Wing Foiling Session - 9/24/2021

This afternoon the signs indicated marginal winds.  But after yesterday's session (and the strong winds that materialized from the same marginal signs) I thought I should set up to wing.

HS1850 on the 95cm mast, chopped 300 rear stabilizer and the Ensis 6.0

Marlon came out to practice some more with the drone.  It was perfect flying conditions for him, but what started out as marginal quickly dropped to the impossible range

Eli can conjure up his own wind so he was cruising the whole time.  Roland and I are not nearly as good as Eli is, so we got stranded when the wind stopped.

You can see the large amount of "blue", or me drifting around in the image below.

It is hard to call this marginal wind...

And to boot, there was more north in this wind than there was east.  On the runs I did get, I kept trying to pinch upwind - but alas it was not to be.  I ended up having to swim a good deal in and at the last second was able to ride to the lone cottage.

Roland was closer in when the wind died - he paddled the gap and was in well before I was.

I really should have listened to my gut and prone foiled.  It would have been much less work.  Tomorrow on the dawn patrol - going to go prone surf foiling.

Wing Foiling Session - 9/17/2021

Went to Hickam yesterday after work.  The wind was supposed to be nuking - but it was far from it.  Good thing I brought the bigger wings (since I don't trust the forecasters).  I bolted on the HS1850 and pumped up the Ensis 6.0 - session savers!!!  

I was going to just stay on the inside since the wind looked light - but Harris was already out, had come in and said it was blowing better outside.  We made a beeline for Firsts.  The waves were small, but every now and then there was a good set pulling through.  The wind was steadier outside - stayed out there for about 40 minutes before it looked like the wind was dropping.

You can see the drop in wind around 4:30pm.  I could have used the 5.2 - but since La had repaired the 6.0, I have been wanting to test out the patch.  Glad to report its all good.

And from the watch track, you can see the wind dip also.  For the most part, I was up and riding - down only on botched transitions.

Towards the end of the session, I did try and do some flatwater jumping.  Its hard to tell for sure since you can't see under the board, but I did feel like I broke free of the water.

I felt redeemed at peace with the Ocean.  I'm hoping I paid my dues the last few sessions.

Wing Foiling Session - 8/21/21

There was enough wind to go winging today - but just barely.  I bolted on the HS1850 and pumped up the Ensis 6.0 m2 - so that how "windy" it was.  Kalani and Roland, and eventually Brian were out wing foiling.

I found a patch of wind east of the launch point (Fenceline) and spent most of my time there.  The swell was on the small side - I only jibed onto a wave and luffed twice.  

With all the winging I've done on the south shore, I like easterly winds the best.  Had easterly today until later in the session when it turned way north.

I got in over 27 miles in just over 2.5 hours.  Top speed was over 17 mph - likely riding the one big wave I caught after jibing.

The forecast has the remnants of Tropical Storm Linda affecting the islands for the next couple of days.  I'll likely finish the projects in the garage tomorrow.

Wing Foiling Session - 8/13/2021

The forecasts were convergent and spot on yesterday afternoon - 15 to 20 with gust to 25.  The tide was mostly full so the launch wasn't too bad, but the surf was pretty small (not helped by the tide).  I was out in the wind line by 3pm.

I used the cycling function on the watch again - I like the speed by color overlay, but the thickness of the line seems to have increased so it all looks like one big blob of color.  Not sure if there is an advantage here or not over the boating function.

There was a lot of north in the wind, and the swell had more east than west - so nothing really lined up today.  I'm just glad there was enough wind to wing!

I got a max speed of 19 mph, covered 24.13 miles and had an average speed of 9.7 mph. I was tripping on my tacks for the first half of the session.  I had switched to the HS1850 because I didn't want to have to pump the wing because I'm dealing with tennis elbow on my left arm.  After I started slowing down the tacks, I was making all of them again.

So nothing really to write home about - still a fun session.

