Parawing Session - 8/1/2026

I forgot my watch again - so no session data.

I brought Kalani and Stu on to Hickam.  Prayot met us (and was out with Zach at Seconds when we pulled up into the parking lot).

There was good texture on the water and the direction seemed decently stable (ENE)

Today was a setup/confirmation session for me.

I first went out on the AFS Enduro 900/Mako 130 to validate the marked position.  I also wanted to test out the new BRM S3 3.4 - but not trusting the wind, I also brought out the BRM S3 4.2

The Enduro 900 had plenty of lift and I got up pretty easily.  I did a few runs inside then bolted for Firsts.

The waves were small, but the wind was gusting outside.  I got to a point where I stopped and swapped out the 4.2 for the 3.4

As long as the wind was gusting, the 3.4 was easy to get up with.

I had to swap back to the 4.2 (and then back to the 3.4) with the wind gusting-lulling.

I did get a few retracted rides.

Then I went in to swap to the AFS Silk 850/USurf 135.  Since I haven't been winging, I don't use this foil as much as I used to.  I got up with the BRM S3 4.2, but I did move the mast forward (quite a bit) and I liked the foil response better.

Now I feel good about bringing the Silk 850, 1050 and Enduro 900 up to the Gorge.

Not sure yet what I'll do tomorrow... parawing Hickam or WPB.

PF:10/W:3/PW:89/FD:57/S:20

Odds and Ends

Other things going on -

I have a new surfboard inbound.  The shaper is going to put the canard inserts in and needed to know what fins I had.  I thought the canards I had were angled - nope - dead flat.

So he needs to install angled inserts.

Robby had already finished his session when I pulled into the parking lot yesterday.

He is on a tiny front foil now - 475

Ridiculous!!!!

Kalani is building these boom boxes in his spare time now -

And La fixed Prayot's Larrabee stash pack.

My machine can't sew through layers this thick.

Parawing Session - 7/31/2026

Strong winds today!!!

But the same thing that happened yesterday started to happen again (wind drop before I paddle out).

I did not trust the wind so I brought both the S3 5.3 and the 4.2

Kalani only brought his 4.3 - he got up pretty fast, and I was overpowered on the 5.3 (and almost immediately stowed it and brought out the 4.2)

Trying to make sure I have the Silks dialed in for the upcoming Gorge trip!

Silk 1050 with the 152 rear stabilizer.

Today was actually really good for riding powered, jibing and retracting, riding with no wind power, and trying to redeploy.

I was batting maybe 50% on the redeploys - but Prayot said he was getting 90%.

More east in the wind!!!  And not as much swirling (still some).

The waves were chest to just overhead on the sets.  I think we all caught a few bombs each.  The Silk 1050 is so forgiving - and rips so hard at the same time!!!  When the faces have some steepness, the Silks are it!

I actually could have used a 3.4 (which I just received from BRM today - I'll definitely try it tomorrow).

The falls were almost all botched redeploys.  I am working on how to manage the lines after initial takedown.  Once I get that squared away, my redeploys should be much better.

I'm just happy to get the super fun, uber long prone rides (without paddling to get into the wave)!!!

Smaller foils and smaller parawing testing tomorrow!!!

PF:10/W:3/PW:87/FD:57/S:20

Prone Foiling Session - 7/30/2026

This was the beach when I first arrived - whitecaps everywhere!!!

I thought I had made a mistake by bringing the AFS Enduro 1100/HA40.

But I had this sneaking suspicion that something would change...

Side note - I ordered this version of a retractable leash.  Going to have to attach this in different places to find something that feels like I'm not wearing a leash.

So this was the biggest bait and switch I've seen in quite some time.

As I paddled out I could see the wind evaporating.

There was a breeze still blowing on the water to make things worse.

I bobbed around for an hour hoping the wind would pick back up.  It never did - the picture below is trying to show just how little wind there was.

And there is the inflection point where the wind died off to below BRN S3 5.3 levels.

What a difference 30 minutes can make....

I had thought if I could just catch one wave and ride it up on foil, then I would be avoiding the skunk session.

After a few attempts - I did catch one, popped up on foil and did ride it most of the way in.

I'll take the win with the prone foiling ride on the big gear!

PF:10/W:3/PW:86/FD:57/S:20

Garage Works - 7/29/2026

I took a rest day yesterday and got some stuff done around the house - like mowing the lawn and changing the filter on the AC.  But I also got some work done on No.44

I used the fine blade microblade surform to get the shape refined.  The I used the sanding block and sanding screens to dial it in.

It's probably at 95% -

This is the port side of the bottom deck

Starboard side of the bottom deck

Port side of the top deck

And starboard side of the top deck.

This one compared to No.34 has more tail rocker and the bottom deck leading up to the nose is flat.

