Wing Foiling Session - 7/15/2022

Afternoon winging session at Hickam after work.  I picked up Kalani at the NEX parking lot and we were setting up around 3pm.  The wind was steadier than it had been, but lighter also.  I opted for the Kujira 1440 and the RS 6.1

Correct call on the gear (finally).

Kalani used his 6.0 SW2 - but should have opted for the bigger front foil.

The tide was really full again so I went over the reef instead of through the channel.  There were some waves coming through - but not from the epic sized swell that is supposed to be on it's way.  

Even though it was on the light side, this has been the best wind all week (ENE and relatively steady).

Most of the knock downs I had were while I was trying to figure out how I had tacked this wing before.  Where it had been super easy before, I was back winding a lot the past few days.  Eventually I re-figured it out (gotta get the front of the wing up higher).

I'm not sure I believe the max speed from the runs today.

This weekend will see a supersized south swell hit and the remnants of Hurricane Darby pass to the south of us (bringing strong winds).

W:66/F:61/S:17

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 - 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 - 5/15/2021

The wind was picking up through the day - so after I took another ding repair/board modification job (Tim's Pyzel again) - I headed over to Hickam.  I had a lot going on and pretty much got skunked.

When I first went out, I was trying out the Chameleon harness and Chinook harness line on the Ensis 5.2.  I had high expectations of the wind and bolted on the HA1125/232.  But I forgot to move the mast forward from the HS1850 position and had figured I might as well ride out once and back just to get the feeling on a poorly set mast/foil.  I did try out the harness and I wasn't feeling it.  And the wind looked really funny - not coming from the typical direction but more from the north.

That was just the beginning.  I did make it back in from the first run - and took off the harness and harness line, then moved the mast all the way forward.

I spent the next hour trying to get back to the launch.  The wind pretty much DIED and I was having to work hard to keep my balance on the board and then try and catch every little puff of wind.  I don't want to paint the picture I wasn't riding - but that was the exception and not the norm today.  Here's proff I was up on foil.

             And I even got several transitions in - here I am mid-tack - I love turning while winging!!!

On the left hand tracks, you can see how "north" the wind was.

I was out from 2:30 to just after 4.  You can see the huge lulls in the wind chart below.

I only got up to 15.1 kts - it sure felt like I was going faster (once I was up on foil).  Looking at the graph below, today was pretty much the opposite of yesterday - only a little bit of riding and a whole lot of schlogging.

Despite the huge levels of frustration, I recognize today was really good training for light wind situations.  If I had the Ensis 6.0 and the HS1850/chopped 300, I would have been better equipped.

I was tricked by the weather forecasters!!!

Wing Foiling Session - 12/27/2020

La and the kids were headed to go sailing - so I hitch hiked and got dropped off at Hickam.  The wind was supposed to be strong enough to comfortably stay up on foil - it wasn't.

My back is still sore at this point, but I babied it and headed out anyways.

I ended up getting to the wind line, riding out to the channel, but then getting stuck for a long while on the outside.  After a mix of paddling, schlogging and popping up every now and then, I finally got some wind.  I got a few runs back and forth to get upwind and then called it.  With my range of motion a little limited, I did not land a single turn today - super frustrating (but still fun just being out on the water).

Thursday, Friday and Saturday are supposed to be strong wind days.  I may try and hit WPB this next go around.