Evening Session - 2/13/2025

Not as big as yesterday.  Fuller tide.  And more wind.

Today was not as perfect as yesterday was - but there were still good waves to ride.

Marvin came out to try out the new High Output battery and High Efficiency motor.

I moved the mast forward a notch and bolted on the Spitfire 900.  I thought I might end up moving the mast to dial in the optimum position - but it was pretty good from the get go.

I did notice the whole setup felt a little slower than normal.  I have been using the Foil Lite bolt system and with the prospect of moving the mast out on the water I used the Wingscrew wing nuts.  That might have been the drag I was feeling.

But there was also a really strong current running West to East.  There was also a little more chop on the surface than I have been used to (from the past few clean sessions).

Not sure exactly why I was feeling off my game - but today was definitely more of a struggle day.

To add to all of that, Marvin mentioned his battery was moving inside the unit.  And after his mentioning of that, I heard/felt the same in my box.

I finished the session with 35% left.  I did efoil a few times - but I wasn't getting in the groove (still).  Otherwise I was a little harder on the throttle than I normally am - and the waves were breaking on the far outside - so that additional usage would explain the higher consumption.

Now to reflect on the positive - there were some great rides today.  Tons of carving and critical position riding where the waves were breaking.

I did have some abrupt/unplanned dismounts.  I'm attributing that to the chop and using a different front foil.

17 rides in just over an hour - no room for complaints here.

W:9/FD:27/PW:1/S:1

Dawn Patrol - 12/8/2024

The swell was still pushing some good waves through this morning.

Super clean conditions!!!

I setup the SF900 and Skinny 365 - made a huge difference in being able to manage the foil on the bigger waves.

This was a fantastic session - bigger waves on the outside, really long rides and getting back on the tighter turn train.

I was babying the battery on the return trips to the lineup so I could get more duration out of it.

Almost 10 miles, and two and a half hours - I'd say I got a lot out of the battery.

Same takeoff spot.

26 rides - that's about a ride every 6 minutes.

The wind is coming back - but the tides are really low in the afternoons.  I may have to go winging at Hickam after work.

W:145/PW:2/FD:89/F:5/S:29

Dawn Patrol - 8/4/2024

I had to drop off Noe this morning at Hickam - so I figured I might as well go Foil Drive.

Kalani and Dennis also went.

Bomber sets would come through every 15 to 20 minutes.

Tide was low, but that really doesn't matter much at Hickam. 

I used the Spitfire 900 again.

Kalani was trying out the Code 980S

This was a fantastic session!!!

Nicely shaped waves - perfect for Foil Drive-ing

On the sets the waves were overhead and reeling!!!

18 rides today

I love this wave!!!

The trades are coming back - so it may be several days before I am back on the Foil Drive.  Stay tuned for winging!

W:95/FD:56/F:4/S:15

Dawn Patrol - 8/3/2024

Dawn patrolled WPB this morning using the Foil Drive.

Swell is fully developed and the wind was light.

Dennis, Marvin, Noel, Dean, Scott, Kamaka and others were all out.

I swapped out the Spitfire 960 for the 900 seeing as how the swell has a little size to it

I felt the drop in surface area was perfect for the conditions today.  I could also sense the slight loss of lift and the additional trigger time to get on foil - but the performance uptick was worth it.

Early in the session, the right out in front of Fenceline was working nicely.  I saw Dennis outrunning some donut making waves.  I got one over there, but it seemed to be more consistent out in front of the last cabins.

I moved over there and caught some fun runners.  The waves were a little weird - flatter than normal despite the low tide (which sucked getting through on the way out), and apt to break in sections (which is less of an issue on foil - easier to connect the dots).

I only got 10 proper waves - not sure if that would have been different with the Spitfire 960...

Fun session!

W:95/FD:55/F:4/S:15

Evening Session - 6/13/2024

I finally felt well enough to get back in the water.  The wind signs were not looking good, and after yesterday I figured I should just cut my losses and bring the Foil Drive.

Spitfire 900 - everything else is standard Foil Drive equipment.

Marvin came out also - JS Black Eagle and the Kujira 980

And the ever faithful Roland did put together his winging gear - Vyper 150

And his Ensis Top Spin 4.1

Roland made the right call - there was enough wind to wing.  And enough wind to put some good chop on the water.  It was actually really challenging to ride today.  Just goes to show you how much we all lean on the wings when we are out in these conditions.

