Wing Foiling Session - 3/8/2025

Testing day - getting more foil positions lined up on No.40

Wind was super gusty.  Tide is pretty inconsequential at Hickam.

I used the North Mode Pro 5.5 for everything today.  Small foils need lots of power.  And this wing likes action at the upper end of it's range (meaning it is hard to overpower).

I setup the F One SK8 750 first.  Second session was with the F One Eagle 690.  And rounding out the day was the AFS Pure Race 560

The wind spread was all over the place - near glass to plowing past 30. 

The only time I headed out to Firsts was with the SK8 750.

Arvin was out when I winged up.

I was able to get a few hook tacks - feels so good!!!!

And the top speed was pretty impressive.

Next up was the Eagle 690.  I haven't used this foil much as the wind doesn't get to the speeds where I could use it with an appropriately sized wing - this outing was one of the first times I went bigger than I should have to power up the smaller foils 

This foil handles well above 22mph

And getting up to 25.2 mph wasn't uncomfortable.  It transitioned without drama and I think I could have had the Mode Pro 4.8 up and still got similar results.

And before I got too tired, I switched out to the smallest foil I have - the AFS Pure Race 560

Super long monocoque single piece fuselage.

This foil is not as hard as you would think to get up.  You still need a strong gust, but nothing crazy.

I got stuck in a long lull, so the average speed is whacked.  When the wind was up, it was screaming (and so was the foil - loud one this is).

And I matched the top speed of the Eagle 690

Fun day of dialing in the small foils.

Tomorrow I will try to get the Cabrinha H800 and the Axis ART Pro 1001 figured out on No.40

W:17/FD:39/PW:1/S:3

Wing Foiling Session - 8/24/2024

Hit Hickam today primarily to test the BRM Parawing 5.1

The wind was pretty up and down - and as the day went on it was spinning around from N to E and back again.

The waves were minimal and the tide was nice and high.

I had setup No.34 with the Eagle 890 with the Evolution Mast in between.  I went out first on the parawing.  I spent time getting the wing off the water, trying to figure out where the power was, getting situated on the board and how much wind was needed to get started.

I actually got moving also - but I didn't get up on foil.

Knowing what I learned, here's what I'd do differently:

- I'd use a bigger foil - the Eagle 1090 or the Spitfire 960 would have helped

- I need to aim further downwind to start, then I can turn upwind and cruise like normal

- I'm still trying to figure out how to get power out of this wing - but as gusty as it was today the ups and downs are not conducive to learning to parawing

I paddled in and switched over to the North Mode Pro 5.5

Huge holes today!!!

This was the session with the F One Eagle 890/DW190

You can see the wind shifts in the tracks.

I took a decent wave at Seconds - and a bunch of small ones at Firsts.  I got some tacks in, but with the fluctuations, I leaned more on jibing.

Holes - 

I went in and ate some manapua (Kalani brought it) and switched out to the Eagle 690

I could get the foil to lift, but the same story here - shifty winds, I didn't want to go down so I opted for the jibes.

Giant holes!  It was challenging to get the 690 to lift, but once it was up, it wasn't too bad to keep it up.

I am pooped out!

W:109/PW:1/FD:58/F:4/S:17

Wing Foiling Session - 7/24/2024

Today was my 500th winging session (by days gone, not the number of times I've gone out in a single day - so that number should be greater)

We had some car juggling to do this afternoon between me, La and the kids - coming/going from work.  So that meant I could get in an afternoon winging session at Hickam before going to pick up La and Marlon.

The wind was up and down when I arrived.  I had seen Jim out, but he had come in by the time I was getting my equipment together.  He had been out on his 5.0 - and said a 4.0 was doable.

I wanted to use the flatwater session to try and get recent documentation that I broke the 25mph barrier.  With that I bolted on the Eagle 690.  I kept the DW190 rear stabilizer on because part of today's run was to get the mast position dialed in - and I didn't want to have to wrestle with a stab that wasn't continuously contributing. 

