Evening Foil Drive Session - 8/19/2026

La said she wanted to go to the beach today - primarily because her friend and her daughters would be there (and I'm not even second fiddle here...)

I said sure I'd go and brought the Foil Drive with No.43

AFS Enduro 900/Mako Carve 130 on the UHM Skinny 75cm mast

The waves were on the small side.  But if you waited a bit, some decent ones would pull through.

I made sure not to take every wave so not to piss off the surfers.

Robby had come and gone before I headed out.  Roland eventually came out - and after I got in Derek and Ben went out.

I focused on using the cupped wave face as a turning agent and shwacking the tops.  Super fun!

18 rides in an hour!!!!

Fun session!!!

PF:11/W:3/PW:93/FD:59/S:25

Parawing Session - 8/14/2026

This is out there... so the surf will soon turn to shit (along with a lot of wind and rain).

When I got to the beach, Zach was breaking his windsurfing gear down, and Mark was outside winging.

The wind was up or down.

The waves were pretty big on the sets (well overhead - maybe head and a half...)

At least the tide was high and that made for less worrying about grounding.

I setup the AFS Silk 1050/152 on the 80cm UHM mast.

No.34 (maybe the last time I use it in Hawaii...)

Powered by the BRM S3 5.3

The wind was side off - and you had to go out to get away from the smashing breakers and into the wind line.

Most of the riding was done way outside in the blue water.

I managed to get two retracted PW rides - both long and well powered by overhead walls.

Way up or way down -

And I was either up and going, or down and waiting for the next gust.

Fun session - especially since I didn't get smashed!

I may try and get a surf session in at the dawn patrol... before Hurricane Lala starts negatively influencing the conditions.

PF:11/W:3/PW:93/FD:58/S:24

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

Evening Foil Drive Session - 7/2/2026

Had debated parawinging, but decided to take a nap.  Woke up then assessed the wind - it was up and down and side offshore.  Figured I should use the Foil Drive.   

I was also thinking the waves would be bigger today than yesterday - so I brought the Silk 850/USurf 135

Norm was already out when I got to the parking lot.  Roland was just about to launch.  And Kalani had finished a 12 mile parawing session.

This was a quick session.

The waves were pretty fun - chest high.  They weren't as punchy as yesterday.

Got 12 rides in 38 minutes

The wind is forecasted to blow, but lately the reality is it isn't nearly as strong as what is predicted.  Gonna need to keep the Foil Drive batteries charged and the parawings close hold.

PF:8/W:3/PW:67/FD:53/S:20

Foil Drive Dawn Patrol - 6/20/2026

Dawn patrolled WP this morning.  I didn't bother going to the shoreline to look it over - I just assumed it was going to be wonky and head high.

I was wrong - it was nice and clean outside.  And there were several energetic sets still coming through (it was better earlier).

Kalani, Noel, Dennis, Paul and Jill were all out on Foil Drive.  Prayot was out testing the Manta 700 something F4 on DW SUP foil.  Norm and Stu were out at PVs on FD.  And the Lift eFoil dude was out also.

I totally forgot MWR was holding an All Military surf contest - that squeezed the non-contest out in front of the cabins...  Good thing I was way outside.  

I wanted to confirm I had the AFS Silk 850/Usurf 135 in the right spot.

The surf was really good - I had some really long rides where I could carve hard up and down the entire over head wave.  It was actually pretty ridiculous how good it was -

These red lines were really long rides - 

The Silk 850/Usurf 135 had confidence inspiring grip - I love coming up on a peaking section and hooking a tight turn under it - epic fun!!!

18 rides -

Today was one of the better days I've had in quite some time - low stress, really good waves.

EPIC!

I received one of the two rear stabilizers I recently ordered - the Cabrinha Union 180 monobloc.  I originally ordered this stabilizer to get the Prestige 905 lined up for super easy prone foiling.  But I bolted it on to the Whippit 850 - and I'm gonna see if it gets the Whippit dialed in for me.

PF:8/W:3/PW:60/FD:50/S:20

Foil Drive Dawn Patrol - 6/19/2026

Dawn patrolled at Hickam again.

Was slightly smaller than yesterday - but there was less warble.

Tide was around +0.6' so no issues.

I swapped out to the AFS Silk 850/USurf 135 - this session reconfirmed this is the hardest turning/carving foil out there!!!!

I'm calling today's sessions to be two separate ones.

First session was at Seconds.

I had the foil lined up on the S850 marks, but there was a tad bit more back foot pressure than I prefer.

The waves I rode had so many hooking turns as peaks stood up in front of me.  And I'd blast off in front of whitewater sections - SO MUCH FUN!!!!

Eleven rides the first outing.  And check the top speed -

I went in to change out the battery.  I also adjusted the foil forward a notch.

The second session was out at Firsts.

Waves were a notch smaller over here compared to Seconds, but there were more people out at Seconds.

More hooking turns and ducking in front of the breaking waves.

The foil position was perfect!!!  I could drive the foil anywhere I wanted with the utmost confidence -

Eleven waves again -

Super fun session!

PF:8/W:3/PW:60/FD:49/S:20

Foil Drive Session 2 - 6/13/2026

Phil, Elan, Bill and Arvin were all out with Stu and I.

Lots of kayak fishermen also launching this morning.

I swapped batteries and headed back out.

I did not check my remote battery charge level.

When I got out to the channel, I figured I should foil over at Seconds to mix things up.  Plus the crowd that was there earlier had cleared.

I caught two waves (the first one was phenomenal) - and then my remote went dead.

I had just spoke to Bill about this and he said if I needed it, he would tow me in.

Well - I'm glad he offered.

Hopefully my remote is not dead and it just needs a charge.

With the surf getting big tomorrow and Monday, I'll likely surf anyways so I'll get the remote settled out.

PF:8/W:3/PW:60/FD:45/S:18

Foil Drive 1st Session - 6/13/2026

With the King Tides this week, dawn patrolling WP meant a long shallow paddle out to wher you could flip the foil over without grounding.  I figured that was enough reason to do the dawn patrol at Hickam.

I swapped the boards this morning - from No.43 to No.40 - I wanted the extra waterline to make getting in and out a bit easier.

And I opted for the AFS Silk 850 v1) and the USurf 135 rear stabilizer

There were waves - but the good ones were separated by a good wait.

The bigger ones were a ton of fun.

Both peaks at Firsts were breaking with the really low tide.  And the inside bowl by the channel was awesome for getting in roundhouse carves.

15 solid rides, with only a couple missed.

There was less drag on this system.  And towards the end of the session I was feeling the boost differential again.

Went in for a battery change.

PF:8/W:3/PW:60/FD:44/S:18