Garage Works - 5/30/2023

This is how I ended up working the rails on Jimmy's board - thin layer of epoxy to fill, and peel ply to take up the excess.

There were some creases in the eopxy post hardening, so I went ahead and sanding the entire repair area to get more excess epoxy off.

The finished product came out really nice!  And it was super solid through the repair area.  This board will be in a race next month - Maui to Molokai - and I feel confident the board will serve Jimmy well for years to come!!!

Garage Works - 5/26/2023

Yesterday evening after prone foiling, Kalani stopped by to pick up his repaired board.  I was setting up the older higher volume prone foiling board to be the new Foil Drive board.  He made some really good suggestions to get the board setup efficiently.

Jimmy also stopped by to drop off one of his racing SUPs so I could repair it.

This is a really long board - I'm going to try and knock out this repair quickly (so it can go back to his house - I honestly don't have the room to store this here ;)

Dawn Patrol - 12/13/20

Hit the dawn patrol with Lance, Jimmy and Marlon.  It was supposed to be just overhead, so I brought the Dually.  Jimmy brought his Astro Pop.  Lance brought his 8'6" SUP.  And Marlon brought his longboard.  We paddled out at Chun's.

Well - it wasn't just overhead.  The swell that was supposed to show later in the afternoon arrived 30 minutes after we paddled out.  I saw Lance catch one that ended up being 2.5X overhead (would have made an incredible picture, but I didn't have a camera).

This picture was from early in the session.  That's Jimmy behind Marlon and me behind Jimmy.  This wave was an overhead gem - then almost every wave after was twice its height.  Super steep takeoffs.  Marlon got picked up by one and he got ran through the heavy duty cycle.  His leash broke off and I paddled in to get a hold of his board.  This was his first working over.  We called it after this.  I couldn't have taken off on any of these bombers anyways (might need to shape a 7.0'+...).

On the way back, passing Lani's it actually looked like it was fun sized (just overhead).  Not sure if it was a lull we were looking at, but kept trucking.  Marlon did go out later in the day to WPB to regain his confidence.

Dawn Patrol - 4/18/2020

Marlon and I hit a dawn patrol with Jimmy - Chun's Reef.  This was Marlon's first trip to unsheltered North Shore energy.  And since he had his longboard, he was out and riding before I even got to the lineup.  His first wave was a really good one, as were most of his other ones.  Head high or slightly bigger on most.  I was totally stoked for him!!!

I brought the Pigfish out and it took a few waves to get synchronized with it.  I did have three longer waves with it and the fish side (my toe side, also the starboard side) really wants to fly.  On my longest wave I was able to outrun a plunging section to get out to clean face and wrenched an off the top turn - there is some huge potential with this board.

It was great surfing with Jimmy again!  I used to dawn patrol year after year with this guy 20+ years ago!!!  Some things never change - great times!

Cracked SUP Handle

I'm fixing a buddy's (Jimmy) SUP board.  Some water keeps seeping out of the handle area.  Jimmy said it might be the old deck pad, but I kept the board out in the sun at my house to see if I could get more water to come out.  There were salt deposits all along the handle area.

Originally I was going to just lay down a cap sheet with laps over the edge, but with the coverage required, the short space to work in, and the fact that the handle opens inward, I couldn't get the laps to stay down.

I shifted over to using milled fibers to get a slurry.  I had to stay with the board though to make sure the slurry didn't slump back into the box.  Times like this I wish I had fast curing resin.

Today I'll grind down the overage with the grinder, then use the dremmel to trim the inside portions.

Sunday Evening Foiling - June 23, 2019

Marlon and I hit the beach in the evening.  Jimmy met us out there and was filming with his drone.  I grabbed this screen shot from the video file he sent. 

I thought the swell would be smaller so I setup the Maliko 200.  Way too much lift for the swell that was there (belly high again).  I had some epic wipeouts - one even knocking the wind out of me.  But I did get three really long rides.

Even with the foil jammed all the way back, this wing makes a ton of lift and makes it challenging to control.  This wing is off the surfing list and will only be used for windfoiling now.  

Marlon was catching waves 3 to 1 compared to me.  Here is a picture from the video Jimmy took.

Fun session (and always great to have a photographer out)!!!

Jimmy's New Downwind SUP

I met up with Jimmy yesterday to get a look at his new board - SIC V3XL Clean lines, reduced nose volume, and the latest steering system! Nice board!

Pops Dawn Patrol with Jimmy

I got up early this morning to go on a dawn patrol with Jimmy. We hit Pops on a low tide and in bound swell from the South. Jimmy was on his new Flight Step-Up board. He caught most of his waves before I did so I didn't get to see him surfing except this one. I figured I was stuck on the inside and was going to get whacked by the white water anyways - might as well take a few pictures of Jimmy on his new board. Low light conditions are always tricky - but these came out nice!

Jimmy's in the House!!!!

Jimmy and Cindy - old friends from Hawaii - were in town and paid a visit. Thanks for spending time with us guys! It's always good to see you. Too bad we couldn't surf. Or kite. Or SUP. Have I said DC-NORVA-MAR sucks for surfers???

Jimbo SUP Surfing

Jimmy - here are the better pictures from yesterday.

Enjoy!

Pops on a SUP

I remember surfing this place on a longboard back in the 90's.

The waves deep in Waikiki always seemed cleaner and lined up better than everywhere else.

Over ten years later, some things have changed - the skyline has more buildings, the sand has been pumped back on shore twice and the line up is full of SUPs now (not a bad thing).

Some things don't change - my surfing buddy is still Jimmy and the waves are still superb.

I had some really long rides - nice session!

Evening Fishing with Old Friends

Just another way to blow off steam after a really long day at work -

Jimmy and Nick were out here this past week. The three of us were back in Hawaii back in the late 90's. Jimmy came to Hawaii from the island and never left.

10+ years later and here we are again. What a really small world.

We didn't catch anything, but we did some small sharks swimming in the shallows (cool!)

Jimmy's New Board

The next best thing to getting a new board is having a good friend get a new board.

Ever since I got a Stretch Fletcher Four Fin Bat Tail back a couple of years ago, Jimmy has been hunting one down.

After several months of juggling priorities, equipment requirements (EQUIPMENT, NOT TOYS), and missing bargains, his patience has paid off!!!

There is a story behind this - one of connections and favors, but I'll spare the details.

For now, behold a brand spanking new 7'4"x2.75"x20" bat tail quad.

Being in a land deprived of surf, I can only mind surf this board - ahh to carve the faces of head high peelers at Lani's with this sleek, wave destroying weapon.....

I need help or I need to surf...

Molokai

Sorry for the lack of postings over the past couple of weeks. We just moved out of our house in preparation for our move to Gulfport. The cleaning process, finishing off work obligations and trying to spend some time with La and the kids were the priorities. I've got some cool aquatic based adventures coming up, so posting will resume.

First off - here are a couple of pictures of my good friend Jimmy Martindale as he was making his way across the Ka'iwi Channel - 32 miles separating the islands of Molokai and Oahu. I met Jimmy when he was stationed aboard the USS Paul Hamilton and I was at PWC Pearl Harbor. Jimmy knew back then that the Navy would take him away from Hawaii and made a career change - I have made 4 transcontinental or transoceanic moves since then and I am beginning to think he was the wiser of us.

Anyways - Jimmy has made this crossing several times now. I'd like to think if I still lived on Oahu, that I'd have done it with him at least a few times.

HOO-YAH Jimbo!!!