And I pumped up the North Mode Pro 5.5 - figuring that this wing can eat gusts and keep me powered (as long as I didn't come off foil).

In a nutshell - today was good fun trying to go as fast as I could.

And low and behold - I broke the 25mph barrier!!!

Quite a bit of east in the wind today.  I did want to see if the Eagle 690 could ride swell - so I did go out to Firsts.  The wind out there was really swirly and full of holes - and that's why you see me headed back after a short run outside.

I didn't zoom in to the track, but if you could see the points at the transitions - that's because I was throwing tacks all over the place.

If I had a bigger front foil I could have easily used the Mode Pro 4.8.  And if the wind didn't have the holes it did, I would have used the Ezzy Flight 4.0 (maybe tomorrow). 

You can see I was off foil for multiple stints - those were the points where the wind lightened up.  Despite that, I got above 25mph!!

Now I'm going to have to go faster than 26mph!!!

W:91/FD:52/F:4/S:13

Wing Foiling Session - 4/6/2024

I hit Hickam around lunch time - the wind was supposed to peak then and the tide was rising (so the waves should be breaking).

Arvin and Harris were already out when I showed up.  Jim was setting up and Bill came along towards the end of my session.

I specifically went to Hickam so I could make flatwater speed runs.  Looking out at the water, I was debating pumping up the 4.2 or the 3.6.  I opted for the 3.6 - but what was also fueling the debate was the foil I bolted on -

I brought the F One Eagle 690 - I wanted to get more familiar with this foil and how it would ride with No.32. The chord on the 690 and 890 is pretty much the same - which was good because the 890 pretty much pegs the tracks on No.32  

The wind was really strong - which made getting up on foil totally pretty easy.

After a few runs to get the characteristics down (it had been a while since I've used it).  I got several heel side tacks in, then I went out to Firsts.

I made a few runs out there - but the wind was so strong it was suppressing the waves and they were slipping through unbroken.  Since I was out there by myself, I figured I should head back in - that would have been a long. hard paddle if something went wrong. 

Once back inside, I pretty much did sprints.

Strong wind - but I was pretty comfortable on the 3.6

The Eagle 690 is an amazing front foil - it has the glide of the larger Eagles, but it rolls super easy and can surf with the best of them.

I got it to 24.9 mph - so close to 25 mph!!!

I need to get a rear stabilizer than has less drag (the 13" KD Marlin???) - I'm pretty sure I'll break the 25 mph wall once I've made that adjustment.

Another really fun session!!!

W:47/FD:20/F:4/S:9

Wing Foiling Session - 3/8/2024

I am trying to sell off a bunch of equipment that I don't really use - that could free up space and I can use the funds to pick up a new wing and/or foil.  I took the Naish Compact to Hickam to sell it (sold).  Since I was there, I went ahead and setup for a winging session.

Tim (young) and Ken (Red Jeep) both were finishing while I was setting up.  Ken had a bigger wing and Tim was on his 3.5

I opted for the 4.2 based on what I was seeing on the water

For the foil, I set up the Eagle 690 with the DW190.

I used the separation that the 890 and 1090 had and applied it to the 690.

I didn't have a bunch of time this afternoon so I didn't get to fully test this front foil.  And the wind was really up and down - made for some time down on the water and waiting for the gusts.

A bit more north in the wind today...

The Eagle 690 wasn't that hard to get to lift off - way easier than the ART 899 (if I remember correctly).  It has a lower stall speed than the small ARTs and could glide through the lulls to get to the next wind line without much drama.

Kinda hard to rig for 15 with gusts to 30

Interesting speed profile.  I think I can easily go faster in stronger, more consistent wind.  I really want to break 25 mph with this foil.

And closing with what I opened with - Mark was the one who bought the Naish board.  While I was getting the board to he and his wife, he was really busy looking over my shoulder.  He said he was waiting for the base police because he was assaulted by someone at the Hickam Beach.  Just goes to show you bad people are everywhere... 

W:28/FD:15/F:4/S:8