Wing Foiling Session - 2/23/2023

La wasn't feeling well, so I stayed home until she was feeling better.  Around noon I was able to go to Hickam and grab a quick winging session.  Ryan and Jim were out - the wind was up and down still - but trending towards good.

I brought No.25, the Eagle 1090/DW210, and the RS 5.1.

I also used the Gath Helmet I recently got on Ebay for the first time.  This one has the retractable visor (for when it is ridiculously sunny - or rainy like yesterday was).

Usually on the first day back winging (after a dry spell) I like to take it easy, get a bunch of transitions in, and get my muscle memory established again.

I got in 12.31 miles in just under an hour.  My first transition was a heel to toe tack - these feel so good when they are executed correctly.  When the wind was right for it, I did pull a toe to heel tack on the inside.  The Eagle 1090 makes a huge difference in being able to pull this tack (for me).

I went out to Firsts and caught some really fun waves - especially one where I was in the pocket as it broke - 

The anemometer at the airport was messed up - but the wind was about perfect for the RS 5.1

That's a long time on foil (front half of the session).  And not a bad top speed for not trying too hard.

Wind is on tap for days according to the forecasts!  Small wings and small foils!

W:17/F:12/S:12

Wing Foiling Session - 2/28/2021

The forecasts were all converging - the winds this afternoon were going to be nuking!  I got an earlier than normal afternoon start.  When I was setting up, the wind was blowing, but not anything out of the ordinary.  I pumped up the 5.2 and bolted on the HS1850/Chopped 300.

Plenty of power on the 5.2 - I made a beeline straight for Firsts.  When I got out there, the first of several long gusts came through - water surface turned to smoke with all the spray coming off.  I just moved my hands further up on the wing handles to depower the wing.  When the gusts would ease, the wind was perfect for the 5.2 - but I think even a 4 would have been too big to keep surfing during the blasts.  I got to ride some waves in between gusts - super fun!!!  With all the is going on (include me riding goofy foot on a foil on a breaking wave), you just have to trust your gear and surf.  With the chopped 300 rear stabilizer, I have not been breaching - good for times like this.  I spent 50 minute out at the break - my arms were noodles (4.5 would have been better today) and headed back in.  I got in more transition practice with while trekking upwind to get to the launch.  I'm having a bunch of fun on my outbound tacks - feels good to carve through the turn, transition the wing, then quickly change foot position - I'm even getting a few without coming down off foil.  There were still some strong gusts coming through - you can see the wind line in the photo below - but all the gnarly action started to back down after 4pm.

I was out from 2:30 to 4pm - you can see the gusts were topping 30mph

The 14mph peaks were where I was catching waves.  So much fun today (although I should have pumped up the 4.5 - tomorrow the forecast is similar...)!!!!