Biggest High Tide of the Year - 31 July

Marlon and I hit the beach this afternoon.  It was the highest high tide of the year (so far) at +2.6'.  When stats like that are posted, it becomes irresistible and I am beckoned.  Lots of strong wind - made Marlon's ears cold (lol).

The swell was being drowned out by the super high tide - but there were still a bunch of people out.  I brought out the Go Foil Iwa, used the Kai tail and used the 24.5" mast (+3" with the track adaptor).  I had the mast lined up to where I would mount the Infinity 76 (forward of center).  I brought the 5'6" out also figuring I could use the paddling power.

This foil looks really cool.

I caught several long rides and took them as far as I could towards the beach - surfing a king tide gave me lots of cushion from hitting bottom.  The Iwa has tons of lift (and float) - once I got going this foil seemed to be on autopilot, but the "bobbing" sensation was always there.  It seems as if I've been wiping out and hitting the foil at least once a session.  Most times it is a glancing blow or a slide along my back or leg.  I caught the front wing dead on this session - this will be a really cool bruise!!!

Great session!!!

Weekend End Surf - 28 July

Marlon and I hit the beach this evening.  Surf was slightly smaller than yesterday - but just as fun.  I brought the longboard again as the tide was lower than I am comfortable foiling in.  It's been good getting reacquainted with the longboard.

Good, clean fun!!!

Another Saturday Evening Surf - Longboarding - 27 July

Marlon and I went out this evening.  This is the first time in a while that the tide was really low (0.7') during the evening session.  Instead of getting pissed when my foil hits bottom, I decided to bring the longboard out.

With all the foiling I've been doing lately, I honestly forgot how much fun longboarding is!  The waves were typical White Plains choppy slop - but it was not crowded and I caught some really fun walls.  Marlon's cousin Damion also came out for some surf lessons.  Great way to wash off the sweat from running errands today.

Humpday Evening Session - 24 July

I came home from work on Wednesday and I was wiped.  Took a nap and slept for longer than I wanted to.  Despite the long nap, I also wanted to see if the swell picked up (as had been forecasted) so Marlon and I headed to the beach.

I brought the Go Foil Iwa on the 24.5" mast (which is really 27.5" with the 3" track conversion box) and slapped on the Kai tail.  The swell was just a bit bigger than two sessions ago (last Friday), which translates to less than waist high.  I set the foil to just behind the Infinity 76 baseline position.

I did try to move it up mid-session - thought I could use more lift and the pictures above show where the foil ended up.  I caught one notable wave and several where something just felt off.  I even had one wipeout where I fell on the front wing (I didn't get poked or stuck - I felt the down curve roll under me).  The tide was at 1.5' - I touched bottom once while paddling back out to a wave.

Marlon was catching everything on his tanker.  Sometimes I get tempted to go back to longboarding, but this is the year to learn the foil - I must stay focused...

GoPro Handle

The second project was taking an old standup paddle offcut and epoxying in a FCS plug to make a GoPro mount.  Since I had extra epoxy mixed up, it was the perfect companion project to the foil tightening.

I'll post more when this is all set up.  This is a much slimmer version of the yellow floaty that we currently use.  More to follow.

Tightening Up a Foil Wing

Before heading out to foil, I mixed up some epoxy to knock a couple of tasks off my to do list.  First up was tightening up the Maliko 280 wing.  I did this just like Alex Aguerra outlined in the Go Foil tutorial videos.

Fits like new again!!!

Sunday Evening Foiling - June 21, 2019

The forecast called for miniscule surf, but I headed out anyways.  Marlon came along, but just to swim (and take pictures of me to get paid).  I caught a few waves and got some decent rides, but it was small.  I breached on the first wave, but was able to correct on the follow on ones.  Before I headed out, I pushed the foil forward in the box - way forward.

Coupled with the 5'6", I could catch and ride less than thigh high (didn't I say that in the last post).

Getting wet is better than staying dry!

Friday Evening Foiling - July 19, 2019

Washing away the week (it was a busy one - but that seems to be the m=norm now).  The swell from earlier in the week had pushed through so thigh high waves were on tap.  The full moon was still gibbous, but it was waning - the tide was high at +2.0'.  I figured I'd be better off using the 5'6" foilboard and the Slingshot FSurf (Infinity 76).

I set the foil where I had last set it on this board (it's been a while since I last used it - in fact I thought I would never use it again but though the past several sessions and yesterday's rides, this board is great for catching smaller waves - the tanker of prone foiling).  I think pushing it just a hair more forward would have been perfect.  Of note, I also installed the Wizardhat Hardware.  It made setup a little bit easier that the conventional M8 25mm bolts and brass T nuts.

I caught a bunch of waves - some were really long rides with more gliding than pumping.  Made me feel like I know what I'm doing (even though I do know what I'm doing, some sessions of late have made me feel like I'm a beginner again).

Marlon came out and took pictures with the GoPro.  Let the weekend begin!!!

Wednesday Evening Session - July 17, 2019

Full moon = super high tide.  I rigged up the Go Foil Iwa and put on the Kai tail - first time I used this setup.  Marlon brought out the tanker.

Here's where I had the foil set (just forward of pegged back).

When it was good it was real good.  I got four longer fun rides.  Effortless gliding (the foil didn't even want to get pumped).  But when it was off it was off.  I did have a bunch of waves were nothing came together.  No blow ups, but just no lift, or the foil would set off and I would lean and we would get separated.  Still really fun especially on the really long 29.5" + 3" mast!  There seemed to be a crosscurrent subsurface - or something else that was dragging against the foil.

