Wing Foiling Session - 2/28/2023

Got in a quick 30-minute session this afternoon.  Downsized the wing to the Reedin SW 3.6 - everything else was the same as the previous days.

The wind was so strong that at some points I could only jibe (too strong to tack - couldn't carve into the wind).

I did manage to get tacks in despite the wind strength, but today was a balance of both.

The ART 999 got my up to 20.9 mph!  8.17 miles in over a 35-minute session - not too shabby.

Two days left before this wind backs down - and tomorrow is supposed to be the peak of this event.

W:23/F:12/S:12

Wing Foiling Session - 2/27/2023

After I got off from work, I got in a relatively quick session - I had to leave around 4:30 to go pick up Noe from school.  The wind was really gusty - from maybe 15 mph as a low gusting up past 35 mph at times.

I took out the same gear as yesterday to make setup quicker.

I declared today's session the "tack attack" - nothing but tacking on both sides (except for a handful of times where I knew there wasn't enough wind to tack).

On my toe-heel tack, I need to get the foil to carve harder through the wind - if I botched up the tack it was because the foil would track straight.  But I got in the most toe-heel tacks I've ever gotten - almost no loops in the tracks below!!!

There was a school of halalu swimming around - and a booby bird was fishing the school.  Really cool to watch it use the ground effect to pick up speed, then rocketing back up.

Super fun getting blasted!!!

W:22/F:12/S:12

Fixing the 9m Drifter

I was testing the 9 and 11 meter Drifters last week to make sure the bladders were still holding air.

The 11m held its air, but the 9m wasn't.  It was apparent that the leading edge around the valve seams was letting go.

I stopped off at Hawaiian Watersports and got a few valve traps.  This is way faster than using adhesive.

I tested this one and it held.  But the one next to the inflation valve let go.  That's a task for tomorrow.

Wing Foiling Session - 2/26/2023

Hit Hickam yesterday from noon until 2pm.  Wind was very strong when I got there - and was lightening up by the time I left.

I pumped up the SWX 4.2 again, and at times I felt slightly overpowered.  And I wanted to mix things up so I bolted on the ART999/400P/Crazy Short fuselage.

Marlon was running errands while I was out - but he took a few pictures when he came back to pick me up.  You can see the texture on the water - and this was towards the end.

This series of pictures is interesting because it shows how much height I lost going into the jibe.

I spent some time out at Firsts.  I caught two waves that broke for me and I got to stick to the pocket - the wind was really strong so I couldn't luff the wing.

I got to 21 mph early on.  The wind sensor at the airport is messed up and not recording properly - so I'll skip out on posting the wind graph.

My left knee hasn't healed from Saturday (where either I hit No.25 on the upper port rail, or I skinned it kneeling on the footstrap screw/washer) so that's why I brought out the WWFB.

This is going to be a long lived wind event!!!

W:21/F:12/S:12

Wing Foiling Session - 2/25/2023 - 1st

Dawn patrolled Kailua this morning - seems like a lot of people had the same idea - Paul and his wife, Tim and a few others from the SW corner of the island were pumping up before the sun came up.  Phil was there too!

The wind was blowing hard already first thing.  With the wind as strong as it was, I decided to bolt on the Kujira 980 to get more speed out of the session and to possibly turn harder on the waves.  Speaking of waves - there were some over head sets rolling through at Jump City so this was destined to be a good session!

I pumped up the SWX 4.2.  I never felt overpowered - but there were a few times the wind lulled and I had to wait for a gust to get back up.

I got in 13.55 miles in just over an hour.

I fell a little bit more than I normally do - but the water was really choppy.  This session was pretty close to the conditions you'd see on a well powered downwinder - tall, short period wind swell.  If I go back tomorrow morning, I may use the Clydesdale.

I guess I fell on the board at one point and dinged the front port side.  It is not bad at all, but with my OCD I'm going to have to fix it.  I think there is some of my skin stuck in the ding. 

This data pull is from the Kaneohe sensor.  I think it was stronger than this.

The max speed spikes are probably from the waves - jibing onto a breaking wave and taking the drop definitely generates speed.

