Dawn Patrol Foil Drive-ing - 4/28/2025

Two battery dawn patrol at Hickam this morning!!!

First session - super glassy conditions and the swell was pushing good energy into Firsts!!!

I used the same setup as yesterday, but swapped out the Silk 142 rear stabilizer for the HA40.  I left the mast where I had marked it from yesterday.

And what a difference!!!  This setup was perfect in every way!!!  Super hard turns and fluid transitions.

After yesterday's adjustments, I was a little puzzled by the position the Silk 850 ended up being in (further back than the Enduro 900).  I stuck with it and with the HA40, it was spot on target!

You can see all the turning I was doing and even that they were tight.  It is amazing what changing one small detail can do!

13 rides by speed and distance measures.

And while I was in for a battery change out, I went ahead and switched out the foil to the Enduro 900 (with the HA40 rear stabilizer).

I originally set the mast where I had it marked off for the E900 previously.

I ended up changing it multiple times - pretty much after every couple of waves.

I did cross over to Seconds and caught some fun bombs over there.  The rest of the time I was at Firsts replicating the first run.  There was also an onshore breeze kicking up early (so not as glassy as the first session).

I had originally thought the Enduro 900 setup where I had it was the best turning foil I've ever used.  And after the final adjust I would say the Enduro 900 properly setup is one of the most versatile foils I've ever used - it turns almost as hard as the Silk 850 (and not nearly as effortlessly), and it can glide through soft sections with very little effort.  I can also pump it out way better than the Silk 850, and by the data charts - given the same conditions, the Enduro is faster.  But the Silk 850 rolls so much better than the Enduro - so the Silk takes the carving crown!!!

15 rides by both metrics.

It was a full house today!  Dennis, myself, Bill, Jesse, Grant, and Arvin pretty much spent the entire time trading waves.  Super fun sessions today!!!

I'm counting this as two sessions today even though I was at the same spot.

W:31/FD:63/PW:1/S:4

Wing Foiling Session - 4/12/2025

Headed to Hickam to avoid the low tide shenanigans.

Wind was strong but swirly and full of holes.

There were waves at Seconds and occasionally at Firsts.

Zach, Matt, Prayot, Arvin, and others were out enjoying the conditions.

I did some research today.

I started with the AFS Silk 850 and the rebuilt 142 rear stabilizer.  I wanted to see if the slight ridges would make a difference in the resonance.

And after the first session I changed out the lower set to the AFS Ultra HA 750 and HA38 rear stabilizer to see if the balance point I defined last time I had this foil out was still valid, and if the tuning on the HA38 worked (the goal is to run silent).

And the wind was strong when I was setting up - not strong enough for the North Nova Pro 4.2, but plenty for the Mode Pro 4.8

Lots of ups and downs

First session running the Silk 850

The stab felt fine, but it did make some noise.  Next time I mix epoxy, I'll place some to get rid of the slight depressions/ridges where I had to splice on the carbon.

The waves were breaking better at Seconds today. 

Towards the end of the session, I did a few speed runs - this was a surprise.

And this was the second session.

Looks like I could pull a higher angle to the wind with the Ultra (not a surprise).  The other thing I wanted to get a better sense of was how well the Ultra surfs.

The Ultra can surf - but it is not nearly as fluid as the Silk (or even the Enduro).  If you are wondering - it's glide is off the charts.  That would make downwind runs a dream with this foil - but it is good to know it doesn't take ridiculous amounts of wind to get this foil up and that it can surf.

And this is a surprise - same day, nearly the same time and the Silk went faster.

I found out later than Prayot put his stabilizer into his wing strut while jumping.  He had to paddle for the taxiway, climb on and get his board secured, then went back for his wing.  Long walk.

W:28/FD:54/PW:1/S:4

Wing Foiling Session - 3/8/2025

Testing day - getting more foil positions lined up on No.40

Wind was super gusty.  Tide is pretty inconsequential at Hickam.

I used the North Mode Pro 5.5 for everything today.  Small foils need lots of power.  And this wing likes action at the upper end of it's range (meaning it is hard to overpower).

