Evening Session - 12/3/2024

The waves were still up this evening - 

Marlon was out on his Firewire Seaside.

And to continue the fin optimization, I choose the Glenn Pang Twins

These fins felt more nimble for their size compared to the Black birds from yesterday 

They still had drive (to dig in a good first bottom turn), and they have more release than the Black Birds.  But I could feel my right knee more today than other days - so I think that is preventing me from getting that turn I've been looking for.

Since I started later today, I only got a handful of waves, but they were all really good and lined up.  I got in a ton of good turns - just not the one I saw on Youtube.

Tomorrow I'm going to try out the T1s - with less overall area and more rake, I may be getting closer.

W:145/PW:2/FD:87/F:5/S:27

Evening Session - 10/30/2023

Pulled an evening session after work yesterday.  The waves had size, but it was all jumbled and even a bit hard to catch.  You'd sit in the lineup thinking you were in the right spot, but the wave you were lined up for would get fat and not even carry.

Marlon caught a nice one from the outside.

I had a few where I got some turns in but not much distance.

Still a fun session.

I could have used more paddling power (maybe the Seaside and Beyond).  I'm skipping Tuesday since we will be going to our annual "Don't Support Diabetes" campaign.

W:104/F:99/S:53

Evening Session - 10/26/2023

Marlon and I got a session in yesterday evening to catch the peak of the current swell.  Epic conditions for the South Shore!!!

We brought the same boards and fins as the day before.

There were a lot of people in the water and they were mostly really proficient surfers (not Bobs).

We both managed to catch our share.

I felt like I was turning the Pigfish the best that I have ever to date.

I love surfing when the waves are good!

W:104/F:97/S:52

Evening Session - 10/25/2023

Marlon and I got in an evening session yesterday.  The initial look was meh... but Marlon took a second look with Kaylani and it was actually pretty good sized.  The wind was minimal and the tide was dropping - so we paddled out.

Marlon brought his Seaside and placed the Ono Convertibles in.  I brought the Pigfish and already had the Noriega Keel and Machado Quads on the board.

I caught some nice lines that stood up on the inside - perfect opportunity to gouge some turns and get close to the wall.  This board does that perfectly!

After a handful of great rides, the sun set (clouds on the horizon stopped the green flash from our perspective) and that finished off the session!

Today is supposed to be bigger!!!

W:104/F:97/S:51

Evening Session - 10/18/2023

Late afternoon session with Marlon yesterday.  There was some wind blowing around - so the waves weren't as clean as Tuesday.  The waves were bigger than Tuesday - but not as well formed.

Marlon and I both caught some fun ones.

I absolutely love the Pigfish!

W:103/F:95/S:49

Evening Session - 9/5/2023

Today the biggest swell of the summer hit - 4'-6'

Marlon and I hit it with shortboards - he took his Seaside....

And I took out the Hydronaut

I put in the Billy Kemper quads - good flow on these fins (but on a few waves I was actually looking for more drive).

I caught some mackers today - felt really good to catch waves on a surfboard that rarely comes out (and this year has been mostly on the small side for surf on glassy days).

Marlon and Kaylani also got their share of waves.

W:90/F:84/S:34

Evening Session - 7/12/2023

Marlon and I got in a late afternoon shortboarding session.

The waves had some size to them, but the wind from earlier in the day did the usual - chopped the surface up into some challenging conditions.

Marlon brought his Seaside and had a blast.  He actually went in early and then broke out his drone.

I brought the Hypto Krypto with the Grennan fins.  I'm thinking that a more upright fin would have been more appropriate for the size waves today.  The raked Grennans felt slower.

My first wave was the best of the lot - long ride where I had to maneuver to stay in the pocket.  Surfing a shortboard actually felt funny... the board wasn't pushing back and if I hit a flat section, it didn't want to pump (because it isn't a hydrofoil).

I caught several more but would either get mowed over by the white wash, or the wave would go over a deep spot and fizzle out.  Foiling has definitely impacted my surfing.

Tomorrow the swell is supposed to come down - if I go, I'll likely bring the Sweet Potato.

W:66/F:63/S:29

Dawn Patrol - 1/2/2023

Dawn patrolled Pyramid Rock with Jimmy today.  Oddly enough, it was windy - 

The swell was funny - nothing, then medium sized waves, and cleanup sets - all surging in and dumping.  Marlon got three on his Seaside.  I got one on the Sweet Potato (and in that one ride, I could already tell the NVS Aipa Da Hook Quads are magic).  I rode that one wave in and grabbed the Hypto Krypto since the waves had a ton of energy.

Since I had the Hypto Krypto out, the waves of course started to pull back (actually I think the tide was peaking).  But after a considerable wait, I finally did get one - this is another magic board and fin combo.  

Despite the challenging conditions, it was still really fun catching up with Jimmy!

W:0/F:0/S:2

Dawn Patrol - 10/22/2022

Dawn patrolled with Marlon.  Based on the wave energy yesterday evening, I opted to bring the Seaside and Beyond.  Marlon brought his Seaside.

