Wing Foiling Session - 5/30/2024

Nice day at the beach.  The wind was really up - then really down.  The waves were on the small side and the tide was low at 0.5' - but it was pretty mellow and relaxing.

Speaking of relaxing - there was a monk seal chillaxing in the Fenceline pocket.

I wanted to do more testing today - so I bolted on the SK8 750.  And coincidentally I just received the XS Carve 161W Rear Stabilizer I ordered - so I replaced the XXS/Carve 195.  You can really see how much longer the XS is over the previous setup.  Theoretically this should be similar since it is a smaller stab located further back - feedback below.  The wind was blowing on my way home - so I was optimistic and pumped up the North Mode Pro 4.8 (since I hadn't folded it up yet).  

This is where I started the mast with the SK8 750.  This spot had too much front foot pressure (or I didn't give myself enough footstrap distance on the build).

I ended up moving the mast back three times - and just like on No.32, I think it actually will ride where the Eagle 890 sits (I still need to move it back to that spot).  This was countered by the wind today.

I found that I was having a hard time getting up on foil - with the wind being marginal for the Mode Pro 4.8, that was likely a factor.  But I can't help thinking if I took the footstrap off, would I be able to balance the board better by moving forward.

I think if the wind stayed where it was when I first got out to the windline, I would have had a wicked average speed.  I ended up getting stuck for quite some time - dead zone got me.

You can see the blue lines on the way outside...

I got some tacks in today, but between the fluky wind and my wrestling the front foil, I figured I'd just jibe and stay on foil.

I'm thinking the SK8 750 will be for larger wave days.  I think I wouldn't have had any issues if I had the same gear but the SK8 950.

Anyways - that what testing does for you - helps you develop and better understanding of what each component does for you. 

Kalani, Prayot and Duke were also out winging.  It was pretty cool to share waves with riders you can trust.

W:64/FD:40/F:4/S:12

Garage Works - 5/29/2024

I didn't have a lot of time in the garage yesterday - so I focused on getting the centerline identified, and sighting in the mast track block.

Gauging where the box goes based on No.33 makes this one a little easier - no guessing needed.

I'll shape this while La and Noe are out at CSU orientation.

Wing Foiling Session - 5/29/2024

Harris and I are contemplating trading Spitfires - my 840 for his 900.  He wants a smaller/faster foil and I'm looking for a smaller Foil Drive foil that doesn't eat a lot of battery on takeoff.

We've been trying to meet up, but today was the first time it worked out.

Since I was there... yup, I winged.  North Mode Pro 4.8, No.36, Eagle 890/DW190, Evolution Cedrus Wind - PERFECT gear for today's conditions.

I moved the foil while out on the water a couple of times - here's where it ended up.

Oh - and my new Mystic Wing Foil bag came in - sweet package to protect the new board! 

The wind was a little up and down, but the gear handled it all well.

And actually I spent today's session focusing on tacks - mainly my inside toe-side tacks.  The video I watched saying "roll that wing over" made all the difference.  Normally I get maybe 25% of this tack - after taking these small actions, I am now making 90% - and they are as much fun as the hee-side tacks!

I have never done as many tacks in a session as I did today - super breakthrough day!!! 

Jim was out when I pulled up to the parking lot - but was beaching when I was finishing setup.  He's getting eye surgery in a week, so he's trying to get in as much water time as he can.  Looks like he had the better wind.

After working on my tacks, I headed out to Firsts to sampo some of da' waves.  Small kine today - but good fo exercising my juicing skilz.  I had a few good ones, then headed back so I wouldn't get too far behind the power curve (on getting through the afternoon traffic).

On the inside, I wanted to do some speed runs - I got some speed!

Fun quick session - that will go down in history (mine own) as the session that cemented the elusive toe-side tack!

W:63/FD:40/F:4/S:12

Wing Foiling Session - 5/28/2024

When I got to the beach, the wind was light... light enough that I was contemplating not going out.  But I could see the wind line was there - just a bit further out than normal.

It didn't help that the tide was low going up to a high (later in the evening).

I could have gone back home and worked on shaping No.37 - but I figured I'd give it a try since I was at the beach already.  I setup No.36 with the SK8 950/Carve 200 again.

And with the lighter winds, I figured I'd break out the SW2 5.2

Perfect gear for today's conditions - once I finally got out to the wind line (long paddle out).

The wind did come back up and with the waves that were breaking (and making me pay dues at the front end), this session actually turned out to be really good. 

I nailed several toe-side tacks.  After watching the Lachie White videos on tacking, I'm now making these tacks way more consistently.

Robby Miyashiro was out on his Foil Drive.  And Duke eventually came out on a 5.0 Alien wing and the big SUP foil board.

Again - pretty much couldn't have asked for better conditions for the equipment I had setup.

Almost up on foil the whole session -

Between winging and using the Foil Drive, my stoke meter is pegged!!!!

W:62/FD:40/F:4/S:12

Bye Bye to Noe's Laser

Somewhat a sad day yesterday - we brought Noe's Laser over to her new owners.

Good news is the new owners are really nice people and they'll take good care of the boat.

And when she gets back from college, the new owners said Noe can use it anytime she wants!

Garage Works - 5/27/2024

I had some time in the garage yesterday and I got the blank cut out of the foam block for No.37

This is going to be a dedicated Foil Drive Max board.