When I did catch a wave and didn't eat shit, I was able to get some long rides.

I know I didn't ride this many... and I'm guessing at least half of these were wipes.  Still - pretty good stats!

And I almost brought out Bill's Portal board.... 

I'll probably give it a spin at lunch tomorrow.

W:68/FD:44/F:4/S:12

Dawn Patrol - 6/8/2024

Dawn patrolled at Hickam with Marvin.  Super light wind, low tide and some good-sized surf still coming through.

From the boat ramp, the set waves looked pretty darn big - reminiscent to yesterday, but the forecast also said the waves have dropped a notch.  With that info, I swapped out the SF840 to the SF900 - all else was the same as the recent outings.

Marvin came to the realization yesterday that the NoLimitz (being super light) mast was not necessarily good for foil drive-ing in larger waves.  He brought out his Project Cedrus classic 85cm mast today. 

I motored out and was at 95%.

The wind and the crowd were light.

Marvin had a much easier time holding the foil down in the cleaner conditions.

There were some good waves still coming through.  The JL wave hogger was at Firsts (probably got yelled at over at Seconds).  But other than that, I got to ride the ones I wanted (and still let the SUP guys take what they wanted - plenty of waves for everyone).

I'm going to conservatively say I got 16 rides today.

Fun session!

W:67/FD:43/F:4/S:12

Evening Session - 6/6/2024

I've been sick for the past couple of days (still kinda sick) so I've been out of the water.

Today the wind was a little onshore (but light), the tide was really high at 2.4', the swell was running 3 to 4'+

Marlon brought the longboard I shaped him a while back (he is almost finished with the one he worked on).

I brought the standard fare, but switched out the SF960 for Harris's SF900

Roland was out on his mid-length and Duke went prone foiling.  By the time I got outside, I saw that Robby had been there already (nice to know there is somebody else hanging that far outside).

With the high tide, the decent sized swell wasn't pitching lip.  There were still some breakers on the outside, but not like one of the earlier swells.  With the SF900, I could get up earlier (like with the SF960) so I could line up the drop in a more controlled manner, but the top end speed would get limited sooner than the SF840.  Not a surprise how this foil behaves.

I'd catch waves and then peel off of them before I got to the longboard lineup (give them a chance).

On a few of the waves, I'd see a closeout so I would bail a little early.  There was one where I think I breached... makes you wonder if that would have been different with a taller mast...

18 waves in an hour and 20 minutes.  And 23mph... pretty nuts!

So today I learned the SF960 would definitely been too big, the SF900 was too big sometimes, and the SF840 would have been too small sometimes.  Or my mast is too short.

W:67/FD:41/F:4/S:12

Wing Foiling Session - 5/29/2024

Harris and I are contemplating trading Spitfires - my 840 for his 900.  He wants a smaller/faster foil and I'm looking for a smaller Foil Drive foil that doesn't eat a lot of battery on takeoff.

We've been trying to meet up, but today was the first time it worked out.

Since I was there... yup, I winged.  North Mode Pro 4.8, No.36, Eagle 890/DW190, Evolution Cedrus Wind - PERFECT gear for today's conditions.

I moved the foil while out on the water a couple of times - here's where it ended up.

Oh - and my new Mystic Wing Foil bag came in - sweet package to protect the new board! 

The wind was a little up and down, but the gear handled it all well.

And actually I spent today's session focusing on tacks - mainly my inside toe-side tacks.  The video I watched saying "roll that wing over" made all the difference.  Normally I get maybe 25% of this tack - after taking these small actions, I am now making 90% - and they are as much fun as the hee-side tacks!

I have never done as many tacks in a session as I did today - super breakthrough day!!! 

Jim was out when I pulled up to the parking lot - but was beaching when I was finishing setup.  He's getting eye surgery in a week, so he's trying to get in as much water time as he can.  Looks like he had the better wind.

After working on my tacks, I headed out to Firsts to sampo some of da' waves.  Small kine today - but good fo exercising my juicing skilz.  I had a few good ones, then headed back so I wouldn't get too far behind the power curve (on getting through the afternoon traffic).

On the inside, I wanted to do some speed runs - I got some speed!

Fun quick session - that will go down in history (mine own) as the session that cemented the elusive toe-side tack!

W:63/FD:40/F:4/S:12