Wing Foiling Session - 8/8/2023

Stupid strong winds today!!!  This is Hurricane Dora throttling the tradewinds while passing 500 miles south of the Hawaiian Islands.  The surf was also on the bigger side.

Knowing that the winds were at ludicrous speeds, I opted to do a little testing today.  I ran two sessions with the same wing/board/mast and changed out the lower foil assembly.

Yup - the wind was nucking futs!!!!

First up was the HPS 700 and 380HA rear stabilizer.  I had this set right at the Eagle 1090 mounting spot.

This foil is predicable, smooth to rise and nice and loose.  Having just refinished both the foil and the stabilizer, this foil set still made some noise

I used the Mantis 2.5 that I got for Noe.  There were times I needed more wing to get up and go - but there were other times where nothing would have been small enough.

Track while on the HPS700.  I did manage to get a few tacks on this tiny foil.

Not a bad top end speed given the challenging conditions.

Next up was Big Ken's Cabrinha H800

This foil was really smooth - felt buttery underwater and well behaved.

I mounted it all the way forward in the mast tracks on No.25.

This foil does need energy input to stay on foil - which for the most part was not an issue today.

I fell a bit more on this run.  More the wind causing havoc

Also didn't get the same top end speed.  Again - I think this is more than just the foil - the extreme chop and turbulence, the nuking winds, and the fact that this was a new foil to me - this was still pretty good.

Tomorrow the wind will still be up - not sure where I'll wing...

Today will be a day to remember!!!

W:77/F:71/S:31

More Front Foil Tuning

And I couldn't help myself.  I went ahead and got the fill coat on the spots where I had used the solvent based fill (which dries red) on the HPS700, and some uneven spots on the ART999 tips.

I'll wet sand these tomorrow.  Looking at these two front foils, I'm pretty disappointed with the sanding job I did previously (the work I just did on the HPS980 is way better - I'll get these up to par tomorrow).

Knowing the conditions of the other foils I use, I'll likely be doing this on the following:

- scratch fill on the Progression 170

- scratch fill on the Vyper 170

- Donaldson Trailing Edge on the Eagle 890 (this foil sings pretty loud)

- scratch fill on the Eagle 1090

- scratch fill on the Kujira 1210

- scratch fill and Donaldson Trailing Edge on the ART 1099

There are times when I wish I weren't so OCD/anal.  But after these are done, I'll definitely be glad that I am!

Wing Foiling Session - 2/10/2023

The wind is still blowing with a vengeance - I picked Kalani up at the NEX parking lot and we were able to catch the wind at it's peak (I know I've said that every day now, but the forecasts keep shifting and the wind just keeps getting stronger).

I did do more refined sanding on the HPS700 and the HA380 - so I brought that foil set out for a third day.  I did bring the mast back another notch to see what the response would be.

And to gain some control back from the chaotic conditions, I pumped up the Cabrinha Mantis 2.5 that I had gotten for Noe.  This wing looks like a toy -

The wind did not disappoint - overall the steady state seemed a little stronger today compared to yesterday - and five huge gust events ripped through - the entire harbor would turn white with the newly born wind driven waves getting their heads ripped off by the 40 to 50 mph gusts.  Pure nuking futz!!!!

With the small wing I was able to stay in control better than yesterday.  Between the HPS700 (not having the carry/glide of the Eagle 1090/ARTs/Kujira 1095) and small wing, I wasn't tacking dry consistently.  Jibes yes, tacks almost.

We were out an hour - which was plenty considering the circumstances.

I didn't hit the outside - it was hard enough to run the inside course.  Going outside seemed like a bad idea...

Pretty much a NE wind.

Definitely caught the peak!

Not a bad top speed.

I'm pretty much convinced that the HPS700 and the Triton T1 foils I have are best suited for kite foiling (hmmmmm.....).

W:12/F:7/S:11

Wing Foiling Session - 2/9/2023

I had to pick up Noe from her school today, so I grabbed a short session at lunch.  This lunch session was aligned very closely with the peak of this current wind event.  Harris was also there sneaking in a session before he had to turn over his vehicle to his better half.

