Wing Foiling Session - 7/31/2022

I brought Roland and Kalani on to Hickam today.  As we were setting up, it seemed like just about every winger showed up - Jim, Harris, Jesse, Ryan, Ryan's friend, Tim, Brian, Arvin and probably a few others were all setting up.  Was kinda like a flock.

The wind had picked up - so I broke out an oldie but goodie - the Ensis 4.5.

I went out pretty early in the session to Firsts.  There were a ton of surfers out there so I had to stay towards the channel so there wouldn't be any collisions.  At one point it was me, Harris, Jesse, Roland, Jim and Brian all out swapping waves.  If I were surfing, I probably wouldn't have been out there at Firsts - way too much wind.

I spent a bunch of the session out there - and I was jumping waves on the outside.  I also caught a bunch of the sizable waves and they were steep enough to luff the wing.

Such an awesome session!!!

The inner jumper in me has been unleashed!!!  Or should I say "strapped"...

I could have put up the SWX 4.2, and at times I think the SW1 3.6 would have been plenty.

Great session - windy, plenty of waves and a ton of jumps!

W:78/F:64/S:17

Wing Foiling Session - 7/30/2022

Hit Hickam with Kalani around 12:30 today.  Ryan and Bill were just finishing and they said it had been schlogging city.  Jim was taking a break and said it had been schlogging city.

I checked the wind and wished I had brought the 6.1 and the 1440.

Oh well - 5.1 and 1210 - run whatcha brung...

Some texture on the water, but there were some serious lulls.

When the gusts hit, it was on - I brought the GoPro out and got some interesting shots.  This one is me mid-tack.  You gotta lean over and commit to the turn.

And here is the prize!!!  I built No.25 specifically to jump.  At WPB, I can use the incoming waves as ramps and boost.  Here at Hickam you have to plan and wait for the right conditions.  If you look at the picture, rear stabilizer and front foil are clear of the water - not my first jump, but my first documented jump!!!

I did make a run out to Firsts.  The waves were on the small side because of the swelling tide, and the wind was pretty iffy.  I got one wave and came back in.

I guess this was what the wind was doing, but it sure didn't feel this strong.

The forecast for tomorrow is better.  Might get more jumps in!!!

W:77/F:64/S:17

Wing Foiling Session - 7/25/2022

After work session at Hickam.  I wanted to try jumping today so I put on the footstraps.  I took a guess on the location based off of the pictures I had taken, and on the width of the straps.

Everything else was the same as the past few days - RS 5.1/1210-178/85cm mast on No.25.

I headed out and made a few turns to see if the straps were in the right spot - then I headed out (over the reef since it was high tide) to Firsts.  There were some waves breaking and I got to ride several - but the straps weren't dialed in.

I headed in to make the adjustments and they ended up where you see them now (fingers up indicate the footstrap insert hole number from the front).

I forgot my watch at work so I used my phone and Strava for the track and speed log.  With the footstraps, I went ahead and tried jumping.  I got airborne four times - each higher than the previous attempt.  I can see some height in my future when I do this with incoming waves.

Good wind today!

W:75/F:61/S:17

Wing Foiling Session - 5/1/2022

Windy Sunday - jumped in Kalani's wife's Sequoia again and added Roland.  I only brought the SWX4.2 (it was that windy).  But the other guys all brought 2 wings.

The wind was strong - but there were some ups and downs, and the direction would shift periodically.  Not the best of conditions but still fun.  I had it in my mind that I would jump today.  First run out I got clear of the water by a large margin.

I had several more jumps, but it seems on flat water, you need just the right conditions and perfect timing to pull it off.  My last one I came down with more of a nose down attitude and could have possibly foiled away (all jumps ended in stops).

Roland was trying to get his new foil positioned, so I stuck to the inside.  Kalani and Tim were working on the inside to keep developing their skills.  In this wind, I was able to get in a bunch of solid turns - all except the toe-side tack.

Eventually I headed out to Firsts and got to ride some smaller waves.  I lost another wingscrew, so I headed in (didn't want to damage any other gear).

After a back-to-back (session) use of the Takuma RS and the Reedin SWX, right now I think I prefer the SWX.  The draft stability, forward drive and handles are more to my liking with the SWX.  I think this may change over time - but I'll need lower speed winds to test the RS further.

Had an ordeal trying to get back into Kalani's SUV.  Ken eventually came out - here he is just barely missing a jibe.

Another fun day winging!

W:35/F:43/S:12

Wing Foiling Session - 7/31/2021

Really fun session today!!!  Wind was super strong, there were some waves and the tide was high enough to get in and out without too much drama.  Pumped up the Ensis 4.5m, bolted on the HS1550 and held on for the ride!!!

Not the best conditions for luffing - the swell was coming in from the SSE and the winds from hard from the East - but it wasn't too bad riding goofy today.

This one was taken mid-jibe - I've already switched my feet and am getting ready to carve to the left.  I tried jumping three times today - ate it on two, didn't even take off.  But the third I got everything lined up and took off using a wave as a ramp - I felt I got pretty high up (but it's hard to tell on foil).  I came down and fell backwards.  My feet didn't come out of the straps easily... I could see how you can mess up your ankles if you don't control your landings.  I decided to just focus on riding waves for the rest of the session.

I got in 17.4 nm in two and a half hours of winging.  The chop made it a little harder to ride today - lots of little bumps on top of the bigger swell posed challenges getting up as well as riding.

The wind chart was from Hickam, but it seemed more correct for what was out at WPB.  Crazy nuts!!!!

Top speed was 17.6 kt on the HS1550.  If the wind is as strong as it is forecasted to be tomorrow morning, I'm going to pump up the Reedin 3.6m and bolt on the HS1250.