Evening Session - 5/8/2024

OMG!

The forecasted south swell hit this afternoon - and when the proper sets were coming through, the waves were big.  There was almost zero wind.  With the super high tide, the trip out was easy (but I ended up consuming some voltage because of the length to get out to the Foil Drive lineup).

Same stuff as yesterday - 

Robby was already out when I got to the water.  He was catching everything.

I was having a hard time actually dealing with the perfect conditions (I've gotten used to the wind and the chop - smooth water was throwing me a loop).  I eventually got calibrated and everything came together.

And Marvin and Dennis also made it out.  Marvin picked up a JS Black Eagle foil board and Dennis was using Marvin's 5'4" Quatro.

I had picked up some pretty good sized waves throughout the session.  But as I was telling Dennis I had to go in, I picked up a wave that turned out to be the first of a big bomber set - halfway through the ride I looked left and right and there was no place to go - close to double overhead feathering walls either side - I told myself "just don't fuck up and everything will be fine"

The wave broke in multiple sections and I rode it out.  That was probably the single biggest wave I've caught on foil...

Then the other 6 waves in the set came through - closeouts on the far outside every one of them.

That top speed is pretty crazy on the Spitfire 960 (although probably not as ridiculous as I think since I have the Skinny rear stabilizer mounted - pretty crazy that the stabilizer could make that much difference).

What a session!!!!

W:58/FD:31/F:4/S:9

Garage Works - 5/7/2024

And when I got home, I got the grinder out and leveled the footstrap inserts.

Then I taped them up.

Then I taped up the mast track slots.

I did break out the carbon fiber to start planning the lamination.  I'll likely use a large patch over the tracks and up the board to the furthest point where my front foot will go.  Then I'll use a nose to tail sheet and trim it for an overlap.

Evening Session - 5/7/2024

The forecast was really divergent today - iwindsurf was calling for light winds (below 15mph) and surfline was calling for wingable winds.

I figured the wind was going to get light so I asked Noe to charge my Foil Drive battery.

When I got home I got everything setup and headed to the beach.

The tide was really high - I didn't have much of a paddle before I could flip the board and motor out.

There were waves breaking where we pick them up winging - the sketch wind zone in front of the cabins.

But the wind also picked up (surfline is really good at forecasting the thermals).  It was actually wingable - but it was also up and down - so I think I made the right call to use the Foil Drive.

Koa was out on his SUP Foil.  Roland and Duke were out prone foiling.

And I totally love using the 85cm mast - I think it is a performance upgrade to the Aluminum 80 cm mast.  And it also sets up the ride to be just like winging - so more than ever, my description of Foil Driving being like winging without the wing is more true than ever.

I ended up riding 17 waves in 75 minutes - that's pretty much a wave every 5 minutes.  And some of them were decent sized.

It actually felt really good riding the Spitfire 960 after having winged the Spitfire 840 (yesterday) - no adjustment period (like I would normally have going back and forth between F One and Axis).

The wind is forecasted to drop for the next week.  And at some point there is a swell that is supposed to hit.  Most years there is a swell on Mother's Day... now I just need to figure out how to go on Mother's Day (without getting in trouble).

W:58/FD:30/F:4/S:9

Wing Foiling Session - 5/6/2024

The forecasts for this afternoon were different - one said there would be wind, the other said it was already gone.

Lucky for me, there was wind.  And the tide was really high so launching was pretty darn easy.

The wind was there, but it was a little up and down.  I didn't bring the SW2 5.2 - SW2 4.7 and the Ezzy Flight 4.0.  I opted for the SW2 4.7

And to break the really long F One foil streak I've been on, I decided to use the Axis Spitfire 840 (post repair).  I kept it paired with the Progressive 325 rear stabilizer.

The waves were small for the most part - but if you had good timing, there were head high gems to be had.

I was out for over an hour before Roland, Duke and Prayot launched.  The chart is showing more north in this wind event.  I would say today's wind was more thermal driven and less the event that was pushing from a more easterly direction.

