Today was the first day of a multiple day wind event - and the first of a forecasted three straight days of ultra nuking strength!!!
Up to bat - the HPS700 and the 380 High Speed rear stabilizer on the Ultra Short fuselage. I was debating on whether to use the SW2 4.2 or the SW1 3.6 - particularly because I have not used this front foil yet and I did not know what the lift would be like.
I pumped up the 3.6 anticipating the wind out at Firsts would be "knock your socks off" nuking. I was not wrong -
With as much wind as there was, getting up on foil was not an issue. I'm going to sand the rear stabilizer - it was singing like a canary, but in general everything was balanced, controllable and fun.
I tried a few tacks - but mainly stuck with jibes because the HPS doesn't have the carry/glide of the ARTs. I actually needed more wind during the lulls (20mph wind instead of 35) and that was another reason I stuck with the jibes.
There were some waves, but Harris had much better timing than I today - every time I looked back he was on a breaking wave. I had some that were standing up, but I only caught one breaker. I don't get much loitering time with the HPS700 (it wants to keep moving) - I can float/stall most of the other front foils I use at Firsts - ART999, Kujiras, Go Foils - I wanted to try it out and I did.
This is where I had the mast - actually the same spot as the Eagle 1090... hmmm. Maybe for tomorrow's session I'll bolt on the HPS700 again (I'm sanding the 380 stabilizer first to test if I got rid of the singing) and adjust it a hair back...
The front foil size is not the only factor in determining the mast position - fuselage geometry and targeting the board/rider center of gravity are perhaps equally weighted factors. If you look at my feet, they are really close together and far forward. That means I was having to exert more force further forward to balance out the front foil - I think I could push the foil back a hair and get better balanced (which would see my feet further apart and a bit more aft). Every foil is different, but I want to try some different positions before I lock anything in.
Just epic conditions today - no other way to describe it.
Massive gusts!!!
And after the run with the HPS, I'll try and get a back to back with the ART999 to see if I can get the reduced camber foil to go faster!!!
CRAZY NUTZ!!!!
W:10/F:7/S:11
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