The waves were chest to head high.  The tide was low and the wind was light.  All the factors came together to make some really fun conditions.  I had some good runners and got to crank some fun turns.

When the surf is good, go surf!!!  Foil when the waves are crappy - 

W:97/F:90/S:34

Dawn Patrol - 9/25/2022

Dawn patrol again this morning.  Got to the beach even earlier than normal - needed to bring the Greedy Beaver to the beach so I could sell it to Tim (even though he just got that Pyzel Ghost).  After the session, he said he loved the board (phew).

Marlon surfed for a bit, then went in to swim out and use his new water housing/camera.

I paddled the Seaside and Beyond - and was astounded yet again!!!  I was catching waves on the outside and gouging top to bottom turns.

After the sun started getting higher in the sky, I rode a few waves in and started surfing the inside.  The waves were smaller on the inside, but the Seaside and Beyond worked just as well.  The range on this board is really good.

So as much as I didn't want to sell the Greedy Beaver and the Sunday (and I'm still trying to sell the Toots Asymmetric) - those three boards had too much overlap among themselves, and none were as easy to ride as the Seaside and Beyond.

This has been a really great run of surf, and a great introduction to what is lining up to be an incredible surfboard!

W:94/F:80/S:25

Dawn Patrol - 9/24/2022

Dawn patrol this morning.  Marlon brought the Seaside, and I brought the Seaside and Beyond.  Swell was chest to just overhead on the sets.  There was minimal wind.  The tide was low and dropping - this was the reason for me bringing the surfboard; I didn't want to deal with scraping bottom with the foil.

I was super glad I did bring the S&B!

I surfed in front of the MWR Shack and I picked off several head high waves.  Marlon was in the same spot and we even rode a couple together (or maybe he dropped in on me and I was just a nice guy).

I had a few waves that rivaled distance rode while on a foil.  And the faces were nice a steep so I was able to stick to the face and huck some big turns.  I really like this board a lot - I never felt this connected to the Firewire Sunday (which sold already so I could get this), the Firewire Greedy Beaver (which I am close to selling), or the Toots Asymmetric (which I think I could still get used to, but would still rather sell so I can just focus with the Viking, the Everyday and the Seaside and Beyond).

I didn't see Tim out - but while packing up I did see him carrying his new Pyzel Ghost.  This was produced pretty quickly - I think he placed the order in just last month.  Nice shape, good volume - looks like a wave killer (if the waves have some energy in them).

The forecasts call for the current swell to stick around for a few days.  With little wind in the forecast, I think I'll be surfing the S&B some more!

W:94/F:80/S:24

Evening Session - 9/21/2022

Evening session with Marlon and Roland.  There was a new longer period swell hitting - so time to break out the shorter boards.  Marlon brought out his trusty Firewire Seaside; I anointed the Firewire Seaside and Beyond...

I caught a handful of really great waves - top to bottom, fun drops (trying to get dialed in on my footing - too much foiling), hard leaning bottom turns and then lined up wall riding - SO MUCH FUN - I know I write this all the time, but it's always true!

Marlon and I even got to share some waves towards the end of the session - it really doesn't get much better than this!

W:94/F:79/S:22

Dawn Patrol - 9/11/2022

Dawn patrol this morning saw a bigger swell, but oddly it wasn't breaking - just like yesterday...

The tide was pretty full (but waves still break on a fuller tide), and there was no wind - super clean!!!

I opted to change out the ART 999/400P/Crazy Short setup that I have been using lately to the ART 899/375P/Ultra Short fuselage.

Lots of surfers showed up in anticipation of an uptick in wave size -

Every 15 minutes or so, a set showed up that was breaking on the far outside.  It was just odd that the swell would pass through to the far inside without breaking.

Marlon was shortboarding, but at some point he went in and was flying the drone.

I caught several really fun waves.  The 899 provides for a less abrupt takeoff, but definitely harder to pump back out.  What it gave up in glide and pumping (which it still did have - just not as much as the bigger ARTs - but that isn't unexpected) to made up in additional speed.

This was the first time I used the 899 surfing (and this is also probably one of the longest streaks of using the ARTs in the surf).  I ended up changing too many variables - the front foil, the fuselage length and the rear stabilizer - all different this run.  I did enjoy this setup, but I think it would have been more appropriate if the larger waves were breaking throughout the range.  The 999 would have let me connect more waves.

There was a really long lull between the first wave I caught and the series Marlon took pictures of here.  I ended up having to position much closer to the inside before I was riding again.  Tomorrow is supposed to be the peak of this swell(?), with some trade activity returning.  I think I'll continue to give my bout of golfer's elbow on my left arm a break - so I'll likely prone foil again tomorrow.

W:92/F:76/S:19

Dawn Patrol - 8/14/2022

Dawn patrolled with Marlon.  Based on the forecast and some of the waves coming through yesterday, he brought his Seaside and I had the Toots 7'2" Asymmetric.  It was pretty good when we first got there - but it just kept getting worse the whole time we were there.