I actually got some really good rides.  The Spitfire does allow you to tack - but it does not have to follow through that the SK8 or Eagle have.  That is a long winded way of saying I got stuck on a few of the tacks.

I also got in a couple of toe-side tacks (keeping the progress going).

Just enough for the 4.7 - and I had a few longer lulls (floating around waiting for the gusts)

I'm glad I got one more day of wind in before it faded.

W:58/FD:29/F:4/S:9

Garage Works - 5/5/2024

And after Noe's concert, taking care of the lawn and returning Marvin's extension ladder - I made time to further No.36

I started by routing in the slots for the footstrap inserts.  Then I sanded the inserts and dry fitted the inserts.  And then I epoxied in the inserts.

I used 3.5 ounces of epoxy and 5 scoops of milled fibers and 3 scoops of thiksil.  After placing epoxy into each of the slots, I had a about a half an ounce of mixture left. 

Tomorrow (if I don't wing or Foil Drive) I will laminate the bottom deck.  

Dawn Patrol - 5/5/2024

Noe had a concert today so I opted to get in a Foil Drive dawn patrol.

There was surf, and the wind was up - so it didn't look so good.  It looks so not good that Marlon opted out.

It was also a super low tide... made for a long paddle out.

I brought the same setup as last time (at Hickam) - Spitfire 960/Skinny 365 on the 85cm Project Cedrus mast.  The performance I got last time was not a fluke - this shit surfs!!!

The conditions were better than they looked - but the waves were a little hard to catch.  Once you were on them, it was awesome.

Got some long rides.  Also got some rides on slightly overhead peaks.  And I got to shoot from one side of a breaker over to the other side and back again.

17 waves by my count.  I know some of the fainter readings were the botched takeoffs I had when the chop was enough to throw my balance off.

When I was back on the beach, Marvin was headed to the launch.  I told him it was pretty choppy with the wind.

Even with all the chop, I had so many swooping turns and bouncy cutbacks - totally awesome rides!!!

W:57/FD:29/F:4/S:9

Wing Foiling Session - 5/4/2024

I didn't want to deal with the Access Surf crowd at WPB - and the wind was supposed to be really strong, so I figured I'd head over to Hickam to do some speed runs.

When I got there, the wind was actually pretty up and down...

I figured I could still get away with small gear - No.32 with the PC 85cm mast and the Eagle 890/DW190.  I didn't rinse the Ezzy Flight 4.0 yesterday so I figured I'd pump it up and get it wet (and rinse it afterwards).

It actually took a while for me to pick up a gust to get up on foil.  But once I did - I was able to stay up for a while.

Harris and Anson were out at Firsts - and so were three Wavestormers (not surfers - they were pretty much just bobbing around in the middle of the break).  They didn't have enough arm strength to paddle into the waves that were breaking - and after the wingers were riding all the waves, they finally moved on (just sitting in the channel).

The wind angle and the waves were lining up where I could slam tacks at the top of the wave - really made a difference in the fun level in smallish waves. 

And then the clouds moved in - the wind turned flukey and riding became pretty hard (in fact I was just floating inside waiting to pick up a gust to head back in).

And this is the only reason the Ezzy Flight 4.0 isn't perfect - there is no low end with this wing.  That is countered by the fact that I haven't found the top end limit - when there is wind, this is an amazing wing!

Lots of guys out - Harris, Jesse, Matt, Anson, Arvin, Tim, Jim - I might be missing a couple.

Fun session!

W:57/FD:28/F:4/S:9

Wing Foiling Session - 5/3/2024

Strong winds today!

Strong enough to use the Ezzy Flight 4.0!!!  I setup the SK8950/C200 on the 85cm PC mast bolted to No.32 to accompany the wing.  I figured if the wind lightened up, I would stand a better chance of getting back up on foil with the 950 (instead of the 750).

And the stats should speak for themselves - great session!!!

Waves were breaking on the outside and with the east winds it lined up nicely.