So much fun!

W:19/F:12/S:12

Wing Foiling Session - 2/25/2023 - 2nd

After Kailua, I stopped off at Hawaiian Watersports and picked up some kite bladder valve traps so I can fix my kitesurfing kites - after being able to water start No.26 with a wing, I now have the inclination to kitefoil using that board.  With that long standing errand out of the way, I made a beeline to Hickam to get in a second session - on No.26.

I took the Stringy fuselage and placed it on the 85cm mast - I figured I'd give this setup a try and see if it was any harder to get up on foil.  I replaced the 980 I had on earlier with the 1210 - I didn't want to handicap myself too much.  I figured with the larger front foil, I could afford to go smaller on the wing - I pumped up the SW2 4.2 again. 

From my tracks, it looked like the wind over here was from the NE.  On the water I did notice I had to make runs that had me going side to side more than top to bottom (like on an East wind).

I forced myself to water start a lot today.  The blue in the tracks below are the waits I had to go through waiting for the gusts (or sucking at water starting - this is 100% an activity that the more you do it, the easier it gets...).  Strong side is ok - goofy is a little tougher.  I drew blood on my left shin at Kailua today - and the middle screw holding the front footstraps down on No.26 didn't help.  I'll pad those screws before taking No.25 or 26 out again.

I got in several heel to toe tacks, some of which were completely dry.  A few I even whipped into (grabbing the bottom handle earlier allows you to power through the tack and not just glide).  I got in a partial toe to heel tack - I leaned in too hard and lost it.

I had to pull the Kalaeloa data because the airport sensors are still out.

Using the 85cm mast was not any harder than the 75cm mast.

I'm going to need to fix the small ding on No.25 and cover the screw heads on both No. 25 and 26 - so tomorrow I'll setup the WWFB and hit Firsts.

W:20/F:12/S:12

Wing Foiling Session - 2/24/2023

I hit Hickam after work.  The wind was good - I pumped up the Reedin SW2 4.7.  For the board/foil I had brought No.25 and the Eagle 1090 - but I also brought No.26 and the Kujira 1210.  From the picture you can see what I setup.

I've been using the 75cm mast so I don't have to manage getting more mast out of the water while I'm learning how to get up using this sinker.

I purposely forced myself to start more than I needed to so I can figure out the best way to position the board/wing to minimize the energy I use to keep position and get up.  Nose aimed slightly downwind, front foot in the footstrap (which needs to be slightly loose so my foot can flex) and back leg shin down and foot on the rail (or even hanging off).  Some runs I'd stay in this position and manage the wing overhead to develop muscle memory.

Getting up was easy as long as a gust was blowing through.  I need to put a few more strips of deck pad in between the front pads and between the front and back pads.

I didn't head out to Firsts today - I didn't want to risk getting stuck out there.  Insteead I mowed the lawn on the inside, but focused on seeing what was different with this setup.  Once up, nothing was different at all.  I even got in some dry heel to toe tacks on the outside, and a toe to heel tack.

If I takes this out again tomorrow, I'm going to place the rear strap and try jumping this rig.

The anemometer was still messed up - but I was up when the gusts hit, and was riding until I forced myself to drop and start again (this is the only way to make starting a sinker easier).

I did pay some dues today... the GoPro 9 is gone and I lost yet another wingscrew...  hopefully I'm paid up for a while.

W:18/F:12/S:12

Wing Foiling Session - 2/23/2023

La wasn't feeling well, so I stayed home until she was feeling better.  Around noon I was able to go to Hickam and grab a quick winging session.  Ryan and Jim were out - the wind was up and down still - but trending towards good.

I brought No.25, the Eagle 1090/DW210, and the RS 5.1.

I also used the Gath Helmet I recently got on Ebay for the first time.  This one has the retractable visor (for when it is ridiculously sunny - or rainy like yesterday was).

Usually on the first day back winging (after a dry spell) I like to take it easy, get a bunch of transitions in, and get my muscle memory established again.

