Garage Works - 6/25/2025

The wind was in that blah zone - too much for good Foil Drive-ing and not enough to wing.  Instead of dealing with it all - I went ahead and committed to sanding and getting No.41 over the finish line.

First up was sanding - I started with the plugs and worked over the rest of the board.

Then I wiped the board down and started the clear coat spraying.

Oh - and here is the signature block.  I don't know when this got smaller than 5'0"...

And as luck would have it, as I was trying to flip the board into this position, I dropped it onto the metal square that I was going to balance it on to get the remainder of the decks sprayed.

Yes there is a small ding - but that actually convinced me to go ahead and install foot strap inserts before I place the deck pads.  It'll only be my strong side (regular stance) and it'll primarily support using this board with the parawing and Foil Drive simultaneously.

With the footstrap inserts now going in - this will be a few more days before this gets in the water.

Garage Works - 6/20/2025

I got a lot of work done on No.41 today.  I sanded the top deck, cleaned up the signal windows, placed a fiberglass patch over the windows, and got a fill coat on the whole deck.

Then I sanded the bottom deck, got some label decals on, and got a fill coat on it as well.

Tomorrow I'll sand the edges, try to identify the remaining low spots, then add another fill coat (or two). 

If the fill is looking good, I'll try to get the vent and leash plugs in also

Garage Works - 6/15/2025

Also on this 2025 Father's Day, I got lots of work done on No.41

After the epoxy fiasco yesterday, I got everything sanded and fixed this morning.  I'm glad the fiasco happened, but this board will be stronger now.

And this evening I was able to get the top deck lamination epoxied on.

The hard part is done!

A little lap sanding tomorrow, label stickers get placed, and a fill coat will go on.

The next day the other deck will get it's fill coat.  Sanding on Tuesday.  Secondary fill coats if necessary.

Plug installation (maybe Tuesday night) and Signal Window up on the nose.

Final fill coat on Wednesday.  This board will definitely be anointed by this coming weekend. 

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...

Garage Works - 6/12/2025

The wind seemed to be too much for good Foil Drive-ing and not enough to wing/parawing (without having to wait out lulls) - so I decided to get some stuff done around the house (and get some rest).

I mowed the lawn, reset the sprinkler timer, helped La wax her car, then worked on some stuff in the garage.

Up first was doing the final shaping on No.41 

It's good to finish the rough shaping on a board then walk away from it for a while.  That allows you to see all the anomalies easier.

I also had to get the top deck cleaned up at the nose (rough surface foam needed to come off) and I dialed in the back of the board to blend in the track block.

I'm happy with the shape now.

And I also got a layer of thickened epoxy into the joint between the offcut and the section with the tracks.  I used 0.56 ounces to get the first layer of sealant on.

I'll get the bottom deck laminated next - but I'll probably buy some beer first (I'll have to babysit the lamination).  I'll put a layer of carbon tape over the offcuts extending over to the nose area (double stringers), then get a cap sheet of the 4.8 ounce carbon nose to tail.

I also set up a different coil leash for FD and PW.  This is a short coil for bodyboarding with a length of standard line.  I'm going to put the knotted pig tails on the boards (same as I have them on the wings) and use a lark's head to stay connected to the board.

We'll see how this works!  I'm hopeful that it'll resolve the fights I have with the longer coil leashes.

And while working in the garage, I got to meet the new neighbors!

Noe and I fed them lots of bread.  I hope they stick around!

I love living here!

Garage Works - 6/8/2025

I opened up the port track again today.  Then I sanded the edges of the fiberglass.

And then I put another layer of epoxy to even everything out.

I mocked up the drive -

And this is pretty much straight (as I'm gonna get it).  The level shows the mast at the same bubble as the vertical legs of the rack (which means this is good to go).

I was going to wait to do this, but I just kept going... I got the offcuts glued back on to the main board.

It's two hours under weights to get the clamp force on long enough for a first curing of the glue.  It'll still need 24 hours for full cure - but I think tomorrow I'll dial in the shape of the top deck, then do a fill layer at the inner seam of the offcuts.

This is definitely turning into a much larger effort than I originally thought.

Garage Works - 6/7/2025

Besides getting Stu's board back to him today, I turned my attention back to getting No.41 closer to being finished.

It been irking me that the port track is a fraction lower than the starboard track.  A fraction of a millimeter - but enough for my eye to see it.

I've tried adding fill coats twice now and although the gap is getting smaller, it was still there.

So after today's round of sanding, I said screw it and added a layer of fiberglass over the port track.

And after hardening most of the day, I pulled the peel ply and checked the differential - it is gone for the most part.  Just to put this issue to bed, I also added another fill coat.

I believe this will solve the issue.

After checking this tomorrow, I'm going to glue on the offcut pieces to form the trench walls.  I'll then add seam fill between the carbon base and the trench side wall pieces.