Wing Foiling Session - 7/29/2021

Yesterday the wind materialized and it drew Roland, Kalani and I out for a session at WPB.  Marlon came with and used his new GoPro to take the pictures.  By the time I got there, the wind had lightened up - but we still went out.  I had the Ensis 6.0 - first time since I blew out the strut bladder a few weekends back.  I did use the Arvo pump - same one that I was using when the strut bladder blew, but no drama this time and I set up the board and got geared up while the wing filled up.  Bolted on the HS1850 - didn't want to chance not getting back.

This was about as low a wind as I could go out it.  In almost all the runs, I had to pump to get up on foil.  The pictures make the water look glassy, but there was some texture to it.

Roland was out on his 4.5 - he's gotten really good since the first time I saw him out at WPB on his 4.0 Wasp.

I didn't bring my watch so no data on this session.  

Even though the Kalaeloa sensor reads the airport and not the beach, the chart shows relatively what was going on.  By my count, this was the 97th winging session I've had.  I think I'm going to stop pulling the wind data since I can tell what equipment I need to set up now based on what the signs are - water texture, trees blowing, and clouds.  We'll see - kinda hard to stop something that's been going on for a while (like this blog) - but it would save some time.

Wing Foiling Session - 7/25/2021

I went winging with Roland today.  Wind seemed a touch lighter than yesterday, and for the most part the waves were a little smaller also (but also not really - I'll elaborate in a bit).  We were pumped up and out in the surf around 3:30 (the parking lot was a total zoo - might need to start going to Campgrounds again).  The tide was rising, but still not quite deep enough to pull away right at the beach.  I had to swim the rig out a decent ways to get to the wind line also.  Launching and landing are really the worst parts of foiling at WPB.

Even though most of the waves were smaller and the wind a hair lighter, a larger set would come in every 15 minutes or so.  I would jibe into the wave and get rides on open ocean swell starting to slow down and jack up.  The right wall that developed from these sets was amazing!  Overhead walls hundreds of feet long - and I would slide right along them... I'd say these were better than yesterday, and the scary thing is I rode these better than yesterday's waves.  I loves wing foiling at Firsts, but outside WPB is just at another level! 

The sharp pointed tacks (at the bottom of the image) are where I would switch my feet (changing tacks) and head in riding goofy foot.  I would ride the smaller waves (still chest high) while doing this and I'd hold my line (wouldn't lose ground to the wind).  The loops from jibing are harder to see, but those are the waves that I would jibe in to and ride regular footed (and get ridiculous speeds - at least they seemed fast, but the GPS says I was getting over 15kt, maxed out at 15.9kt).

Again this Kalaeloa meter seems a little low - I think it 15 hitting 25 on the gusts.  The 5.2 kept me powered, but it was definitely lighter than yesterday.

I was able to crank upwind on my last couple of runs and was able to get back to Fenceline to land.  The other guys (Derek, Eli, Brian, and another guy I didn't know) all launched from Campgrounds.  I'm going to have to check that out when I come back on the weekends. 

What a weekend!!!!  Probably the best winging sessions I've had yet!!!

Wing Foiling Session - 7/24/2021

I had to take Prayot to the airport yesterday morning - he's headed to be with his family in Japan for a few years.  That meant pushing my session to the early afternoon.  I hit WPB and it was pretty much epic!  I pumped up the 5.2 and bolted on the HS1850 (I don't want to ever get stranded out there, so I opted for the big foil - in hind sight, I think the chopped HS1520CS would have been perfect).  Tons of people on the beach - but I got out on the water and had to paddle a bit as the tide was rising.

I got in 14.97 nm in just over 2 hours yesterday.

The wind was perfect for the 5.2 (although this Kalaeloa meter doesn't show what was out there on the water - I think the meter is on the runway somewhere - it was likely base of 20 mph and gusts to 30).