The wind was probably the strongest I've seen in a long time - definitely a notch above yesterday.

I setup the same equipment that I used yesterday - while setting up, I used the sanding blocks and placed a Donaldson trailing edge on the stabilizer.  It did stop the really loud high pitched vibrations, but the combo was still making some noise.

Riding was totally out of control today - I couldn't get in the harness line when the gusts were coming through and if I tried to turn, I would get swatted down.  The wind was kicking up waves really close to the taxiway - there was no clear water anywhere.

Totally EPIC!!!

This tells me there were gusts in the upper 40s (and possibly into the 50s).

You can see where I got smashed!  It was all I could do to stay upright - so hitting 21.1 mph (in these conditions) can be considered a major accomplishment.

Tomorrow will still have winds that are above 30 mph, but not quite reaching into the 50s.  My gear is staying in the truck... but I will try and clean up the trailing edges a little more - these foils should be quiet while ripping through the water.

W:11/F:7/S:11

Wing Foiling Session - 2/8/2023

Today was the first day of a multiple day wind event - and the first of a forecasted three straight days of ultra nuking strength!!!

Up to bat - the HPS700 and the 380 High Speed rear stabilizer on the Ultra Short fuselage.  I was debating on whether to use the SW2 4.2 or the SW1 3.6 - particularly because I have not used this front foil yet and I did not know what the lift would be like.

I pumped up the 3.6 anticipating the wind out at Firsts would be "knock your socks off" nuking.  I was not wrong - 

With as much wind as there was, getting up on foil was not an issue.  I'm going to sand the rear stabilizer - it was singing like a canary, but in general everything was balanced, controllable and fun.

I tried a few tacks - but mainly stuck with jibes because the HPS doesn't have the carry/glide of the ARTs.  I actually needed more wind during the lulls (20mph wind instead of 35) and that was another reason I stuck with the jibes.

There were some waves, but Harris had much better timing than I today - every time I looked back he was on a breaking wave.  I had some that were standing up, but I only caught one breaker.  I don't get much loitering time with the HPS700 (it wants to keep moving) - I can float/stall most of the other front foils I use at Firsts - ART999, Kujiras, Go Foils - I wanted to try it out and I did.

This is where I had the mast - actually the same spot as the Eagle 1090... hmmm.  Maybe for tomorrow's session I'll bolt on the HPS700 again (I'm sanding the 380 stabilizer first to test if I got rid of the singing) and adjust it a hair back... 

The front foil size is not the only factor in determining the mast position - fuselage geometry and targeting the board/rider center of gravity are perhaps equally weighted factors.  If you look at my feet, they are really close together and far forward.  That means I was having to exert more force further forward to balance out the front foil - I think I could push the foil back a hair and get better balanced (which would see my feet further apart and a bit more aft).  Every foil is different, but I want to try some different positions before I lock anything in.

Just epic conditions today - no other way to describe it.

Massive gusts!!!

I'll play around with the foil position tomorrow - and I'll head closer to the taxiway (to get to flatter water) - I know I can go faster than 21.5 mph.

And after the run with the HPS, I'll try and get a back to back with the ART999 to see if I can get the reduced camber foil to go faster!!!

CRAZY NUTZ!!!!

W:10/F:7/S:11

Front Foil Fairing

The next few days are supposed to have crazy nuking winds plowing through.  I packed all the small stuff I have (Cabrinha Mantis 2.5, Reedin SW1 3.6) and I made a point to repair this Axis HPS 700.

I watched the Delta Foils YouTube channel and saw they filled imperfections in wetted surfaces with Bondo glaze.  Here I am giving it a go.

It needs to be spread pretty thin and fairly quickly - this mix is solvent based and it evaporates as soon as it is exposed to air.

It gets into the crevices fairly easy. 

This is the tube.

After about 30 minutes, I sanded with 320/400/600.  The bondo comes off easy.  I went ahead and wetsanded to whole front foil to make sure the surface has a uniform texture (smooth).

And since I was sanding, I figured I'd put a Donaldson Trailing Edge on the back edge of the foil.

This foil is ready to rip!!!