Dawn Patrol - Thanksgiving 2024

The morning crew was all present this Thanksgiving morning - Andrew, Dean, Noel, Kamaka, Dennis, Matt (long time no see), Scott, Sam and others I haven't met.

Waves were small again.  But there was no wind and the tide was decently high.

Same setup as usual with the exception of the rear stabilizer.  I'm letting Erik try out the SF900 and the Skinny 365/55.  I bolted on the P350.  I really couldn't tell much difference in drag or speed - but that's more likely from the lack of energy in the waves.

The first half on my session had very little battery consumption - glassy conditions and the decent tide helped in this regard.

Then the waves started to back down - had to use more battery to get on the smaller waves.

I'll call this 24 rides in the almost 2 hours session.

Tomorrow will be more of the same - but the forecast is calling for some wind - I may FD in the morning and parawing (try to) in the afternoon.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

W:145/PW:2/FD:84/F:5/S:23

Wing Foiling Session - 7/27/2024

The forecasts were calling for strong winds.  How consistent would be anyone's guess.

I wanted to do some testing so I opted to go to Hickam.

I wanted to do a contrast and comparison between the Triton X-1 and the X-1 Pro

The Pro has a wider span, thinner profile and a narrower chord - all indicators of a faster foil with more glide.

Here's the list of what I was testing

I started with the Spitfire because that's the foil I had out yesterday, but instead of putting it on the 90cm aluminum mast, I had it on the Cedrus carbon 85cm mast that I recently fixed (flaking clear coat replaced).

None of the setups I used today were exactly easy to use - but the crazy, shifty wind definitely added to the challenge.

Axis Spitfire 840 run - the carbon mast felt pretty good.  I didn't ventilate if that says anything.

I actually tacked more today than I jibed (while using the Spitfire).

With the gusts blowing through, it was kinda hard not to haul ass -

Triton X-1 Pro run

Here I wanted to get the foil situated so I could ride the foil.  I ended up adjusting the placement at least four times.  This is the furthest forward foil I've used - it's two fingers ahead of the F One SK8 750

No tacks here - all jibes.  I eventually started to get the hang of this foil.  It is totally progressive - I had to put backfoot pressure to get the foil to lift.  Placement is everything with this foil - it is really pitch sensitive if you don't have it set up correctly.

And lastly the Axis ART Pro 1001.  For this I went back to the 85cm carbon mast.

I got what I expected.  Funny how this foil seemed harder to engage than the AFS UHM Ultra 750

I did get in more tacks with this foil.  But La was waiting for me by this time so I kept this run short.

Definitely a roller coaster ride today!

W:93/FD:52/F:4/S:13

Wing Foiling Session - 6/23/2024

Hit Hickam with Kalani today.

There was wind - and it was more consistent and stronger than yesterday.  But there were some epic lulls.

I set up the Ezzy Flight 4.0, and No.36 with the 90cm Aluminum PC mast, ART Pro 1001 and the 350P.  This setup was great when the wind was coming through - but sucked in the lulls.

I was hesitant early on to tack this setup - trying some tacks on the inside to work up, I would drop off foiling speed and had to start over.

But outside in the ridiculously strong wind, I would throw tacks on incoming waves, and tack on the inside of the channel marker to head back out.

I ended up catching a few of the better sized waves - super fun stalling just in front of the breaking section, swooping around and hooking a turn, then cracking a turn back in front to repeat it all over again.

Out running whitewater -

Not as bad as yesterday, but when the downs were around - nothing to do but sit and wait.  I think with the Spitfire 840 it wouldn't have been an issue.

When the wind was up, the lower foil set was making a lot of noise.  I'm going to have to tune these to get rid of the vibrations.

When the wind wasn't up, I was just drifting around.  Looks like I spent about a third of the time drifting.

W:76/FD:44/F:4/S:12

Wing Foiling Session - 4/3/2024

The wind was not as strong as it was yesterday - but still good.

I had a hard stop time to go pick up Marlon - so I made this an experimentation session.  I used No.33 as a wingboard!!!

