Parawing Session - 9/5/2025

This picture was taken at the end of the session (driven back to WPB after the DW run).  The wind had dropped off like it normally does in the afternoon.

But the waves were largely the same - small 

The wind was a different story.  Driving in the whitecaps were everywhere and the wind was hard from the SE.  I picked up Stu and Norm from PV to do a DW from WPB.  By the time I launched, I could see the wind evaporating AGAIN!!!!

I had to paddle to chase the wind line.  And I even contemplated paddling back in and aborting.  But then I said fuck it - I'm out with two Foil Drive-rs and worst case is I can ask for a tow.  Luckily for me the clouds parted and the wind came back strong enough to get a good session.

Same gear as usual

Pretty good stats considering the first 1/3 SUCKED!!!

Once I got past the CG wind shadow, I was up on foil for the remainder of the session.

I even rode several waves - and jibed straight onto the ride (jibed onto inbound rising waves).

This is Hickam's chart - but the Kalaeloa one was way off.

I didn't want to come off foil or even risk it - so I would just fly the PW in neutral while riding waves.  The Maliko does drift well while I was riding.

I'm glad I stuck it out!  Going DW definitely takes the pressure (to hold the line) off.

W:56/FD:111/PW:31/S:7

Evening Parawing Session - 9/3/2025

Wind was up when I got to the beach.

But I literally watched the wind evaporate as I was just getting to deep water to flip the foil over.

No.34 and the AFS Enduro 1300/HA43

When I first got a look at the conditions, I thought I had brought too big a parawing (Maliko 5.1).

But shortly after, the lulls were super deep.

I got up on foil. made some turns and then the wind was done.

I paddled back upwind and waited for steadier wind.  I did get up again - and managed to get myself even further out.

I had to paddle in and beached at the far cottages.

Wind was coming in from the SE - thermals

And the drop off -

The last spike in speed on the chart is me catching my first prone foiling wave on this board.

There were four monk seals chilling on the beach today.  This pair at Fenceline, and a second pair at the twin cabins.

Even though I got stuck in a trap, there were a lot of good things at WP today.

W:56/FD:111/PW:30/S:7

Parawing Session - 8/26/2025

The Surfline forecast has been doing much better than Iwindsurf.com

This afternoon had solid wind in the 15-20 mph range.

This monk seal was chillaxing on the beach.  It had a bunch of algae growing on its fur.

AFS Enduro 1300/HA43 on the 85cm UHM mast all on No.34 - standard equipment now for parawinging.  And I only brought the Maliko 5.1 - which was pretty spot on considering the wind speed

This was pretty much statistically an inflated wing session - you really wouldn't have been able to tell the difference if you just saw the charts.

And this just took the distance record for parawinging (my record).

Tracked just like a wing -

I stayed hooked in for most of the session - and I jibed hooked in as well.

I also stashed the parawing and rode a few waves with nothing in the way.

The Kalaeloa meter is wacky.  Probably a good 5 mph low.

Everything just came together well today!

I tried takeoff regular footed (headed back in) - and I stood up... but didn't have much success launching.

Super fun session!!!

W:56/FD:106/PW:28/S:6

Parawing Session - 8/24/2025

I got a second foiling session in today (but coupled it with grocery shopping).  The wind stayed up - so parawinging Hickam it was!!!

I forgot my watch at home so no session statistics (but that's ok).

I opted for the BRM Maliko 5.1

There were a few gusts where it felt like too much wing, but for the majority of the session it was actually perfect.  If there is one thing I've learned its go bigger than you think you need.

And I brought No.34 out for a second session.  Bolted on this time was the Enduro 1300/HA43

I held my line for most of the session, and really was way upwind (for Hickam).  In the middle of the session I did drift down by the channel markers - but I was able to get back upwind and stay there.

The highlight of this session was nailing not one, but two toe-side tacks (inbound).  I got the wing and the board through the transition both times, but I lost my momentum and came off foil.  I'll keep working on these -

I did multiple jibes.  One from outbound to inbound ended up with a bridle line going over the handle.  But I felt it happening and just pulled it back off - all good. 

