Garage Works - 2/3/2024

This was yesterday's work in the garage.  I laminated a thick chunk of carbon fabric where my heels/knees will go, and the innegra mesh underneath 4.8 ounce carbon fiber nose to tail.

The carbon underlay is 8.9 ounce fabric - I always have concern over saturating this fabric...

Here is the result of nearly 23 ounces of epoxy pushed into the multiple laminate layers.

And the whole thing was still pretty darn light.

I'll sand the laps and make a determination of the fill coat (pigmented is the call right now).

Garage Works - 2/2/2025

And when I got back, after cleaning up and putting things away, I went ahead and laminated the bottom deck of No.40

Since yesterday was surprisingly productive, I figured I should keep the momentum going.

I placed a carbon strip almost nose to tail, and two additional patches on either side of the track block.  Then a cap sheet nose to tail.  That would be 4.8 ounces on the areas with a single layer, and close to 10 ounces where the patches are.

I applied 16.8 + 5.6 ounces to get everything saturated.  I might have an issue underneath the bag weights - the strips I used had some residual epoxy on them so it wasn't conforming easily.  Hopefully the weights pushed them down (so I won't have to sand and patch).

Since tomorrow is a rest day, I'll get the top deck laminated.  I'm thinking of keeping this one clear instead of pigmenting the fill coat (but I still have a couple of days to think about it).  This would be in keeping with the modelling after No.34

Wing Foiling Session - 2/2/2025

I took La to an event she needed to go to today - and she suggested that while I wait for her, I should go winging.

Twist my arm -

There was a light breeze - I figured I'd set up the biggest stuff I had

North Mode Pro 6.8 - KT Dragonfly - AFS Enduro 1300

And I needed every square cm -

I could get up in the gusts - and stay up as long as there was some wind, which ended up being the issue - no wind.

The lulls were almost calm.

Regardless, I did get up on foil and even went pretty fast.

This was totally an exercise in seeing how light a wind I could go out in.

Looks like about 12 mph is needed to get up and stay up - hard to tell with the widely spaced data points.

This session does count - I was up on foil multiple times.

W:9/FD:22/PW:1

Dawn Patrol 2/2/2025

Dawn patrolled WP this morning.  Tide was high (and eventually drowned out the small waves).  Minimal wind.

Norm and Marvin also came out.

Same gear - no surprises.

I did bring the GoPro 12 Black to test out angles and a new floating selfie stick.

Lining up shots was not easy.  And trying to get pics of other people if they are any more than 5' away is not really an option. 

When I FD with Marvin and Norm, I don't get a lot of mileage - they burn through their batteries too fast.  I'm used to foiling with Dennis and Kalani where I have to be thrifty with the throttle to stay out for 2 hours.

When in Rome...

Despite the waves being small, I got plenty of rides in - and there was a pattern (I like it when there are ride patterns).

Those longer rides towards the end of the session were recycles powered by the battery.  I'll call this 15 rides - not bad (and continuing the streak of increasing ride counts)

Fun session this morning!  I think it'll be rest day tomorrow.

W:8/FD:22/PW:1

Garage Works - 2/1/2025

Yesterday morning I got Scotty's barracuda back to him, so that meant the rack was open again.

When I got back I got to work on No.40

This board is going to be a shorter/wider version of No.34 - that board has proven itself to be incredibly versatile, so I wanted to make a version to compare against No.39 (which are the two shapes I've focusing on recently) 

I started by skinning the top and bottom and started bulk removal at the nose and tail.

The tail bulk removal is driven by the track placement.

After using the planer I shifted to the Surform, dragonskin and then sanding screen.

I got through the rough shaping pretty quick.

Here's the bottom

And here's the top

I left the board alone for a bit (did some other work) - but instead of not coming back to it for a day, I looked for the discrepancies and got to them with the surform and sanding block - so I ended up getting the secondary/fine shaping done also.

I then broke out No.39 and did some calculations on track placement based off of placement on that board.  I marked it out and then kept going.

Here is the slot all routed out.

And the track block dry fitted

This is just before I opened up the Gorilla Glue...

And here it is with the glue curing.

I don't think I've ever gotten a board through these stages this quickly before...

Now I feel compelled to see how fast I can get it laminated.

Dawn Patrol - 2/1/2025

Dawn patrol this morning - waves got smaller...

But the tide was super high and there was no wind.

The WPB Weekend Dawn Patrol crew was out in force - Eddy, Deam, Andrew, Dennis and others were out.

Same gear -

You had to keep your eyes on the horizon to look for ridable waves

The gear I have been using is specialized for these conditions - so I had plenty of rides.

Marvin was out on the Code 850S setup he recently acquired.  Dennis swapped the KT board for an Amundson (and he loved the change) - this was for prone FD.

I'm calling this 22 rides in an hour and a half

Definitely had to work it - but it was still a fun session

W:8/FD:21/PW:1

Evening Sessions - 1/31/2025

This was yesterday afternoon's session.

Residual swell from the storm (but quickly dropping).

Decent tide - lightish winds.

Norm has FD'd Pavilions earlier - said it was not organized at all.  Fenceline looked much better - but smaller.

Same gear - 

The rides were much better than I would have thought looking at the waves on the beach.

The waves had energy in them - enough to crank really fun turns and make long runs.

I'll call this 16 rides which is ridiculous based on the hour I was out.  But as long as the wind is not creating chop, this is possible.

Foil Drive saves the session yet again!!!  And it didn't hurt that the waves were decent (for this time of year).

Rolad was out on his prone gear, and it looked like Prayot was also out (but the person I am presuming to be Prayot had a red board).

W:8/FD:20/PW:1

Evening Session - 1/29/2025

This was yesterday's session.  Hit WP with Norm.  FD.

It was pretty darn small...

And there was a building onshore breeze (front end of the cold front coming through)

At least the tide was above 0.7'  

Same gear - no surprise.

And the air temp and water seemed colder to me - likely the cloudy conditions.

I was heavy on the throttle - since I was out with Norm (he and Marvin efoiling makes their sessions last around 45 minutes - compared to Kalani and Dennis on their SUP foils lasting around 2 hours).

I only had a handful of good rides.  Most waves I caught would fizzle out with not much length to them.

I'd say I got six notable rides out on the lot shown below - looks are deceiving in this instance.

Storm's a coming - time to rest!

W:8/FD:19/PW:1

Garage Works - 1/29/2025

I got the final sanding in today.  I also got the clear coat on - 

So this board is ready to go back to its owner (Scotty)!

Garage Works - 1/28/2025

This first picture is from yesterday where I placed the fill coat on the modified area,

And this evening I routed out the slots and rough sanded the modified area.

All that's left on this one is more sanding and spraying the clear coat on.

Out of curiosity, I'm going to take this one out for a spin tomorrow on the wing! 

Evening Session - 1/28/2025

Shifty winds this afternoon = Foil Drive session.

Small waves, medium tide at 0.7'

Marvin and Norm were out also.

Everyone was on their normal gear.

Except I switched to the Magic Hub - just to remember what characteristics it has.  Those would be more torque and less top end speed.  Basically I need to remember this would be best for bigger waves.

Not bad run time - considering I was trying to mix in efoiling between waves.  I still feel more comfortable with my normal mode (lower throttle, prone - then gun it to catch waves).

There were some fun waves mixed in with the small stuff (where you were just trying to keep moving).

A few of these I was able to get some good turns in.

I'll call this 18 rides - but a couple of handful of these were just pickups and pumps. 

Always fun on the Foil Drive!!!

W:8/FD:18/PW:1