I used the same template as No.34 - but I want to see if these changes help this template pop up onto foil easier (or bogs it down).

I'll get the mast track slot opened up, and the top deck opened for the top polyurethane foam block (to "connect" the track block to the top deck), the laminates for the bottom deck prepared and the final sanding done this weekend.

Foil Drive Session - 7/28/2026

I thought this afternoon would have been closer to what conditions were present yesterday afternoon -

If did not shape up to be that way - smaller, less frequent waves and stronger winds.  In fact Norm, Derek and myself kept thinking we could be using the wind to foil. 

Based on conditions solely, I would have set up the Enduro 900/Mako 130.

But wanting to compare the Silk 850 against the Cabrinha Whippit 850, the Silk it was.

Out the gate, the Silk has more grip (drive?) and releases just when I want it to.  I can lean into this foil coming out of a bottom turn and I know it will hold position while driving through the turn.

There were some good waves still to be had - but it is hard to say if the higher speed on the Whippit yesterday was from the waves or the foil.

This is 3 mph slower - but again, would this be a higher number if the surf was bigger.

16 rides again!

Tomorrow the remnants of Hurricane Fausto pass to the north of the island chain.  I'm gonna take a rest day tomorrow and work on No.44

PF:9/W:3/PW:86/FD:57/S:20

Foil Drive Session - 7/27/2026

The wind looked promising - but I opted for the safer bet (Foil Drive).  Originally Stu was asking if I wanted to go to Kailua (nope, the traffic back would suck).  Then Norm and I were gonna do the WP-PV run on parawing.  But the wind was already breaking down.

So Foil Drive it is!

And Roland was anointing his new Foil Drive board!  Amundson 4'1"  

I setup the Whippit 850/Union 180 Rear Stab/Apex 78cm mast all bolted on to No.40

This setup flows through the water smoother and turns like a greased pig.

The wind was side-off shore so the waves were relatively clean.  It looked to be doable for parawing, but Foil Drive-ing was a blast!  Top speed almost 22mph!

The swell was still pushing through - nice rides to be had and you didn't have to wait too long.  The runs to the right of the takeoff spot had peak bashes galore -

While the runs to the left had super long walls.

16 rides - the Whippit is fun!!!

Tomorrow I'll set up the AFS Silk 850/USurf 135...

Another direct back to back comparison!

PF:9/W:3/PW:86/FD:56/S:20

Parawing Session - 7/26/2026

Hit Kailua again this morning - the south shore is still pumping and without stable, non-swirly wind, it is worth the drive over.

Wind was lighter than yesterday - for a bit, until a squall blew through (and dumped a lot of rain).

I headed out as the squall was settling -

BRM S3 4.2 - nicely powered!  Cabrinha Prestige 905/Union 160 rear stabilizer on the Apex mast all bolted on to No.34

I actually did two sessions -

First was riding the squall's tail end

Short but really nice session -

You can see the wind coming in from the NE

The 4.2 turns so nicely - and I rode it out until the end of the squall -

I drifted in and was going to pack up and head out - but I ended up talking to a bunch of people and the wind built back up.

I took the 5.3 out and was again nicely powered.

I have been trying to develop a more standardized method of retracting and packing the big parawing.  I did get better redeployments.

The waves weren't so energetic that I was able to ride long distances without the parawing.  Was good practice for drifting the S3.

Did botch a redeploy and had to wait a bit to takeoff again.

It has been nice riding more stable (magnitude and direction) wind for a change.

We will see what Fausto brings over the next few days -

PF:9/W:3/PW:86/FD:55/S:20

Parawing Session - 7/25/2026

Hit Kailua this morning - I specifically wanted to see if the wind was shifting direction over here (like it has been on the south shore)

5 meter wind - chest high waves at Jump City

It's always a good sign when the Iwa are flying

No.34 with the AFS 80cm UHM mast, Enduro 1100/HA40 powered by the BRM S3 5.3

Speaking of BRM - demo day at Kailua.

Good, strong wind coming from mostly one direction.

I made 90% of my jibes and when I was down, getting up was not difficult.

I tried a few tacks, but it seems like I need to work on keeping the board under me so I don't get stripped off at the apex.

There were some waves coming through, but they were on the smaller side.  I did get a few long retracted rides.

I tried to be more methodical with getting the parawing put together so I could ride without it tangling on me, and that seemed to help with the redeploy.

You can see the rides I came out of powered, and the ones where I dropped off foil (blue tails).

This wind was just on the other side of perfectly powered.  I think if I had a 4.7, that would have been enough to get up, and wouldn't have needed to be depowered so much while riding.

I think during the gusts the 4.2 would have worked nicely, but getting up would have been harder.

It's been a while since I've had a speed chart like this (way more up than down, and when down short recovery time).

Fun session!!!

PF:9/W:3/PW:84/FD:55/S:20