Lots of the regulars out - Harris, Zach, Naomi, Ken (Red Jeep), Matt and others.  Prayot was out parawinging also.  He got back to the launch without having to paddle back.

After I put the board/foil away, I went back to the groin and flew the Maliko 5.1 to dry it off.  Good after about 8 minutes.  I like doing this to make sure the PW doesn't get stored wet, and it is also a good opportunity for more ground handling.

I did the same with the Paia 6.1 - definitely handles differently.  On another day with consistent wind I'll finally bring this PW out on the water.

Fun session!!!!

W:56/FD:106/PW:27/S:6

Parawing Session - 8/21/2025

Today has really good wind.  Not nuking, but solid and more (than less) consistent.

I want to test the upwind ability of the BRM Ka'a 4.8 - and I was originally going to go to WP to keep the location parameter the same as yesterday.  But Norm said he was going to wing PV so I figured I'd take the breaking waves out of the equation and join him.

I brought the same board-foil combo out, but like I said earlier - packed the Ka'a 4.8

With the super high tide and stronger winds, launching was easy.

I had paddled over towards CG a bit more to launch - wanted to give myself a head start and not start with a deficit and have to paddle in against the wind.

The Ka'a did go upwind.  But where I usually pick up the wind if I go down and drift at CG, I could break through that section.  PWs have a smaller range and once you go below that you drop off foil (if you aren't willing to pump around).

That happened a few times - and I'd have to drift a bit (once way out to blue water) to pick up the wind line.

You can see from the track I progressively went upwind - and I really didn't give up any ground.  So that tell me as long as you have sufficient wind, even lower aspect ratio, short lined PWs can go upwind.  It would be nice to get my hands on a Kanaha and do a back to back with the Ka'a to see how different they perform. 

This graph was the wind at Hickam - it was a notch less than this at PV, but this relation is shown better on this graph as opposed to the Kalaeloa graph.

So for me at my current skill level and body weight, with the board-foil combo - I need about 20 mph to takeoff with the Ka'a 4.8 (and I think it tops out at the comfortable level at 27+ mph which it was gusting to today). 

I happy that I was able to get upwind with the Ka'a!

W:56/FD:104/PW:26/S:6

Parawing Session - 8/20/2025

Decent wind this afternoon.  Super high tide.  Energetic waves.

Decided to parawing today.

No.34 with the 85cm AFS UHM mast, AFS Enduro 1300 and HA43 rear stabilizer.

The wind strength was good when it was good, but when it was down I had to sit and wait.  I took out the Maliko 5.1 to maximize the up on foil time.

This setup is so good!!!

It was a full house today.  Roland and eventually Prayot were out on wing.  Zach was on his windsurfing rig.  Koa was out prone.  And Robby was out on Foil Drive.   

I think this is my record for distance traveled on parawing.

And I was able to hold my line - I didn't have to paddle back once.

I am leaning towards the reason being the Maliko v1 parawings.  But it might be the wind speed - and if I take the Ka'a out its probably actually not strong enough for me to pull back up wind.

I'm going to pay closer attention to this.

When Greg Drexler discusses the V2 parawing range, he says the difference in the Kanaha and the Ka'a are pretty small.  Both being able to haul upwind and both being able to collapse down to very small packages.

I also focused on jibing while still hooked in.  Almost all of those attempts were successful (but I ate it a few times).

But perhaps the most significant thing today was my first tack!!!

Heelside and on to an incoming wave (is there any other way???).  I'm going to emphasize practicing this. 

I could hold the 5.1 down today - but there were several periods where I could have been using a smaller parawing (but then I'd have more issue getting up on foil - damned if you do, damned if you don't)

This on foil time chart is looking more and more like my winging sessions -

Super fun session today!!!

W:56/FD:104/PW:25/S:6

Parawing Session - 8/19/2025

Nice high tide today - with some doable wind.  There were waves and they were at the not intimidating level.