I got in 12.31 miles in just under an hour.  My first transition was a heel to toe tack - these feel so good when they are executed correctly.  When the wind was right for it, I did pull a toe to heel tack on the inside.  The Eagle 1090 makes a huge difference in being able to pull this tack (for me).

I went out to Firsts and caught some really fun waves - especially one where I was in the pocket as it broke - 

The anemometer at the airport was messed up - but the wind was about perfect for the RS 5.1

That's a long time on foil (front half of the session).  And not a bad top speed for not trying too hard.

Wind is on tap for days according to the forecasts!  Small wings and small foils!

W:17/F:12/S:12

Dawn Patrol - 2/22/2023

Dawn patrolled - I thought the chop would have backed off, but it didn't.  Same gear - I think this is the last prone session for a while (as the wind is about to kick in to nuking conditions again).

I struggled today with the chop and confused water - felt like a kook.

I did manage to get several good rides - but my percentage was probably 20%

The wind was definitely coming up.  Tomorrow will be a winging day!!!

W:16/F:12/S:12

Evening Session - 2/21/2023

I got in a session after work and after picking Noe up from school.

There were waves, but they were really choppy - really hard to pick up waves with the shorter length/asymmetric board and I could feel the turbulence pushing on the foil.

I still caught several waves and got in some reallt fun turns.

I'm pretty sure this is where I'm going to mark the balance point.

Storm surf is tough...

W:16/F:11/S:12

Dawn Patrol - 2/20/2023

Dawn patrolled yesterday with Marlon.  The waves were a little bigger than Sunday and clean.  Marlon brought his longboard and I brought the same setup that I've been using lately.

I did bump the mast up a hair - I notice from the Sunday session that my back leg was having to exert some more pressure.

The bump up balanced the foil out better - so good that I was getting triples.  The 1210 is a great foil for my weight.  There were some rides where I was pumping back out effortlessly.

Using the asymmetric foil board more and more makes it easier to use.  It definitely has less volume than the 4'8" and the shorter length makes the takeoffs and transitions more challenging.  The more I use it - the easier it will become (I have to keep saying this).

I barely saw Marlon while we were out.  After the session he said the waves were harder to catch compared to Sunday.  The tide was a bit fuller - that may explain the difference.

Another good session!

W:16/F:10/S:12

Garage Works -2/19/2023

I also got a little time in the garage to start a new repair order - Jim's Armstrong SUP.  I cut the old boxes out and made the hole big enough for the new block.

The old track assembly was built pretty sturdy.  The damage left sections of the top deck disconnected.  I'll have to get some extra epoxy in there (once the section dries out).

I also finished sanding No.26 in its current incarnation.

There is some strong wind forecasted for later this week - finished just in time!!!

Dawn Patrol - 2/19/2023

 Dawn patrolled with Marlon today.  The lineup was much cleaner today, but the swell size dropped.  It was still big enough to foil and the tide was dropping from a high of 1.5' (it was 1.3' when we paddled out).

Same gear as Saturday.

The waves were easier to paddle into and ride.  I picked up several doubles and got to crank some 180 redirects.

 

Fun session!

W:16/F:9/S:12

Dawn Patrol - 2/18/2023

Dawn patrol - surprised by the wind which was wingable strength.  Kalani was waiting for me to say I was going to go home to get my gear.  I said if this was not forecasted, the chance of it sticking around was low.  I figured I'm already here and the time burned getting set up for winging would be more frustrating if the wind died down.

It did get lower towards the end of my session (so I would have gotten stuck outside) - good call (kinda) to prone foil.  It was really choppy due to the wind and the size made it hard to catch waves and takeoff (without eating it).

I caught a handful of ridable waves and even got a few doubles.  But I ate it on many more waves.

I had the long sleeve wetsuit top on and it didn't hinder my paddling significantly, but I could tell the difference.  I've mainly used it for winging.

This was the first time I had the Kujira 1210 set up on No.29.  Given the conditions, I think this setup is going to be a good combo.

Here's where the template showed where I should set the mast - hard to tell with the chop, but it seemed good.

Good to get out in the water and paddle around again.

W:16/F:8/S:12