Dual Session Day - 8/7/2022

Fun beach day today!  Started with a dawn patrol - Marlon brought his longboard and broke out the Viking.  The tide was really low (I can't bring myself to ground foils if I don't have to) and I wanted to make sure I could still surf.

There was small swell filling in - so the waves were really fun!  And honestly the crowd was not too thick.

After surfing, we went home and took naps.  The wind was moving the trees around the house, so I figured since we had to run errands, might as well check to see if winging was possible.  It wasn't -

After errand running, we went back for a prone foiling session - yes I said "we".  Marlon used the Kai front foil on the 27.5" GoFoil mast and the skinny 4'10" board.  He was getting up on foil without much drama this time.

I had the same setup as the past couple of sessions - 4'8" prone foil board, ART 1099 and 400P on the Crazy Short black fuse all bolted on to the 68cm Project Cedrus mast.  The tide was around 1.5' while we were out so I could cruise all over the place.

There was still wind blowing - I'd be lying if I said I wasn't thinking about winging... but I think the time was well spent getting Marlon more comfortable on foil.

W:79/F:67/S:18

Evening Session - 7/9/2021

Picture of "Before"

Picture of "After"

Marlon and I did an evening session on foils.  I set him up with the next smaller front foil (Kai I think) - since last time while using the Iwa he said he was having a hard time keeping the nose down.  

I changed out the HS1250 for the HS1532CS and took the front base shims off.

The waves had come down (better for learning), the tide was really high again (better for learning), and the wind was less than winging strength but above nuisance level.  Which is what has been making foiling difficult lately.  The wind is doing something to the breaking waves - to where as they peak and crumble, they will also drag downwards - and suck stuff like foils down.  I have been complaining of this the past couple of days, but with Marlon jumping on foil today, it proved troublesome.

I stuck close to Marlon and coached him into some waves - he got up on one and rode it a considerable distance.  Less bucking today with the Kai foil on.  He caught a few more and I rode several and we got out of synch where I was paddling back from a ride, and I saw him take a wave - the whitewater caught him and he lost his balance.  Instead of falling away from the foil, he taco'd and fell right between the board and the foil.  He came up and was checking his teeth.  I got close to him and he seemed already  -just checking things overs.  I told him there were scratches on his chin and he was bleeding, so he should paddle in.

Back at the truck, we checked the board over and he put his chin through the bottom deck.  You win some - you lose some.  I'm just glad that 1. He is fine; 2. He wants to get back out there.

As a proud Gen X'er I have tons of scars and memories of cutting my head open (kiteboard), splitting my big toe open (putting my foot through a board coming down off a kite jump), putting my thigh into a coral head (kiting), cutting my shoulder open (foiling), and dinging more boards than I can remember with all my limbs.  That's part of enjoying the ride.  As a father, I don't want to see my kids get hurt - but I know these things happen - booms hitting heads, foils cutting skin, dinging boards, falling while riding, wipeouts, and more.  

I got several fun rides - nothing out of the ordinary - but still fun and Marlon had a blast too - dawn patrol on the foil tomorrow (but Marlon will be on the 5'6" since I have to repair the 5'2").