I got a top speed of 16.5kt - probably coming down a wave.  The waves on the outside were intermittent, but when they came, it was perfection jibing onto them, making the drop and luffing the wing.  I would ride the mast high and just surf the head high waves - I caught four waves like that and there is no better experience - almost sensory overload!!!

This spot delivered!!!

Wing Foiling Session - 7/20/2021

I went winging yesterday - was supposed to be nuking, and it was until I got to the parking lot.  It actually dropped to nothing by the time I got all set up.  With the quickly diminishing wind, I pumped up the 5.2 (my 6.0 is still out of commission), and bolted on the HS1850/chopped 300.

The wind did come back, but not to the nuking levels that were sustained earlier.  I made a beeline out to Firsts and began surfing with Robert, Jeff, Eli, Derek and Prayot.  At one point the wind got to nuking levels - and I contemplated going back in and pumping up the 4.5 (I've been looking forward to using this wing again) - but the squall didn't last too long and I headed back out.  I was riding the best waves I've caught on wing out at Firsts - I got really long goofy foot rides, and I jibed hard into a right that allowed me to stay ahead of it.  

I had actually stayed up on foil longer this day than any previous session (too bad I forgot to charge my watch - no GPS track/info for this session).

Wing Foiling Session - 7/18/2021

Got in a midday wing foiling session at Hickam.  The wind was really good - I pumped up the 5.2 because it seemed like there were some holes in it.  For comparison sake, I basically kept the same setup as yesterday - HS1850, Nico 15" rear stabilizer, 85cm mast, A+ 60cm fuselage.  

The wind actually did what iwindsurf.com and Weather Underground forecasted it to.  If this keeps up, the rest of this week is supposed to be nuking!!!

I recorded the session in two separate chunks - because the wind kept getting stronger, I thought about going in and swapping out the front foil.  I did go in, but only to hydrate.  This first recording shows I was out at Firsts for a really long time.  I caught several that stood up and reeled down the line (pretty much like when I would prone foil Firsts).  The waves got steep a few times and I "tripped" on them.  I didn't get run over by any clean up sets - so it was a great day.

Got in 19.2nm on this run maxing out at 15.6kt - most likely on a wave.

I stayed inside on the second run.  Got in 4.24nm and got to 14.2kt.  This run was about transitioning.  Got in a couple of inbound tacks and outbound jibes (switching back to heel side).

This was Prayot's last Sunday foiling before he moves to Japan.  He had a hard time today - lost a screw from his rear stabilizer and could not get back up on foil.  I'm going to waterproof a T30 allen wrench and keep it inside a plastic bag in my harness pouch.

Doesn't get much better than this!

Wing Foiling Session - 7/17/2021

The forecasts were calling for nuking winds everywhere.  Decided to mix it up for Saturday - headed over to Kailua.  The problem with Kailua on the weekends is the parking - if you want close parking, you have to hit the dawn patrol.  The problem with the dawn patrol at Kailua is the wind usually doesn't fill in until the clouds burn off - and that's not at dawn.

With the marginal winds, I initially pumped up the 6.0 - however I was using the new electric pumps and the strut bladder ended up popping.  I had the setting on 7psi, but now I know to dial it down a bit.  I manually pumped up the 5.2.  I bolted on the HS1850 and the Nico 15" rear stabilizer.

It's a good sign when a flock of Iwa come gliding through!

Despite the up and down wind, I got in 12.7 nm and hit a top speed of 15.9 kt (probably dropping down one of the waves).

The take away for me from this session is technique to get up on foil is huge.  Where I normally would have leaned heavy on the 6.0, I could get going with the 5.2

Roland and Prayot showed up as I was leaving.  Pumping really takes it out of my left forearm.

I had come in once to adjust the foil position.  I was feeling a little bit of back foot pressure.  After pushing the mast up just a hair, the setup was well balanced.  The 15" rear stabilizer has the same lift profile as the 232, but way less drag.