Marlon was cruising on the tanker.  He caught a few really good ones.  The waves still had some energy in them, but the swell has definitely backed down from Sunday.

And Marlon did catch one of me up on the foil as I was headed in.

Nice way to end the day!

Jason and Mikaila's Elopement

My old friend Jason and his new wife Mikaila eloped (with friends and family present) this past Monday at Papailoa Beach up on the North Shore.  La and I made the trip up to be there!!!

There were a bunch of honu in the super shallows.  In all my time on this island, I actually think this was the first time I went down this road and stepped on this beach.  I figured as much because I hadn't seen this gate before (and I certainly would have remembered it).

Awesome small Hawaiian wedding on the beach!!!!  And we followed it up with dinner (reception) at Haleiwa Joe's.  Here's La's whole fried fish

It didn't stand a chance!!!  Congratulations Jason and Mikaila!!!  Thank you for letting us be a part of your special day! 

Catch Up Post - 12 to 14 July

I've been slacking again on maintaining this blog.  I'll try and catch up this evening.  First off I went foiling with an old friend who was in town visiting (and eloping).  Jason and I go back to 1997.  We met up at White Plains and spent the afternoon surfing (I was on the Slingshot Infinity 76 and I brought out the Starboard Element for Jason to use).  It was a bit choppy as the trades were starting to fill back in and a new swell was starting to show.  I got up a few times but it was actually a little tough to get the balance point just right.  I had the foil set where I placed the mark - but lifting still felt like work and not natural.  Jason set up a SoloShot 3 and I wore the transponder.  Its a cool device and it tracks pretty solid.  I'll set it up and use it again another day - but I didn't take any pictures on Friday.  I ended up talking to Gary (big green board and Cloud IX foil) and also James (ex-UCT and EOD tech).  We finished the day by heading back to my house for slow smoked pulled pork sliders (SOOOO GOOOD) and beer.

Next day was Saturday and Marlon had a presentation in the morning to finish off his summer internship.  We celebrated by eating plate lunches from Liz's BBQ and napping.  Since this is summer, post nap we still had plenty of light and went out for a surf session.  I had the foil out again (this time bringing it forward a little) and Marlon brought his longboard out.  The foil flew a little easier, but still not effort less.  The swell was picking up for sure.

On Sunday we picked La and Noe up at the airport (Noe participated in a Laser regatta in the San Francisco area).  Evening came around and the swell was hitting full on.  I brought out the Greedy Beaver and Marlon brought his shorter board (the Squirrel).  The swell was well overhead and the drops were epic!  I only got a few waves that stayed open, but all the rides were awesome.

I actually had a loose fin (starboard).  On my first wave I felt some chatter, but for the rest of the session it was stable.  What an awesome surfing weekend!!!

Tuesday Post Commute Session - July 9

Marlon and I hit the beach after our long, slow commute back home.  The surf was not as big as it was on Sunday, but the period was still just as crowded.  There was even a solid current pushing to the West.  Maybe chest high waves on the sets, but mostly waist high.  Tide was around +1.5' in the early evening.

I caught my share using the Slingshot Gamma, but when the waves get to belly high, it's time to bring the Infinity 76 out.

Marlon was catching everything.

It looks bigger than it seemed.

Shallow Water Scars

Here is the Infinity 76 getting all patched up.  One wingtip was hacked up.  There were deep gouges on the same side as the broken wingtip.  And the other side had a couple of significant scratches.

Some sanding, some epoxy fill, a little (not - a lot) of filler/primer, and a bunch of delicate sanding and it is just about as good as new.

At least I can say it has authentic battle damage ;)

Sunday Solo Session with the Gamma - July 7

Marlon wanted to take a break today, so I flew a solo mission.  With yesterday's change up, I thought I should continue the mixing.  I rigged up the Gamma (as I am fixing the chips in the Infinity 76).

The charts on the website say this foil has about the same lift as the Infinity 76 so I figured I should try this setting first.

This setting proved to be a dud - I got the foil to lift, but it wasn't responsive and I was down more than I was up.  Trying to benefit from yesterday's lesson, I brought one of these out with me today - a stubby #3 screwdriver.

I paddled in and made an adjustment to the foil position, dropped the screwdriver back in my pocket and paddled back out.  The foil was performing better, but I still felt like I could get more response out of it.  After a few more waves, I paddled back in and ended up at this position.   I wish I had brought a screwdriver from the beginning of my foiling attempts.  Making changes on the beach really made me quickly appreciate this foil, where I would otherwise have spent a whole session sucking it up.

The foil was super responsive and pumping was very easy - makes me wish I had rigged this up a lot earlier.  I was able to catch waves at the middle break and ride it all the way to the beach.  At this point I'd say as long as the waves have some power behind them, the Gamma is the foil to rig.  If the swell is lower than belly high, then it'll be the Infinity 76.  The only weird thing about the Gamma was the way it responded to my turns - it wanted to "stick" so I had to shift my weight more so than on the Infinity.  Just something I'll probably have to get used to.  These last few rides today were the closest thing to riding a shortboard on a pumping day that I've had on a foilboard - pumping to gain speed, leaning to turn and extracting energy from the reform section - I have nothing to complain about the Gamma and it has opened my eyes to the possibilities.  From this ride, I'm a Gamma fan!!!!