Anointment of No.32, Part 1

Today was the day No.32 touched water and saw action.

Good day for it - it was windy and shifty.  Swinging from the NE to E, at pretty good speeds.

I only brought the SW2 5.2 - but probably could have used the 4.7.

I had three separate mini sessions to get positions dialed in on the new board.

The picture below is in reverse order.  And the first entry was short by 10 minutes because I forgot to start the GPS tracking.

I'll also only post the wind chart on this entry - but it covers all three foil swaps.

First up was the legendary Takuma Kujira 1210.

The position I transferred from No.32 was spot on.

It's hard to see the individual tracks/transitions, but I actually pulled way more tacks than jibes today.  I need to keep on practicing the toe-heel tacks to make them smoother, but I'm making most of them now.

No surprise on the top speed on this foil -

Good ol' reliable foil!  Made the first turn a heel-toe tack (actually this turn) 

Turns out this board is a sinker.  What a difference an inch of length and 2 inches of waist makes on volume!

One of the many toe-heel tacks

This is going to be a great board!!!  It just needs good wind since it is a sinker.

Successful anointment!!!

W:91/F:85/S:35

Wing Foiling Session - 8/29/2023

The wind was up and down during today's session.  Eli, Roland and Prayot were out to cultivate some stoke..

The tide was really high - +2.6' - thanks to the Super Blue Moon

And there were some decent waves coming through - head high on several occasions.

But the wind was a little bit flukey.

I thought it would be a hair stronger, so I brought the Kujira 980/178 stab on the Stringy fuselage.

At times it felt like I needed more lift - even though this is where I have historically set this foil.

Not too bad for an hour's worth of winging.

I tried to stay further towards Fenceline to keep in the flow of the wind.  It was a dead zone in front of the surfboard rental shack.

Not bad - but it's hard to rig for these kind of ups and downs.

Again not bad.  The Kujira 980 did feel a bit unstable today - but I'm going to say it was the small chop riding the backwash and having to ride through that stuff.

Prayot saw a pretty big shark in the surf zone.  I had already gone in by that point (La wanted to run some errands tonight - so I wanted to get home early).

The wind is supposed to build up for the next several days (until Saturday).  So winging until Sunday (then it'll be Foil Driving time for Sunday and Monday).

W:87/F:82/S:32

Wing Foiling Session - 8/7/2023

The wind was ripping, the surf was up, and the tide was deep enough to not have to paddle out too far - perfect conditions to stoke the adrenal gland!!!!

Prayot, Kalani and Roland winged

I pumped up the Reedin SW2 3.6 (first time) - this design is the best line of wings I've ever used.  Roland pumped up his F One Strike V3 4.0 for the first time also.

I felt perfectly powered whether in a slamming gust, or the prevailing nuking background level winds - and during the session there was one wave where I got smashed and dragged in the white water - the leash was pushed into the trailing edge - no issue with the leash attachment or the trailing edge.  I love the SW2s!

I pulled out the Kujira 980 - this foil was the right call for today's turbulent conditions.  Being smaller it also helped eat up some of the wind power.

Roland accidentally kicked his foil and it bit back... lots of deep cuts lately... (I actually just got my stitches cut out today).

Not a bad run in challenging conditions!

I had a few overhead waves (that's while on foil).  On one run out, I saw a sailboat that was making a run and made a close approach to where we were winging.  I went out to take a look because it looked like they had the main sail up on the opposite side of where it should have been.  They jibed and headed back out.

Kalani and I were on one wave and he made this sick jump - probably 10 feet above me and I was in the pit of an overhead breaking wave!

This graph is from Hickam.  At WPB it seemed to be stronger and more consistent.

Not a bad top speed either.  If the wind was a hair more from the east, I think I would have gone faster.  

Epic winging day!!!

Tomorrow since this wind event is supposed to peak, I may go to Hickam after work (safer in the harbor).

W:76/F:71/S:31

Race Day!!!

Roland and I participated in the Voyager x Wetfeet Downwind Challenge race today.  Lots of competitors.

I wasn't sure about the finish line and whether there would be coral heads or not - so I opted for the Takuma Kujira 980/178/Stringy Direct Bolt fuselage on the 100cm Project Cedrus Clydesdale mast.  The wind looked pretty gnarly so I also picked the Reedin SW2 5.2 wing.  