I setup the same board-foil combo.  This time I brought the Maliko 5.1

Norm brought his FD setup and his Pocket Rocket 5.0 - the first to try this combo at WP.

Once I got up, I had a great time!

It did take a bit longer than I would have preferred to get up onto foil.  There seemed to be slightly more wind and it was more consistent.  I was able to complete all my jibes without too much drama.  I really didn't try exceptionally hard, but I think if it did I could have held my line.

Had three periods where the wind lulled out below my foiling threshold.  But those periods are good for practicing takeoffs.

These readings from the Kalaeloa Airport wind meter are consistently off by 5mph.

A little more than half the session on foil with the PW!

If the wind is up again tomorrow, I think I may bring the FD setup and also the Ka'a 3.6

W:56/FD:103/PW:24/S:6

Parawing Session - 8/18/2025

Norm and I did a WP-PV run this afternoon.  While I was dropping off the board/foil at WP, I saw this guy chilling at the beach.  When we launched (I go to PV to pick up Norm and whoever else wants to go, and we leave Norm's truck at PV for the recovery) - there was as second seal also chillaxing.

The wind was whitecapping when I dropped off the board.  When I launched, it was one of those days where the wind line looked like it kept drifting further offshore.

When you wing/parawing in shitty-shifty winds, you got no choice but to learn how to make lemonade.

This was the view at the start -

Norm was trying out the Enduro 1100 on FD.

I setup the same gear I've been primarily running for PW.

I want to downsize the foil set - but whenever I do I regret it.  I need to just accept that the Enduro 1300 is fine.

And this is the PW I should have taken out - Maliko 5.1.  Instead I used the Ka'a 4.8 - not wanting to have to wrestle a PW.  But I was being optimistic with the wind strength.

And this is what the finish looks like.

While I was out, the wind was getting worse and worse.  I knew I brought the wrong PW almost immediately.

I did get up early - and I actually went a considerable distance, but when I tried to jibe the PW didn't have the wind to stay up and thus started the long drift across the Campgrounds area.  The wind across this stretch is usually weak - you either plow straight through to get across, or you drift and try not to get hammered by rogue sets. 

After CG, the wind does fill back in and I was able to get up twice.  The first post CG run was long with multiple jibes and lots of waves ridden.

I had one wave that had plenty of push so I retracted the PW and just surfed the wave.  And I even redeployed the PW successfully!!!!

Definitely made the session worth it!

I was perfectly powered at this point.  But I still think I should stop over-estimating the wind strength and go bigger.

Norm gelled with the Enduro 1100 right away.  He looked like he was going faster, turning harder and still running with plenty of glide.  He said he likes it!

W:56/FD:103/PW:23/S:6

Parawing Dawn Patrol - 8/6/2025

I hit Kailua early this morning.

The wind was blowing, but you could see the ups and downs.

I met Mike in the parking lot - he was on his 5th session.  He was on the big Starboard DW setup and the Flow 5.5 D-wing

I opted for the Enduro 1300/HA43 on the 85cm UHM mast bolted to No.34

I went up one of the hills and tested the Maliko 5.1 and the Ka'a 4.8 - the 5.1 felt like it was needed based on the up/down wind.

To get up, I initially tried getting up regular with the PW on port.  And although I was making progress, I figured I'd just turn the board towards shore, pump the board and foil to get up and do a quick jibe.

My watch wasn't recording the first couple of runs.  And I came down after a jibe as the wind to the left of the beach was way weaker.  I did something I had not done in a while - the walk of shame.  But it was short and with the PW in the stash bag - it was not an issue (unlike dragging a wind or kite).

From there - I was up on foil for most of the session.

I can say parawing really makes a strong argument for not winging anymore...

And I got a bigger than the background surf wave and I doused the PW - not gracefully, but it was a bona fided stash!!!

So here's my threshold for the Maliko 5.1 - I felt perfectly powered.

Parawinging Kailua - check!!!

W:55/FD:103/PW:21/S:6