Considering these marks were made using the Foil Drive Assist Plus, I had to do some correlation and I ended up with the mast placement here.  I think I could have used a tiny bit more lift - maybe lining up with the Spitfire 960 (FDA+) setting.

With the wind as up and down as it was, I really should have used a bigger wing - but I pumped up the North Mode Pro 4.8 (experimentation day!!!).

I schlogged quite a bit today - not sure if it was the slightly smaller wing for the up and down wind, the fact that No.33 sinks if not powered up, or this being the first time I used this board for this purpose.

I was the first one out for a bit.  Then Brantly, Anson, Arvin and Harris all came out almost all at once.

I stayed on the inside with Arvin and wanted to develop a feel for this board.

Neat pattern today.  And it looks like I was up on foil a bunch - but that is not the true.  You need the two graphs below to see what was really happening.

Way up, and way down -

As long as I didn't touchdown, I was fine.  But once I did I had to wait for a while to pick up a gust.  Towards the end of the session I had developed a feel for how this board turned and I got brave enough to make a few speed run.  Surprise surprise - 23.0 mph - not too shabby.

The wind should be much stronger tomorrow.  Probably going to switch out to one of the smaller Eagles.

W:44/FD:20/F:4/S:9

Wing Foiling Session - 4/2/2024

Pure chaos on the wing today!!!!  Nuking gusts - 

I thought I was rigging in the slot - nope, way over powered.  ART Pro 1001/350P, Reeding SW2 4.2 - all high wind stuff - but still not small enough!!!

I started out by doing speed runs on the inside.  It was hard to control the foil because of the chop coming off the water - the wind was so strong it was generating swell from inside the harbor.

After a few runs, tacks, jibes and getting used to the strong wind, Prayot launched and headed out Firsts.  I followed him out and proceeded to play in lala land.

The wind was so strong at times that I was getting blown back off the wave faces.  And then the gusts would go through and the 4.2 was perfect for the background wind.  The waves were standing up, but they needed a bit more energy to push a foil against the wind.

Eventually the group (me, Prayot and Matt) headed back in and I went back to trying to top my speed record.  With the surface chop, I knew I wasn't going to hit it today, but it was still fun pushing the boundaries of what is possible.

While Prayot and I were out, the gusts were touching 40 mph (according to the HNL sensors).  Times like this, the ocean shows a much different face.

I think I could have gone faster if the wind direction would have promoted smooth water.  I'm thinking I also need a Skinny 360/45 rear stabilizer to get the ART Pro 1001 and the Spitfire 840 to go faster.

This guy (Prayot) needs to practice switching his feet - then he'll be pretty unstoppable.

W:43/FD:20/F:4/S:9

Wing Foiling Session - 3/24/2024

As part of juggling two vehicles among several family members, I wing foiled at Kailua this morning so I could pick up La after I was done.

The wind was up, and then it was down - common theme...

I wanted to use the ART Pro 1001 again, so I opted to go on the big side with the wing - the Mode Pro 5.5.  These wings supposedly like to be overpowered.

ART Pro 1001 - so efficient!!!

No.34 was a little rough today - the conventional shape seems to work better in choppy, surfy conditions (like today).

But after I got dialed in, all was good.  I even got a few really long wave only rides (the ones drifting off to the left).  I think the mast needs to be pushed forward just a hair (had a bit of bucking) in choppy conditions (I think it can go right on the mark over at Hickam).

For a lot of the session, the 5.5 was more wing than I needed.  But it never flapped (like the Takuma RS did) or deformed (like regular dacron wings do).

After using the ART Pro 1001 now for a couple of sessions, I don't think the foil is best used in unruly chop and turbulence.  The Spitfire 840 has demonstrated it cuts through that stuff with ease.  The 1001 is an amazing foil, but it seems more race horse than clydesdale.

I'm going to take a break tomorrow.  Marlon gets back so he'll have stories and pictures he'll want to share.

W:36/FD:19/F:4/S:9