This was the short stint out to the start line.  There were some waves breaking in the area near the channel - I had to sampo a couple of them.

This was a "everyone sit on your board, wings and paddles down" start.  After I got up, I pretty much stayed in the regular foot stance for most of the race.  The long mast really helped - I fell 3x, the first being a lull in the wind, the second was a ventilation, and the third was getting caught in really crossed up chop.  I did switch to goofy as I was closing in on Diamondhead - I figured I had a good line on the finish buoy and could lean over more when I rounded the buoy.

I swear I was going faster than this...

This was the wind at the airport - I think it was blowing much hard between HK and Suis.

The finish line was getting swamped with big sets coming through - timing was everything.  I made it through without incident and even got to ride a wave in - but there were wingers that missed the channel and needed to be pulled off with a jetski assist.

Roland finished the race also.  He didn't use his tall mast, but wished he had.  He switched tactics midstream and just started to ride the swell and flag the wing.

Fun day!!!

W:59/F:57/S:28

Wing Foiling Session - 3/25/2023

But this is the real reason I didn't get skunked.

After coming home from Kailua, La and I checked out the Lineup Wave Pool at the end of the neighborhood access road.  It was crowded so we didn't get down, but behind it I could see the whitecaps out on the ocean.  No question what I did after that...

When I got to the parking lot, Eli was already breaking his gear down.  He said he was using his small wing, but that the wind had started dropping.  I walked over to the beach and the wind had almost gone calm at the beach - but you can see the texture outside.

I setup the Kujira 1210 on the 85cm Project Cedrus mast, the Stringy direct bolt fuselage and pumped up the RS 6.1.  There was a big cloud overhead so I figured the conditions would turn around.  The wind hadn't come up but I went ahead and paddled out.

It did come up and I had a great time for over an hour.

Derek came out (and like always was taking pictures - these came from his upload to a What's App group.

The waves were fun!  Rollers coming in, but not death defying.

I got almost 14 miles in during the 1.3 hours the wind was blowing.

I felt some shifting in the rig... turns out the front foil screws were loosening up.

Honestly the way the wind felt - this was a thermal.

I'll take it!  I can't complain about any of the water time activities I've been doing lately - but getting to wing is always special.

W:29/F:20/S:17

Dawn Patrol - 12/26/2022

Marlon and I dawn patrolled on Monday.  I was hoping for some residual surf similar in size to Christmas Day (evening), but even if it was there the super high tide drowned it out.  It was still ridable, and in fact it was pretty fun - but it wasn't the same as the evening before.

Marlon brought his longboard, but opted to pilot his drone.  Funny story - his girlfriend's family saw him sitting on the other side of the fence and went over to chat with him.  I was wondering why the drone wasn't out for a while.

I brought out the Kujira 1095 mounted on the direct bolt Stringy fuselage, one of my thinned out rear stabilizers and had it on the 75cm Project Cedrus mast.  I had a blast catching several waves.  It was funny that the 178 rear stabilizer can pump, but with my rear stabilizer I have to work it.  I did get several doubles - but it got crowded.  I called it when newbie longboarders were moving into the foiling spot and were complaining about wavestormers pushing them out...

W:127/F:100/S:44

Wing Foiling Session - 10/29/2022

My phone started making a lot of noise around 11 - the Hickam crew were buzzing that there was some good wind filling in.  I got there at 12:30 and the wind was strong.

I brought No.25, the 85cm PC mast, the 1095/178 on the Stringy direct bolt fuselage.  With the wind, I pumped up the Reedin SWX 5.2 - this was a change from the normal equipment (but the wind seemed steadier and stronger than normal).

Lots of people winging today - Jesse had come and gone, Ryan, Bill, Ken, Jim, Harris and others.

By the time I got out (ended up talking with Ryan about where power comes from in wings, stabilizer size with Harris, and board attributes with Bill), the wind was in a lull so I had to schlog out for a bit before I got up on foil.

I usually warm up on the inside, but I just made my way out to Firsts.

The surf was fun sized, and with the steady wind, the 1095 was in its prime!  I got several waves getting to carve up and down open face - and I even got a full speed tack onto a wave (rare here at Hickam because of the wind direction.

