Garage Works - 9/30/2025

I took a half day off today to get a bunch of stuff done.  I mowed the lawn, pulled some weeds, removed some scale from some plants we recently placed in the ground, took some green waste to the Ewa Convenience Center, and also got the top deck of No.42 laminated.

First up was sanding the laps/rails from yesterday's work. 

Then I placed a bunch of scrap cuts of carbon from yesterday's work on the top deck where stress is expected.  Then I placed the cover sheet of carbon, trimmed it, added relief cuts and got the wrinkles out.

And the views from the sides -

I used the same epoxy volumes that I used yesterday - 16.5 + 6.6 for the first pass, and 5 + 2 for the second (and could have used about half of the last load - just like yesterday).

Here is No.42 all laminated!

So tomorrow will see some lap sanding and some prep for the labels (which I should be getting a new set from Helen pretty soon).

Garage Works - 9/29/2025

The wind looked way up and down today -

I figured if I took out the North Nova Pro 5.0 I could have made it work (and it probably would have been really fun) - but I felt compelled to get the bottom deck laminated on No.42

Here is the bottom deck carbon laid out and trimmed.

The initial batch of laminating epoxy was 16.5 ounces resin and 6.6 ounces of hardener.  I got that applied and mixed up a follow up batch of 5 + 2 to just make sure everything was wetted out nicely.  I probably could have cut that in half.

I identified the top of the track slots (so I can find them without guessing when it is time to open them up), and treated the laps so I can minimize sanding between this step and laminating the top deck (it's not a secret - just read through the other board building posts).

This went well!

I'll see how I feel (and how the wind is blowing) tomorrow - I would like to get this board finished so I can try out the rocker profile and see if I can get up with a smaller parawing.  Efficiency!!!

Parawing Session - 9/28/2025

The wind was forecasted to be up - so I hit Hickam after lunch.

Prayot and Zach put up wings and hit Firsts/Seconds.  And they eventually came back and Prayot put up his F One Frigate 4.7 parawing, and Zach went out on his windsurfer.

I stayed inside and waited for a gust to get up - it took a while...

I ended up moving the foil forward and then I was able to get up.

At first I had some issues getting up all the way, but I got used to the narrowness of No.39

I spent most of my session pinching upwind and practicing my jibes.  I'd say I was generally more successful jibing today - I would make sure I was in an active wind flow, then head downwind, start applying pressure to the back of the bar and then twist the control bar to get the parawing drop back and turn.

I still had episodes where the parawing just would not turn over - not sure but I think the swirly wind would cause this.

I think this is now my record for most distance covered (I'll have to go back and look at the entries).

The Pacific Yacht Club group started coming out for their Sunday races, so I figured I had better quit while I was ahead.

There were lots of lulls and gusts - and I would go down when the wind dropped below the lower limit of the POW 5.0

That meant a lot of practice getting up goofy foot.  I was a little concerned initially with being able to do this on No.39 - but the more I used No.39 the easier everything became.

Gusts - gotta have them here on Oahu...

Prayot got a bunch of completed jibes in - probably the least cussing I've heard out of him while parawinging.

W:56/FD:119/PW:44/S:8

Garage Works - 9/28/2025

This morning I used epoxy and aerosil to fill all the remaining voids across No.42

This should laminate well now.

I taped up the tracks and addressed the transition at the end of the track block.  The carbon tape is reinforcement in lieu of a stringer (and it ties in the track to the bottom skin).  I stopped here because the wind was picking up and I had to work on....

Felipe's NoLimitz mast repair.

I finally got the holes large enough to take the bolts without binding.

Now I can fill the holes back in (probably JB Weld), tap in the new helicoils and this should be done.

Prayot got word his warranty replacement mast came in - so that's one less mast I have to fix.

Garage Works - 9/27/2025

I trimmed up the filled in spots along the split seam, cleaned out the interior of the block slot and glued in the mast track block.

I should have done this yesterday to be able to laminate both sides of the board over this weekend - but oh well, better to go slow and steady on a new shape.

I should be able to get the bottom deck laminated tomorrow.

