Evening Session - 4/11/2024

Marvin picked up a Foil Drive Max, and I told him when he takes it out that I'd like to tag along to make I can answer any questions - I didn't want his experience to be negative.

The wind was actually strong enough to wing and it was onshore - so the surf was on the messy side.

At least the tide was nice and high.

I thought the waves were going to be smaller than they were - I setup the HPS980/400P.  I could have used the Spitfire 960/350P (tomorrow - or I might even use the Vyper 170)

Despite the conditions, I did have a pretty good session.  The only issues were the onshore wind mushing up the waves (which had some size to them - head high in most cases) and the cloudy conditions which I have a hard time detecting contrast when the waves are all one color.

I had some long rides today!  I adjusted the setup to be more forward, and I think I actually got it too forward (but it could have been the waves also).  Not many cranking turns - more long glides.

This was the first time I've been in the water since Sunday - and the first time I've prone Foil Drive (d) in a while.  I botched the first several waves getting used to this again.  But shortly after I was dialed in and catching.

I actually ended up catching 14 in an hour... RIDICULOUS!!! 

Marvin said he wanted to go a smaller board already!!!!  That's Marvin -

W:47/FD:21/F:4/S:9

Dawn Patrol - 11/25/2023

Dawn patrolled this morning.

Light trades starting to fill back in - but not too strong.  Lowish High tide dropping.  Waves in the waist range, with chest high sets.

I used the HPS980 setup since the waves were on the smaller side.  The paddle out was uneventful, and with the Foil Drive I was able to get out with 98% battery left.

Even with the HPS980, I was able to crank some pretty hard turns.  I got just over 2 hours out of the battery.  This foil set really allows me to get off the throttle faster when trying to catch waves - that goes a long way towards extending the session duration.

Lots of other foilers out - Dean, Andrew, Rick, Scott, Justin, Charles and Kamaka.  I tried to go the other direction when I was closer to them - so they could have a chance at riding also.  I did get several double dips in.

Looks like I got 32 waves in 2 hours - that's ridiculous (and only on the FD Assist+ - I can't imagine what the wave count will be with the FD Max).

I was using the 1.5mm long sleeve top - it's pretty chilly first thing in the morning now.

Another fun session!

W:115/F:103/S:56

Wing Foiling Session - 2/28/2023

Got in a quick 30-minute session this afternoon.  Downsized the wing to the Reedin SW 3.6 - everything else was the same as the previous days.

The wind was so strong that at some points I could only jibe (too strong to tack - couldn't carve into the wind).

I did manage to get tacks in despite the wind strength, but today was a balance of both.

The ART 999 got my up to 20.9 mph!  8.17 miles in over a 35-minute session - not too shabby.

Two days left before this wind backs down - and tomorrow is supposed to be the peak of this event.

W:23/F:12/S:12

Wing Foiling Session - 2/27/2023

After I got off from work, I got in a relatively quick session - I had to leave around 4:30 to go pick up Noe from school.  The wind was really gusty - from maybe 15 mph as a low gusting up past 35 mph at times.

I took out the same gear as yesterday to make setup quicker.

I declared today's session the "tack attack" - nothing but tacking on both sides (except for a handful of times where I knew there wasn't enough wind to tack).

On my toe-heel tack, I need to get the foil to carve harder through the wind - if I botched up the tack it was because the foil would track straight.  But I got in the most toe-heel tacks I've ever gotten - almost no loops in the tracks below!!!

There was a school of halalu swimming around - and a booby bird was fishing the school.  Really cool to watch it use the ground effect to pick up speed, then rocketing back up.

Super fun getting blasted!!!

W:22/F:12/S:12

Wing Foiling Session - 2/26/2023

Hit Hickam yesterday from noon until 2pm.  Wind was very strong when I got there - and was lightening up by the time I left.

I pumped up the SWX 4.2 again, and at times I felt slightly overpowered.  And I wanted to mix things up so I bolted on the ART999/400P/Crazy Short fuselage.

Marlon was running errands while I was out - but he took a few pictures when he came back to pick me up.  You can see the texture on the water - and this was towards the end.

This series of pictures is interesting because it shows how much height I lost going into the jibe.

I spent some time out at Firsts.  I caught two waves that broke for me and I got to stick to the pocket - the wind was really strong so I couldn't luff the wing.

I got to 21 mph early on.  The wind sensor at the airport is messed up and not recording properly - so I'll skip out on posting the wind graph.

My left knee hasn't healed from Saturday (where either I hit No.25 on the upper port rail, or I skinned it kneeling on the footstrap screw/washer) so that's why I brought out the WWFB.

This is going to be a long lived wind event!!!

W:21/F:12/S:12

Evening Session - 6/24/2022

Setup the ART1099 with the 400P rear stabilizer on the Crazy Short fuselage.  Used the 68(72) cm Project Cedrus mast.  I had the 3-bolt Axis fuselage adapter on (which offsets the fuselage 1/4" forward of the 4-bolt adapter).

Here is where I ended up placing the mast - it was set perfectly!

And Marlon was able to catch my first wave using this front foil - 

This foil has a ton of glide - I think I only pumped going down the line to trim, and pumping back out was the easiest I've had while prone foiling (easier than the ART999, the Kujira 1440, GoFoil M200, GoFoil GL210, and all the rest).  I caught three on this first session - I can tell this foil is going to be a game changer!!! 

W:55/F:61/S:17