My goal is to have the board put back together so I can reshape the top deck and add in the footstrap inserts.

Garage Works - 6/6/2025

I sanded the bottom deck again - and there were a few pin holes that are still open (so yet another coat of epoxy goes on).

Then I went ahead of opened up the tracks.

I went ahead and mounted the drive and mast to gauge the plumbness of the bottom deck.

Relatively speaking, this looks straight.  But if I stare at it long enough, it looks like it has an ever so slight lean to the right (looking at it this way).

I went ahead and added a thin layer of epoxy biasing to the right (and closing up the pin holes).

I'll sand again tomorrow.  If it is good to go, I'll glue on the side offcuts and maybe laminate the bottom of the board (or finish shaping the top under where my rear foot will go).  I'm trying to get this one across the finish line so it can get into the rotation.

Garage Works - Progress on No.41 - 5/26/2025

After riding Bill's board today, I felt inspired to get progress done on No.41

One of the things I noticed about the Amos was the lack of ability to open the nose cone latches (so if you want to change batteries, you have to take everything apart).  I did some layups with the Foil Drive unit and decided to make some cutouts for latch access.

And then I cut out the trench and cleaned up the cuts.

The FD unit fits comfortably.  There are arguments on multiple fronts on how much space should be given here - hydrodynamics, access, volume, etc.  I ended up adjusting and going with what was aesthetically pleasing.

And while I'm placing epoxy on Stu's board, I'll get the boxes laminated and maybe the vertical walls of the trench.

Lots of extra steps here...

Foil Drive Dawn Patrol - 5/26/2025

Dawn patrolled WPB this morning.

The tide was super low - and where I normally would have gone to Hickam, I just didn't feel like that drive this morning.

Light winds and fun sized waves rounded out the conditions.

And today's objective was to test drive Bill's Amos Cruzer Trench Board.  At 34 liters, this is definitely a sinker for me.  And the drive unit when placed made the balance rear biased.  But I did manage to get the setup paddled out to a deep enough spot.

I lined up the foil/mast/drive unit at the same mark where Bill lines his Code 980 at.  This point balanced the foil out for the Enduro 900 also.

This board did the following:

1. Made maneuvering the Enduro 900 even better - closer distance between rear foot and the mast

2. Made taking off on a sinker easier - reduced form drag from recessing the drive unit

I felt for a sinker, it was not difficult to start.  I could "pop tart" start it pretty effectively if there was a pocket forming on an incoming wave.  But if I had to match speed, it seemed to need more power - I think that is a function of the wing screws I had on.

The crew was out in force.  Andrew, Makana, Rick, Noel, Dennis, Derek (F One foiler), Mark, Maile, and a couple of others.  Erik Eck also showed up all the way from Kailua. 

Takeoff was pretty much from the same spot where we wing (and sometimes get caught in lulls and chop).

14 solid rides with a couple of missed takeoffs.

So this board concept is interesting and confirms that I should build one to get better familiar with it's use and benefits.

W:42/FD:74/PW:7/S:4

Garage Works - 5/24/2025

i was able to go to Lance's house today to use his hot wire cutter.  We were able to split No.41 -

And I decided to skip out on the afternoon winds/waves to get some work done around the house (painting for La), and to go ahead and make some progress on No.41.

I measured, remeasured and adjusted the box location - I ended up moving it up about an inch.  I used my projected feet positioning to figure out where the mast would go, then I made sure there was enough adjustability back and forward.  This isn't the 16" thick box - so I wanted to be a little more accurate with placement.

And I got the box glued in.

I also measured and marked out the trench cut lines.

Tomorrow I'll trim off the excess glue, make the trench cuts, tape up the tracks, laminate the carbon strip that tops the tracks, and laminate the vertical sides of the trench.  I'll do all this in the morning.

If the laminates settle in nicely, I'll glue the pieces back together to set the board up for the regular lamination.  If I keep at it, this board may be done next weekend -

Garage Works - 5/11/2025

I got a bunch of projects completed for La on Mother's Day - and then I got to spend a couple of hours in the garage working on No.41

I got through the rough shaping with the electric planer and surform.

I usually stop and take a break at this point to take a fresh perspective on the shape when I come back to it - but I went ahead and proceeded to the fine shaping using the dragonskin and sanding screen.

This was another couple of hours of work on the board so now I'm up to 5 hours.

I am going to think about how I'm going to work a Foil Drive trench into this build before going further (plus there is a swell hitting and there will be good conditions for wing foiling). 

Garage Works - 5/4/2025

Yesterday I did some measuring on No.41

I didn't cut anything - just marked out the points that I'll trim away when the garage is clear (La doesn't like foam dust on her car).

For a little bit, I forgot this is destined to be a trench board - so I'll stick with a blocky transom.

I'll start rough shaping soon (clear garage...)