Dawn Patrol - 2nd - 9/27/2025

I went in to swap out batteries and Norm drove up.

I also switched out to the Silk 850/HA40 (and that's the reason I'm counting this as a second session).

Tide had dropped a little and the waves when they came through were a little more energetic.

I used the "fat finger" distance I noted on No.40 for the initial spacing on the Silk 850.  I ended up moving it forward a bit to get a little more lift - I was having a hard time getting the foil to carry through.  This foil won't have the carry of the Enduro foils, but it was dropping out too early.  After the adjustment it was good.  The back end felt a little more loose - but that was the Silk 142 rear stabilizer.  I marked this position.

I had a bit more trouble riding the Silk 850 on No.39.  Having way more reactivity on the roll axis, No.39's narrower width made control that much more critical.  But after I got it dialing in, it was awesome on the bigger waves.

11 rides - some of the peaks shown are blown waves due to me adjusting.

I think No.39 will be the next board I use to parawing.  It has forward footstrap inserts already (to help with pumping) and it's propensity to build speed quickly will work to engage the foil faster.  And using the Enduro 1300, the narrower width sensitivity will get dampened a bit.

Now we just need wind...

W:56/FD:119/PW:43/S:8

Dawn Patrol - 1st - 9/27/2025

Did two dawn patrol sessions this morning.  I had actually stopped over at WPB - and it was really good.  But it was pretty crowded and I really didn't feel like dealing with people today.  Then I drove over to PV and checked it out.

The waves were smaller - and there was wind there (even though the forecast called for dead winds).  But I figured smaller with no crowd is way better than dealing with aggro people.

Stu showed up and Jill was already into one battery when I was heading out.

Same setup as yesterday.  I did bring the Silk and I wanted to get it worked out on this board - but with the tide pretty high and the swell direction not really working consistently at PV, I stuck with the Enduro 900/HA40 for the 1st session.

Every 30 minutes or so, a good set would roll through and break - so it was a good opportunity to confirm the mast setting for the Enduro 900 (changed it up a couple of times and felt good where it ended up - got it marked).

I cheated over to the break in front of Nimitz Beach/Campgrounds and caught some good ones over there.

14 rides - long lulls between sets.

W:56/FD:118/PW:43/S:8

Evening Foil Drive Session - 9/26/2025

I got home from work and the onshore winds were blowing again.  I sat down on the couch and ended up taking a small nap.

Then I texted the crew and only Roland rogered up.  He said the conditions were better than yesterday - less wind and more surf.

So I loaded up the truck and headed to the beach.

Same setup as the previous session, but I moved the mast back a notch to get the edge off the initial takeoff - it's pretty good now (and actually could probably come back a half notch or so, or I could cutback on the boost).

No.39 still impresses upon me that it is a high performance board.  Being narrower than my usual boards, turning input is much less than normal and foot placement is pretty critical.

Roland and I pretty much were just trading waves on the second reef.  The swell was showing, but it'll probably be bigger tomorrow.  The waves would fade pretty quickly - but some gems would roll through and let you ride them for a good distance.  And lots of carving!

19 rides in an hour - ridiculous!!!!

Tomorrow I think I'm going to use the Silk 850

W:56/FD:117/PW:43/S:8

Day Off - Garage Works - 9/25/2025

I charged up the HO battery and even brought the already setup board/FD/foil from yesterday - but with the wind directly onshore and decently strong, I opted to sit today out.

Instead of Foil Drive-ing, I ended getting some ground handling practice with the Flysurfer POW 4.0 and the BRM Maliko 2.9

I ordered a demo POW 4.0 and it arrived today.

And this is the first time I had the BRM Maliko 2.9 out and flying.  I had already changed the bar out, and I've been trying to confirm the bridle mod was already completed (it has).  There wasn't enough wind to get this parawing to pull like it should, but I did get a feel for it (and I really think it is going to be a blast!).

This 4.0 seemed to have the same power distribution as the Maliko 5.1 - will be interesting to see how close they are.  The 5.0 is definitely more powerful than either the POW 4.0 or the Maliko 5.1 - so that is off on it's own.