Lots of people out winging today - Kalani, me, the Slingshot guy, Prayot, Roland and Eli.  And Robby was out on his Foil Drive.

I got in a bunch of heelside tacks onto incoming waves, one of which I whipped around pretty hard and actually hurt my neck (just a little).

And with the stronger wind, I got in three toeside tacks.  They are starting to get a little easier.

Looks like I hit this peak a few times over the session.  The Ezzy definitely proved to be faster, higher pointing and more luffable than the other wings I've been using - its a really good wing.

There was some fluttering - a little further down the wing than the 5.0 (after the 2nd batten) - but it was actually really minor.  

Super fun session today!!!

I think I may hit Hickam tomorrow and get in some speed runs with the Eagle 690.

W:56/FD:28/F:4/S:9

Garage Works - 5/2/2024

With some help from Marlon, I got the slots for the footstrap insert reinforcement blocks routed out this evening.

And after dinner I got the boxes set in place with epoxy/milled fibers.

The slots were a little too perfect - no room for squeeze out.  And they are about a millimeter too shallow (the blocks were proud by about 1mm).  I'll use a surform tomorrow and get those all shaved down flush.  I'll also get the footstrap insert slots routed out and get those inserts epoxied in tomorrow.

Hypothetically, I could still have this board laminated by the end of this weekend.

Wing Foiling Session - 5/2/2024

I didn't end up going to Hickam - I went to WPB.  I couldn't break out of work when I wanted to, so I figured it was better to go for a swim (the low tide paddle out at WPB), then have to sit in traffic (leaving Hickam during the evening rush hour).

I even got to take a short nap before heading out - bonus!

From the beach the wind looked decent, but the waves looked pretty small.  Which turned out to be wrong - the waves were waist to chest and pretty consistent.  The wind was from the east again and really dependable.

I went with the SW2 5.2 and the SK8 950 today.  Was perfect for today's conditions!

Roland made it out about 45 minutes after I was in the line up already.  He got some serious air today - and he is landing them nicely.

I was concentrating on carving today - and the SK8 feels so good on waves.

The 5.2 was perfectly powered today.  No issues with sore forearm tendons.

My heelside tacks were not entirely smooth today.  Either my timing was off, or there wasn't a ton of power in the waves.  I ended up stalling a bunch at the crest and would have to pump to keep going and make the drop.

I did get a toe side tack in on the inside (I need to force myself to do this more to get it to the point where this is muscle memory).

Again the SW2 5.2 was perfect today!

Really fun session today!

W:55/FD:28/F:4/S:9

Wing Foiling Session - 5/1/2024

The trades came back earlier than expected.  And they were really consistent and steady from the East!!!

The waves were good, but infrequent (and I think as the trades build, the surf will subside).

The tide was pretty low (so I had to paddle a ways out to takeoff).

There were whitecaps across the outside wind line - so I pumped up the Reedin SW2 4.7

I had expected the wind to be a little lighter so I only brought the Eagle 1090/DW210 - but with the SW2 4.7 it was a good pairing.

Eli was out with his 6.0 and Roland used a 4.0 (I think).

This was a pretty fun session.  At first I had the fence on the Project Cedrus mast - but I was having some issues so I just took it off.  That actually was the best thing I did for the session.

Pretty good stats.

I got some fun tacks in on the outside - and the wind penetrated pretty deep into the usual "no wind" zones.

I felt perfectly powered on the 4.7

I managed to nab a few head high waves (when they came through).

The black slots early on were me dealing with the fence and trying to adjust the harness line.  The latter ones were me trying to push the 1090 as if it was the SK8 750.

I did have a couple of close calls with the foil and the wing - it's actually been a minute since I flew the SW2... lucky today nothing got damaged.

With the tide low again in the afternoon, I may try to catch the wind at the peak tomorrow and get a lunch session in at Hickam... that way I can get some time in the garage to work on the board.

W:54/FD:28/F:4/S:9