Wing Foiling Session - 10/9/2023

After running errands, I got a chance to get a winging session in this afternoon (yup - a full fledged double dip!!!)

It was white capping when I pulled up to the parking lot - and it stayed that way while I was launching.

The tide was on the higher side, but it was going to drop through the afternoon.

There were waves, but they were small.  Every now and then, there was a good set that came through - but it was lully. 

I setup No.32, the F One SK8 950/C200 stab/85cm Project Cedrus mast.

I had to hand pump the SW2 5.2 wing today  (electric pump battery died).

Really good stats!

The SK8 is really smooth.  I can maneuver in the pocket easily - similar to the Spitfire, but smoother (the Spitfire seems to crank through a turn easier than the SK8 - but the ride is more raw/visceral).

I need to work on completing them, but the tacks I pulled offshore were super tight.

I had plenty of wind all throughout the session.

I felt like I was riding more efficiently on the SK8 than I had been previously.  I also did just get a C195 rear stabilizer in the mail (I'll try that out next time).

Again - nice statistics.

Roland did show up (after I had been out for an hour and 20 minutes already).  And as I was headed in, Derek was on his way out.

I had a great session today - and it might be the last for several days...

W:103/F:93/S:42

Dawn Patrol - 10/8/2023

Noe has a flute performance today so I knew I didn't have time to Foil Drive.  And the time was low so I didn't want to prone foil.  Along those lines, I have actually been having lots of fun getting back into surfing with really short boards - so I'm not looking at this as a compromise - it is what I've been looking forward to doing.

If you keep doing the same thing over and over again, your learning eventually slows down.  I feel like that is where I am with foiling - so moving to super short boards is definitely a way to freshen things up.

I took the H2 Sweet Potato out again and kept the Mackie keels on.  I caught a handful of waves in the short window I had - and they were so much fun.  Using the fins to derive more speed out of wave, and then converting that speed into torque as I crank a hard turn - this simple act is so addictive.

When I first got to the beach, the waves were stacked up and it was really consistent.  After an hour, the waves started to back off - but I had already caught a handful of super fun waves and I called it a session.

Now I can go about my day (because my stoke meter is pegged to full)!

W:102/F:93/S:41

Evening Session - 10/6/2023

Got home from work and did some errands in the yard.  After that, what better way to start the weekend than getting in a surf session!

Marlon brought out his longboard and headed off to Middles.

I brought the Volcanic Sweet Potato - and I ripped!!!

I finally got to put in the Hess Noriega Keels from True Ames.

Obviously these keels have more release than the Mackie's I've been using in the Helium Sweet Potato.  Different feel but just as fun!!!

I caught plenty of waves - actually pretty ridiculous considering the size of this board.  The best one was belly high and I got in some roundhouse top turns and rebounding projected bottom turns.

I think my surfing has actually gotten better because of the Sweet Potato rides.

I never thought I'd still be shredding on a shortboard in my 50s - but here I am shredding daily!!!!  I love this shit!!!!!

W:102/F:92/S:39

Evening Session - 3/15/2023

Small surf today - but if you were patient, there were some gems.

I decided to use the Sweet Potato.  I actually got several waves and was able to crank some hard turns on my last one - full stand up ripping!!!

This board makes waist high slop really fun!

W:28/F:16/S:15

Evening Session - 3/10/2023

I hit WPB to go prone foiling today - Roland said yesterday was really good - chest to head high and clean.  Today was probably belly high and clean.  This picture is of Roland and Duke splitting a wave.

I bolted this foil on - the Uni Vyper 170.  Accompanying the front foil was the medium (33cm) fuse and the 15" KD Maui rear stabilizer.

This foil rocks!  For as small as it is, it has some carry, but even in the small waves, I could throw this thing around.  On one turn, I got the foil half out of the water.  On another wave, I was bouncing between two sections - and the board was coming around hard and fast.  This foil is going to be my go to when the waves get chest to well overhead.

I started out with the foil mounted halfway in the tracks.  I moved it twice and ended up with it jammed as far forward as it would go.  This is the second front foil I've used that has pegged the tracks... I'm going to have to shape another board now - longer length like this one for smaller days, but thinner and with the tracks mounted 2" forward from this position (looking at the markings, I don't use foils that go that far back - funny how quick foils and skills have changed).

Looking forward to using this in higher winds also.

W:27/F:15/S:13

Wing Foiling Session - 9/26/2021

Today was a big day.  Hickam had really good wind and I had decided to run some trials on the Go Foils (to see if the performance is better than the Armstrongs) - perfect conditions for starting this test.  I committed to multiple runs while altering only one variable and making notes on what was going on.

While packing, I was bolting on the 32.5" Go Foil mast and noticed the front of the boxes on the NWFB had busted.  No doubt from the prior incident here at Hickam (that run just keeps dishing out bad news... hopefully that was the last - and I'm going to have to dig the current boxes out to properly fix the board - ughhhhhhhh).  Good thing I still have the Wide Wing Foiling Board (WWFB).