The SWX 5.2 was a good wing to have up today - until towards the end of the session.  The wind fell off for an extended period of time, and I got stuck for a bit until I picked up a gust and got to head in.

The wing tip hit 3x today when I was on a starboard tack - I lost the wing since it twisted out of my hands (and I'd have to reset and takeoff again).  I don't recall having that happen that many times in one session before.  It may be that I haven't used this wing in a while.

I really enjoy using the 1095 - it has great lift and it carves exceptionally well.  As with all the Kujiras, it cuts through white water and turbulence and maintains lift (where other foils would drop).  The wind was just shy of being able to jump, so I didn't bother.  My left elbow and my right wrist aren't 100% either - so the rear foot strap was pretty much just in the way.  I eventually worked it out that my right foot while sailing out would just sit in front of the foot strap - when riding regular foot stance on a wave (I nabbed three waves where I was able to pull it off today), I'd have my foot in the strap and pushed towards the back.

I actually prefer to have the ability to move my back foot around as needed.  It is also one less thing to worry about while tacking/jibing.  After I got back to the parking lot, I just took it off.  FOR FUTURE REFERENCE, THE FOOT STRAP WAS ON THE FIRST HOLE (COULD POSSIBLE GO ON THE SECOND HOLE TO BE MORE NEUTRAL).

I've been riding shorter boards than I normally would lately - lots of reworking muscle memory and foot placement, but in the end, this extra work should give me more options.  I have now been contemplating converting No.26 into a high wind sinker wing foiling board...

Really fun session!!!

W:102/F:93/S:34

Wing Foiling Session - 8/13/2022

 The thermals kicked in yesterday afternoon (when the forecast called for nothing).  Despite my arms screaming at me for a solid rest, I was compelled to head out.  Roland and Brian were already out - Roland on his 4.0 Score and Brian out on his 5.2 Score.  The wind didn't look that strong - so I pumped up my RS 6.1 and bolted on the Kujira 1440.  I didn't want to jump or get frustrated trying to get up on the board - so I used the wide wing foiling board - perfect call on everything!!!

There were waves coming in every 15 minutes or so.  This day something else clicked - I was able to luff the RS wing without any issue.  Whenever I had tried to do that before, the wing would start to push down in an ugly way.  Maybe it was the wind direction - maybe it was the wing material breaking in - whatever it was this wing is now one of the top 3 I've ever used!

Marlon was flying the drone for a bit, but he had to leave - at which time I proceeded to catch a monster wave on the outside.  I luffed the wing and rode it going right all the way to the inside of where the surfers were lined up past Fenceline.  I was up high on the foil and the wave was still a few feet overhead.  I only saw three of these sized waves come through - and I got the biggest one.  Luffing was key to being able to ride that wave so long - everything came together for this one (the wave pictured below was not the monster I'm describing - it's just one of the pictures Marlon was able to take while he was there). 

Brian was ripping as usual.  Roland had a harder time with the 4.0 wing.  They said when they got there earlier, the wind was nuking - lots of whitecaps and the trees were pegged.

My watch died halfway through the session - so I don't think any of this data caught the big wave ride.

The wind direct was good for WPB winging - runs were straight in and straight back out with the more easterly pattern.

Yesterday was a magical session that will be burned in my brain forever!

W:85/F:68/S:18

Wing Foiling Session - 8/12/2022

Knowing the waves were headed down in size, and that the wind would be iffy - I headed to Hickam after work.  The mission today was to get the Kujira 1440 dialed in on No.25.  The last time I took this setup out, it didn't feel right.  It was drifty and the foil didn't feel like it was engaging properly.

I set the mast back a little further, and I took off the plastic rear stabilizer shim.  Well - that did the trick!

This setup works perfectly now!

There was a lot of north in the wind today - made for a lot of up wind hauling to get close to the launch point.  Besides trying to dial in the lower set, the other objective I wanted to hit was some inbound, toe to heel tacks.  I tried three times and half landed one.

There were some significant lulls in all of this wind.

For a testing day, the conditions were great.  But with just tiny waves at Firsts and the lulls throughout, I'll credit this day with getting the Stringy direct mount fuselage all dialed in!

This was probably the last day with wind - time to rest my arms....

W:84/F:67/S:18