Not to mention the droves of newbies showing up for social hour.  I came in after a few waves to fly the drone.

I might go back for a prone foiling session later today.

W:85/F:68:S:19

Wing Foiling Session - 8/11/2022

Marlon and I headed to WPB again.  Marlon caught some good waves on his Seaside, until his leash popped.

Roland and I winged again today.  The wind was a little steadier, but a notch lighter.  The waves were also slightly smaller - but easier to rip on knowing there was little consequence to messing up.  The tide was super high - again really easy launch and landing.

With the wind on the light side, I opted not to jump today.  I should have taken off the rear footstrap - next time.  Today's focus was wave riding - 

Tacking onto a wave is pretty incredible.  The drop is super exciting and the acceleration is instantaneous 

Roland was ripping the inside

The SW2 luffs so well!  It just disappears behind you and you just ride the wave -

I got 13 miles in again (pretty typical for an afternoon WPB session).

When the wind was up it was perfect for the 4.7 - but there were plenty of lulls...

Lots of lulls

W:83/F:67/S:18

Evening Session - 8/3/2022

Evening surf session with Marlon.  The wind died down to nothing - there was a giant cloud over Makakilo and it was choking out the thermals.  That made for glassy conditions.  There were waves coming in also.  The only thing that could have been better was the tide - it was a little low... but that was ok because I had the short Cedrus mast on.

Marlon brought his Seaside (but did make a comment as we drove in that he brought the wrong board.  He actually caught some good ones -

I caught plenty of waves and got multiple pump back outs and a few double dips.  It was a really fun session (the crowd was manageable).

I went in after an hour or so and broke out the drone.  I wanted to test out the settings I had changed and I figured I'd film Marlon.

Flying the drone was really fun in these conditions.  The settings were better - but I still didn't feel like controlling the drone was intuitive.  I'll change them again and keep adjusting until the drone goes where I need it to go as fast as I need it to get there.

We'll have light winds for the next several days.  I want to take an afternoon and shape the two blanks I have in the garage (new prone foil boards)

W:79/F:65/S:17

Evening Session - 7/29/2022

Almost a carbon copy of yesterday.  The differences being the waves were a hair bigger (and more frequent), tide was a little higher (we did go an hour earlier), and Marlon switched out the longboard for his Firewire Seaside.

Marlon flew his A2S first before going out - I did the opposite by foiling first, then coming in and flying the Mini 3.  While I was out, I had to pick and choose my waves wisely - there were some really good sized waves that were pitching lip.  I didn't get any double dips, but I did have a bunch of fun rides.

I'll download some pictures later and update this post - but I was able to recognize Roland in the water from 20' up (he was wearing his hat).

Marlon came in before I could find him (he had paddled further over towards the shack), and he started flying his drone again.

If I could do it over, I think I would have had fun using the green dually, or the Toots Asymmetric.  

W:76/F:64/S:17

Dawn Patrol - 5/29/2022

Close carbon copy of yesterday - Marlon on his Seaside, me on the 4'8" prone board. I thought the conditions were better than yesterday (although that was a topic of debate out in the line up today).  Regardless - there was less wind, the surf was a tad bit smaller, and the current was down from the river it had been the past few days.

I did mix it up a bit though - 1095 on the Stringy fuselage (60cm) with one of my 14.875" rear stabilizers bolted on.  When I was setting this up last night, I had to use both the circle shims and the PPC plate shim to level it out.  It was level - I didn't have to wrestle the setup to ride level.

But looking at the foil, you can definitely see the lean backwards on the mast.

I caught a bunch of waves and had some long rides - I have to pump this foil less than the 980 (and it was smaller today) - but the lift is a lot more progressive and with the shorter fuselage, the whole setup had a lot more pitch sensitivity than I am used to.  The other thing I noticed during setup was the rear stabilizer bolts needed to be downsized to 14mm and I had to still use a shim to get enough distance to tighten the bolts.

Kalani, Tim, Noel and Ryan were out - lots of comparing notes on equipment today.  Roland rolled up after 8 - I got a closer look at his setup - here is where his fairly new Hyper 190 is cracking.  He definitely tests the limits of his equipment.

W:44/F:52/S:16

Dawn Patrol - 5/28/2022

Dawn patrolled with Marlon this morning.  Tim and Kalani were there.  Surf was pretty big on the sets - it was breaking way outside - further than I was interested in paddling and it was barreling.  I stayed where the outside normally was.

I rigged the Kujira 980 with the 218 rear stabilizer and had the 4'8" prone board out.  Marlon brought his Firewire Seaside.

Waves were overhead - I got a few really solid rides - walls and great turns on the sections.  The current was pretty bad - stronger than yesterday - was dragging foilers faster than the surfers over towards Hau Bush.  

I eventually saw Marlon's drone towards the end of my session - I was already trying to get in.  He also got video of Kalani and his surfer friends.

Fun day!

W:44/F:51/S:16