The wind had a lot of east in it.  The tide was deep enough to not have to worry about grounding anywhere. I started out with the Ensis 5.2 and the GL180.

Surprisingly I nailed the mast positioning on the first try.  And the GL180 performed well - transitions were decent - had tripped a couple of times, but early on - later in the session I was nailing everything.  Nice tracks (I love easterly winds!!!).  

You can see the trips (botched transitions) below.  It felt like I was up on foil significantly more than when I was on the Armstrong.  This is actually consistent with what I've observed with Eli and Derek - they hardly touch down the entire session.

Next run saw the GL180 replaced with the NL160.  This is where things got really exciting!  The NL160 does almost everything better than the GL180 (except gliding - but turns were visceral and I literally would hang in the pocket next to the breaking section of the wave - I had my best three waves at Firsts today!!!).  This front foil can wing surf better than any other foil I've used to date - I could turn really well with the HS1550 - but I could not run down waves like I could with the NL160, and the NL turns better.  I broke the 20mph barrier on the foil to boot.  

I went in again to mix it up again.  With the wind as strong as it was, I wanted to see if the 4.5 could produce good rides with the NL160.  I was not disappointed - 3 mph slower, and the wing would do flips occasionally while luffed - but not having to handle a larger wing was nice.  I got fewer epic wave rides this run - but I think that was more due the changing conditions as opposed to the smaller wing.

My verdict - if I had to choose one today, I'd keep the Go Foil over the Armstrong - it just works better with the conditions I find a majority of the time.  I will need to test the GL210 and the PNL185 in lighter winds before I can start selling off the Armstrong foils.

The rear stabilizer was singing the whole session.  I normal don't go as fast as I did today while prone foiling.  Also I don't stay up on foil as long so I hadn't noticed this before.

I did not move the mast from this setting - I'll mark it and use normal M8 25mm bolts now.

If you are guilty of knocking Go Foil, you really should try the NL series (or even the GL) - these are game changers!!!

Wing Foiling Session - 6/30/2021

The trades are back!!!!  Hit Hickam after work.  Pumped up the 5.2 and rigged the HS1850/85 mast.60 A+ fuse/232 on to the WWFB.  There were two guys out when I pulled up - one had a Duotone Echo and the other had a Slick.  There was also a guy named Zack that came up - he had a prototype Uni wing made of Aluula.  It was a 6 meter and it was super light.  I still love my Ensis.  Knowing the wind is going to be up for the next several days, I also rigged up the harness line and my Dakine Chameleon Harness.

I started out by riding on the inside - wanted to shake the cobwebs off, get some turns in and start playing around with the harness.  The wind was definitely up and strong, but there were a few lulls, and because of all my tweaking the harness line, I drifted down a little.  I went ahead and headed out to Firsts.  There was a fresh swell hitting and I got drawn out.

My turns outside were really fun - with the stronger winds, I was pulling tacks and not coming down at all.  The waves were coming in at a decent pace - I caught several, but the HS1850 was a little slow to keep out in front of the waves consistently.  I might try to use the HS1250 tomorrow.  I'll give up some ability to pop up in the lulls, but I'll have more speed and maneuverability on the waves. I caught a few bombs and it was surreal!  Lots going on while catch a big wave on a foil, going goofy foot with a wing in tow.

I was out from 3:45 to about 6.  The 5.2 was perfect for today and my arms aren't as nuked because I'd use the harness on longer runs.  I'm going to have to work on this but I noticed that while I was using the harness, I didn't have the same "connected to the board" feeling that I had while unhooked.  And I also didn't have the same reaction time to gusts (and I seemed to drop off foil more when hooked in).

My top speed was 15 knots - probably on a wave.  Super fun and I am glad the forecast is calling for strong winds all the way out to next Wednesday at least!!!!

Noe Charging

And this is Noe and one of her sailing partners ripping on a 420!

This is pretty darn cool!  Not as cool as wing foiling - but pretty darn close.

Evening Session - 10/7/2020

Marlon pulled a dawn patrol and had some other things to do this evening, so I hit WPB on a solo mission.  From the sound of it, he had it bigger than I did - 2' overhead.  I had some head high waves so there was still plenty of energy out there.

I brought out the same setup as yesterday and I got the same results - absolutely mind blowing perfection!

I caught 7 really long waves - from the way outside all the way in.  Then I had to paddle all the way back out - multiple times (great exercise).  According to my watch, I got a 722' long wave (and three others over 500') - shattering my previous single wave distance record.  And I got to over 13mph on all the waves - maxing out at 13.8 (if you believe my watch).  It is hard to describe the feeling of flying along a wave face, making tight radius turns and freely flowing between sections - so much fun!