the waves were not as rideable as yesterday.

The wind was strong enough that I got goofy starts without any real drama.

Nuking winds are awesome!!!  More tomorrow!

PF:4/W:2/PW:21/FD:20/S:9

Prone Foiling Session - 3/6/2026

And in the afternoon, La was working on some projects, so I figured I'd hit the beach.

These guys were chilling.

And Kalani had sent video - it seemed junky so I figured I should practice prone foiling again.

Silk 1050 on the long fuselage with the Silk 142 rear stabilizer.

I don't remember how taxing prone foiling is... definitely humbling.

I actually feel like I surf better than I prone foil (which used to NOT be the case).

I can say with confidence that Foil Drive-ing makes your prone foiling SUCK!!!

HUGE difference in track patterns in FD and PF.

I did manage to get three rides, with the last one being more indicative of what I used to get (before Foil Drive).  Having the Silk 1050 on may have been a factor...

I did make an adjustment on the mast position - moving it forward a notch and it did work better.

I think next time I'll use the Uni Progression 170 - and continue using that foil until I get used to doing this again...

PF:4/W:2/PW:20/FD:20/S:9

Parawing Session - 3/6/2026

Morning session at Kailua yesterday -

Decent wind, waves at Jump City

Big stuff day -

Chris was dipping his toes into parawinging -

Stu was out also - he was getting more comfortable riding and even got through a jibe (just didn't ride out of it).

Mid session the bridge line that pulley rides came undone.  I had to go in to get the lark's head back on.  Then restarting got a little frustrating with a rather long lull.

I got back up eventually and got back upwind.

I did have a really good stashed pw ride at Jump City - totally made the session worth it!!!

I went in before Stu did (I had to get back to work, while he took the day off).

Fun session and I learned something about the Flysurfer setup.

PF:3/W:2/PW:20/FD:20/S:9