Dawn Patrol - 2/17/2025

Today is La and my 24th Wedding Anniversary!  I don't know where all that time went - it's been awesome and it all has gone by so fast!

That said, La did go to sleep late and she it was fine for me to dawn patrol!

Conditions were not perfect by a long shot - onshore wind (not quite strong enough to wing on regular gear - maybe light wind stuff), but there were still waves to be ridden and a decent high tide. 

4th session now on No.40 - this board is so awesome!!!

Same gear as the prior sessions with two exceptions.  I've got the V2 motor with the 20cm cable (so I could lower the pod), and a "no tape" cable guide that I 3D printed from PETG.

The cable guide worked perfectly.

The V2 motor is smooth as silk and runs quieter than my original Max motor.

Full house this morning in front of the Cabins - Shari, Dennis, Eddy, Kalani, Jason, Marvin and Robby.

Despite the less than ideal conditions, I was catching whichever waves had a small pocket.  Lots of cranking turns and I did pump back out on several waves.

I did try efoiling a few times and with the motor pod lowered a notch, it was easier and smoother.  With two batteries now I can now start practicing this more deliberately (and just change out the batteries).

Twenty-two rides in under two hours - about average now.

Super fun this morning!!!

It might be time to break out the wings again pretty soon.

W:9/FD:30/PW:1/S:1

Dawn Patrol - 2/16/2025

Dawn patrolled Cabins at WP again this morning.  A lot choppier conditions today.  It eventually calm down a hair - but the first half of the session was super challenging.

This board does everything I ask of it.  Same setup as yesterday.

Two hours on a single battery, without having to paddle in between waves - the High Output battery is awesome!

Waves were harder to ride on the outside.  And the sets that were pulling through early seemed to back off a little.  Then I followed Marvin and Dennis to the inside and my wave count shot up.

25 rides in 2 hours.

Time to add the extra grip pads and sticker this board up!!!

W:9/FD:29/PW:1/S:1

Dawn Patrol and the Anointment of No.40 - 2/15/2025

This was yesterday morning's dawn patrol session - which was also the anointment of No.40!

Fun waves - but a little chop on the water surface.  Nice high tide made launching pretty easy (although I did drag the fuselage under the tail on the bottom for a second).

This board is just easy to use.  Where No.39 is a racehorse (built to go fast), No.40 is a shredder - to me it just feels like it wants to ride waves.

I ran two batteries today - first was the High Output, then the Max Power battery.

Immediate impression - this board is KILLER!!!   With the volume forward, takeoff feels more like the surfboards I've been using lately - so that makes me want to drive this board harder into the turns.

And with all the squiggly lines - there were lots of turns to be had.

Twenty-four waves in this session.

I went in and changed out the battery so I could get a back-to-back comparison (first time I've done this).

With roughly 1/3 less time out in the water, and getting to the same point battery charge-wise, I'd say there is a noticeable difference in capacity between the two batteries.

I did change the foil position slightly - and where it ended up was perfect.  The takeoff is progressive (just like on No.34 - so that is a factor of this bottom shape).  This will be important come summer and the waves get bigger.  This is in contrast to No.39 where the takeoff is faster (and it feels more like I have to manage front foot pressure).

19 rides in an hour!!!!

It feels really satisfying when a board build ends this well!!!

W:9/FD:28/PW:1/S:1

Dawn Patrol (on Marlon's 18th Birthday)

I dragged Marlon out of bed on this, the morning of the beginning of his 19th trip around the great fusion reactor we orbit (Happy 18th Birthday Marlon!!!!).  La had decorated the living room and since his presents are surf related, I gave it to him as he woke up (we are getting him a longboard blank, enough innegra and epoxy to glass this new board - but we also got him a new wetsuit vest), but he was still wanting to go back to sleep.  I talked him into going.

We got there and the wind was brisk, but from the North so the waves were groomed clean.  Belly high wrap from the NW swell on the sets, with a fuller tide to boot (better for me on the foil).  Marlon said he thought it would be too cold, so he wanted to stay on the beach.  I told him I'd catch three waves and come back in.

The other Victor that surfs this beach was also out.

The HS1550/300/72/60 combo is super versatile - here it makes something out of nothing.

I came in after this wave and Marlon had changed his mind about going out.  I saw him ride some of the bigger waves that came in - cheater five going backside, hang 5, clinging to the pocket - he said it was totally worth it (and he stayed just the right temperature with the new vest).

Happy Birthday Marlon!!!!