After cutting the blank out, I went ahead and skinned it, and got the entry rocker cut in.

And I got some of the top deck trimmed in also.

I'm going to need to shape this one in strong sunlight.  The little details I'm going to put into this board (similar to No.36) require some attention to detail.  Strong sunlight makes that easier.

Dawn Patrol - 5/27/2024

Solo dawn patrol today.

Similar conditions to yesterday.

Same setup as yesterday - and this picture was taken yesterday (I didn't have it from Marlon until after I posted yesterday - and I didn't take a gear picture today, so this works).

There were still plenty of fun sized waves to be had today.  I had one that was overhead when I was stalling at the bottom turn and I was up high on the mast - and several others nearly as high.  There were a few that I had to bail on also - too big to ride with the Spitfire 960.

Noel, Dennis and Kalani were also out foiling the outside - super fun!

I know I missed a few - so my count for this session was 17 waves.

I am getting spoiled - but damn this is so much fun!!!!

W:61/FD:40/F:4/S:12

La's Project Stock

La picked up a bunch of used/old windsurfing sails.

She is going to use the non-mylar parts to make duffel bags.

We spent some time disassembling several of the sails,

I even pulled the stainless clew rings (and will use them to make wing leash attachment points).

Fun!!!

Dawn Patrol - 5/26/2024

Dawn patrolled this morning with Marlon.  He brought his longboard -

I brought the Foil Drive.

The tide was low, and so was the wind.  The swell was surprisingly good - maybe overhead on the good sets. 

I had some fun rides!  With the lower wind, the surf was actually behaving nicely.  Not buttery smooth, but way better than it has been.

Noel, Dennis, and Kalani were out on SUPs.

I had one wave where I outran one section, waited for the reform and shot back across to the other side and repeated the outrunning on the other side.

I ended up with 15 rides today - several of the spikes above are aborted takeoffs - the waves were moving too fast.

Super fun morning!!!

W:61/FD:39/F:4/S:12

Dawn Patrol - 5/25/2024

I had planned on going to Kailua to wing this morning - but I checked the report before heading out and the wind was light.  I figured I'd have a better time going to WPB to surf (since it was low tide and I didn't want to risk grounding a foil - and I didn't charge my Foil Drive battery).

There were some waves, but the crowd was also pretty stacked.

I brought the Hammah Fish thinking the waves were going to be a hair bigger (based on the past couple of winging sessions).  They were good sized on the sets but the longboarders were all over them.  I caught several, and even had a couple of good ones - but I kept thinking the Boogie Fish or the Sweet Potato would have been a better selection for riding the waves on the inside.  

This board is perfect for the chest to head and a half high waves.  Today was more like belly to head.  Definitely should have used the Boogie Fish...

W:61/FD:38/F:4/S:12

Wing Foiling Session - 5/24/2024

The wind were lighter this afternoon.  And it had some south to it - the wind line was pretty far out because of that (weird).

There were still some waves and the tide was nice and full.

Prayot and Duke were also there.

I pumped up the North Mode Pro 5.5 again - it was totally the correct wing for today (where yesterday it may have been a notch too windy for it).

No.36 with the F One SK8 950.  This mast position was spot on!

This board felt great in the turns.  The footstraps are perfectly positioned.  Even starting this board is low drama.  This SK8 ain't bad either (it's freaking awesome!!!).

I had a tons of really fun waves today.  And I got in a couple of toe-side tacks early on (gotta keep doing these to make them easier).

On the back half of the session the wind got light and I kept getting lured out by ripples in the water (I thought they were wind lines).  I eventually got up - and I figured I'd get back before the wind dropped off even more.

Super fun!  I'm glad I made this board.  I'll still use the other ones, but I'm going to fix some dings in them before taking them back out.

W:61/FD:38/F:4/S:11

Not Garage - Garage Works - 5/24/2024

I fixed the ever so small cut on the North Mode Pro 5.5

Sail tape on both sides.

Can't even tell!

Wing Foiling Session, Second for 5/23/2024

And I got in a second session this afternoon - 

The wind was a hair stronger compared to lunch time, and the tide was super high - good combo for launching.

Before I headed to the beach, I got the footstraps installed where I thought they needed to go based on the earlier session.

As far as the other gear - everything else was the same as I wanted to focus on the board and the changes in foil position - so I stuck with the North Mode Pro 5.5 and Eagle 890.

I did move the foil a hair forward to start to see if that would change the pressure distribution.

This was another great session!

No.36 has a little more volume than No.32 so the float is easier (when setting up for takeoff).

It pretty much works like any other board that I've used recently.  I got in more toe-side tacks - the more I do the easier they become - I just need some speed and some pressure in the wing to make it through the turn.

This pretty much says it all - great session with a ton of awesome rides.

Prayot made it out - used his AFS Silk 850 and his big Vayu wing.

It really was a good wind day!

Lots of time up on foil.

On the way back in, I did catch the wing panel on one of the foil winglets... oh well - easy to patch and I got it over with.

I'll move the starboard footstrap just a notch to open it up a little.  I also ended up moving the foil backwards  - the original setting I used during this session ended up with a little too much front foot pressure.  Other than that - this board is ready for stickers!!!

W:60/FD:38/F:4/S:11