This parawing changed direction easier than it's bigger sibling.  That means the jibing challenges I was having on the POW 5.0 is the larger size and difference in handling.

I should be able to test drive this in the water on Sunday and find out first hand.

Of note, there were only brake lines leading up the canopy from the bar.  I'll have to see if that is the same as the 5.0

Also happening today - I got some garage time in.

I placed some epoxy and glass bubbles in the seam of No.42

I'll sand the overage tomorrow and get the track block glued into the slot.  That will set up a weekend lamination.

And I got the bolt holes deeper on Felipe's mast repair.  I still can't get the bolts to just drop in, but I'm really close.

Once the bolts can drop in, I'll clean up the holes and place either epoxy/milled fibers, or JB Weld (probably the epoxy).  After that is in place, I'll drill holes for the helicoils, tap the holes and get the helicoils installed.

Just in time to get Prayot's AFS UHM 80cm foil into the garage for repair...

Foil Drive Evening Session - 9/24/2025

And as forecasted, the wind has left us.  Well not exactly - when the trades slack, the thermals become the dominant factor.  Then all bets are off.  Depending on how the land heats up, you get different results.  When I got to the beach today the wind was light and from the west.  Then it was calm for a bit.  Then by the time I was headed in, it was light trades.  Doesn't matter - I was Foil Drive-ing

There were some fun waves!  But they were spaced out a bit.

And probably better for me to have some time between rides.  I'm still nursing my right knee from taking too much pressure.  And I also setup No.39 -

I bolted on the Enduro 900 and used the wing screws in case I needed to make adjustments in foil position.

It has been a while since I've used No.39 and I've been thinking it may be time to try it out for parawinging in stronger wind conditions.  To get used to it, I set it up for today's session

This board is all business and no slack.  Definitely the highest performing board in my quiver.

I had several waves where I was cranking turns back and forth and this board/foil was eating it up! 

15 rides in an hour - and the waves were lully - ridiculous (thanks Foil Drive!!!) 

I'm going to stick with No.39 for the next several sessions

Today felt like the first day of Fall - a little cooler and the sunlight was coming in at a lower angle.  This year was not particularly fruitful regarding strong wind days or endless runs of south swell - but it did offer conditions that helped me develop my parawinging skills and super fun Foil Drive-ing.

W:56/FD:116/PW:43/S:8

Downwind Parawing Session - 9/23/2025

The forecast was calling this the last of the trade winds for 7 to 10 days - so the regulars hit WPB to get the last bit of wind-driven stoke.

But the wind looked really North and lighter than yesterday.

Stu got back from a Mainland trip and he brought back an Enduro 1100 for Norm - and Norm bolted it on his new board to wing it.  Stu used the Pure HA 1100

And I used the same gear, but switched out the parawing to the Flysurfer POW 5.0

This actually was a great session!  I botched my first jibe (PW wouldn't turn over to the new direction) - but I got darn near all the rest of them.  I think I was better than 70% today (this being an issue only with the Flysurfer POW).

I also got a few goofy starts.  And I think one or two were front foot first.  I'm trying to get multiple of these starts in during each session to make this easier.

You can see tons of north in the track.  And this felt more like a wing session - partially because I was tailing Norm while he was winging.  He looked really smooth and perfectly powered on the Enduro 1100.  Stu had a hard time today, but made it all the way to the PV landing spot.

And Marvin was back from travel - he used the Foil Drive to make the run.

Yup - lots of north in the winds.

And it feels absolutely awesome that the Flysurfer POW 5.0 can get me up on foil in winds this light, and keep me moving nicely once up on foil.  I definitely am getting the feel down for jibing this parawing - but it still throws curve balls.

That's what makes this so fun!

I really dig the floaty feel I get from the PW and a bigger foil - I have always wanted to kite foil - but I never got into it (primarily because of the space required to launch the kite and the huge issue if the wind drops and I have to paddle back in), but I imagine this is similar to how kite foiling would feel.

Super fun session - and a great run of parawinging these past several days!

W:56/FD:115/PW:43/S:8