Ground Handling - 8/11/2025

I didn't feel like hitting the beach yesterday - so I loaded up the single skin parawings and went looking for a spot to do some ground handling.

I ended up at a spot near the Wai Kai lagoon.

I spent a lot of time with all three of the PWs - getting to know more what is different about each one.

Then I finally got around to adjusting the Maliko 5.1 bar to match the line positions on the Maliko 4.0 bar.

This lightened up the bar pressure somewhat, while still having a more direct feel (which I actually prefer to the "looser" feeling of the Ka'a on its shorter, 2 point connection bar).

You can also see how keeping the A and B lines closer helps improve the "stability" of the parawing (and depowering is collapsing the back of the PW - reducing the effective lift generating surface area) - none of this is new.  But I am definitely gaining a better understanding of the controlling principles. 

And thus the importance in my mind of ground handling. Make it second nature and when you are out on the water, everything will be easier (or at least you'll know what is going on and why).

Garage Works - 6/14/2025

I installed this parawing harness hook onto the NSI parawing pouch belt.  It works well!  I'll try it out on the water next time I go parawinging.

And I got a lot of work done on No.41

This is the carbon strips I'll apply to the bottom for stiffening.

And here they are installed.

I sanded that laminate smooth and then prepared to place the bottom on.

The first batch of epoxy cooked off a little quick - and I may have ruined a few areas of the bottom laminate.  I'll check tomorrow - if I need to I'll sand of the bad spots, and relaminate.

If I knock this out in the morning, I should be able to laminate the top deck tomorrow as well.  With all the extra work going into this build, it better perform well...

Parawing Practice - 6/9/25

The pau hana session was split into two today.

First up was parawing practice.  I actually look forward to the times where the conditions are good for winging the parawings.  The more you handle this equipment, the more you develop the muscle memory to get the most out of them when you are on a board.

I put the Maliko 4.0 up first.  I wanted to make sure the new bar was tuned nicely and the wind was strong and steady enough to get it to fly nicely.

The bar was tuned well.  My front hand in between the A and B connection points actually felt really good.  The rigid harness line from BRM also worked perfectly.

I took the 4.0 down and went to the truck to grab the winging harness, and then I put up the Ka'a 4.8 

If I were to have gone out today, I would have used this PW.  I didn't PW today because the waves were bigger than I prefer while PWing (still a noobie).

Here's where the harness line balanced out - just in front of both the connection points.

Practicing flying the PWs on land is a good thing!

Garage Works - 6/5/2025

And this is perhaps the real reason I didn't go in the water today... lots of mail came in with goodies!

This is an EVA carbon bar for the BRM Maliko 4.0

First up was pulling the A lines connection point back

Then I got the bridle lines moved over.

And I also got a BRM rigid harness line.  It's pretty ingenious to use clove hitches to secure the line to the bar

And then this - Evolution Cedrus Surf mast with the Foil Drive mount holes precut into the mast base plate...

This one can pull double duty as a parawing mast also.  I need to order some more parts to use this for FD - but I'm glad to have this in the stable!

Evening Parawing Session - 6/3/2025

Nearly perfect conditions for parawinging (with the modified Maliko 4.0) today at da' Plains!

And I stopped being a chicken with regards to using the Dragonfly with the parawing.  The AFS Enduro 1300/HA43, Project Cedrus 78cm mast rounded out the gear selection for today.

Zach was already out on his windsurfer.  Duke pulled up in the parking lot while I was getting the mast bolted on.  And Roland came out closer to when I headed in.

The wind was good - I probably would have been on a 4.8 wing

The parawing was actually really good - wider range, more responsive, stayed in the air way more easily, and a wide sweet spot.  That mod was a game changer.

This was the first time I parawinged and didn't have to do a massive paddle back to shore!!!

Takeoffs were easier.

I jibed and rarely messed up.

I was able to switch over after jibes, and switch back on the inside to jibe back out.

The only thing that would have made this session better was using a harness - when the gusts blew through, my grip was definitely tested (and my forearms are still sore as I am writing this).

The takeoffs were less tractor pull and more positioning (which was probably the case all the time - I'm just realizing it now).

This was the best parawing session I've had to date!!!  The chart actually looks almost like a winging session (which means I was up on foil more than I was down).

W:42/FD:80/PW:8/S:4

Modified BRM Maliko V1 4.0

I didn't feel like getting in the water today.  But I did hit the beach to test out how the BRM Maliko 4.0 with the modified bar connection worked.

I really like how this parawing flies now!

Well behaved

More range

More agile than other parawing brands (the Flow D Wing - now I'm going to have to do a back to back)

It flies a lot like the BRM Ka'a 4.8

Where I used to have a ton of hesitancy in bringing out the parawings, I'm actually excited to get this out on the water now!!!