I setup the F One SK8 750 first.  Second session was with the F One Eagle 690.  And rounding out the day was the AFS Pure Race 560

The wind spread was all over the place - near glass to plowing past 30. 

The only time I headed out to Firsts was with the SK8 750.

Arvin was out when I winged up.

I was able to get a few hook tacks - feels so good!!!!

And the top speed was pretty impressive.

Next up was the Eagle 690.  I haven't used this foil much as the wind doesn't get to the speeds where I could use it with an appropriately sized wing - this outing was one of the first times I went bigger than I should have to power up the smaller foils 

This foil handles well above 22mph

And getting up to 25.2 mph wasn't uncomfortable.  It transitioned without drama and I think I could have had the Mode Pro 4.8 up and still got similar results.

And before I got too tired, I switched out to the smallest foil I have - the AFS Pure Race 560

Super long monocoque single piece fuselage.

This foil is not as hard as you would think to get up.  You still need a strong gust, but nothing crazy.

I got stuck in a long lull, so the average speed is whacked.  When the wind was up, it was screaming (and so was the foil - loud one this is).

And I matched the top speed of the Eagle 690

Fun day of dialing in the small foils.

Tomorrow I will try to get the Cabrinha H800 and the Axis ART Pro 1001 figured out on No.40

W:17/FD:39/PW:1/S:3

Wing Foiling Session - 12/30/2024

The forecast called for strong winds today - but during the timeframe I could be out on the water, it was supposed to be a really low tide (0.3') - that means going to Hickam (or Pavilions)

Mark let me borrow his AFS equipment while he is out of town so....

First up at bat - the AFS Enduro 700

In a nutshell - this foil is incredible!!!

And the engine for today - the trusty North Nova Pro 5.0

This was a good call as the wind was really up and down.  And the low end on this wing really helps with the smaller foils.

I wanted to get the session in and then get packed up in order to beat the traffic home.  These are good stats for the pinched session.

With the wind as up and down as it was, I did not see the need to go outside - and there weren't any waves anyways.

As long as there is wind, this foil stayed up.  Tons of glide - but just not big enough to pump (and least not during the first run).

It does tack decently easy (again as long as there is power to be tapped) - and jibes were really fun.

Good wind when it wasn't lulling.

And in flat water sessions, the speed runs - 

This is where this foil shines - fast but not too jittery.

Fast, but not noisy.  And you don't feel like you are going as fast as you are.

This is also with no footstraps - but where this foil balanced out, I could have used the footstraps (unlike yesterday with the bigger foil - and F One foils like to sit further back than the AFS foils).

This foil is a pleasure to use - but first impressions are that this feels a lot like the F One Eagle 890 and 690 - and those two foils are faster.  I'll need to do more testing on this foil - but knowing what I know, I think the Silk 850 would be a better foil to own (unreal surfing/carving ability - unlike any other foil I've used).

W:156/PW:2/FD:102/F:5/S:29

Wing Foiling Session - 12/28/2024

The wind was forecasted to come up today - but only to marginal conditions for winging.  Which was fine for me as I have been wanting to get the AFS Enduro 1300 and the KT Dragonfly together in preparation for parawinging.

Hickam has long been my testing grounds for getting equipment setup - 

And here is the setup I've been waiting for (so I can begin my parawing journey).

This is where the foil balanced out with the board initially.  I eventually moved it forward to get a tiny bit more front foot pressure - but it's all settled now.

The winds were really light - and the Nova Pro worked perfectly!

This was a good session to get this equipment dialed in.  There were lots of holes, and I got to pump through a few of them, but several didn't have to push to keep me above the Enduro 1300's stall speed.

Still lots of North in the wind.  I stuck with jibes mostly just to make sure I didn't come off foil - but I did get in a few heel-to-toe tacks.

Not ideal by a long shot - but it was good to know I can go in this level of light wind.

You can see the correlation pretty well between the run and the reported wind speeds.

Now I can bring this set of equipment out to parawing - 

W:154/PW:2/FD:102/F:5/S:29