Parawing Session - 6/22/2025

High noon session.  Tide was nice and high at 1.5' rising to 2.3'.  There were some waves, but they weren't crazy big. 

The wind was nuking when I got to the beach.

I decided to go a notch smaller on everything - No.34 with the UHM 80cm mast and the Enduro 900/HA40

I even went smaller on the parawing - BRM Maliko 4.0

This spot works (I guess I had tested it previously - but I don't remember...)

Things started out great!  Once I was outside the surfline, I put the parawing up and off I went!

I did a few runs and jibes and everything was on the top end of their ranges.

I went down once, got back up and hit a wind dead zone.  I tried to get back up but the wind was too light.

I drifted out - the wind had shifted north.  I saw Prayot was also stuck in the dead zone.

Eddy, Roland and Kalani were all where I normally wing and they were fine. 

I ended up paddling back towards White Plains and despite the long distance, I was making headway.  It's definitely easier when the wing packs down to a small pack - Prayot was wrestling with his wing.

A gust came through and I was able to get back up.  I was even making headway towards getting back above the line of death (minimum wind pressure gradient).  Then the wind died on me - and all that happened was I was now even further out.

I called it, and used the parawing to get me close to the launch at Campgrounds.  The walk back sucked - but it was only half the walk that Prayot had to do.  He got blown down to Pavilions...

At least I got up onto foil three times - that's a winner (in this otherwise punishing session and ultra walk of shame).

W:48/FD:86/PW:12/S:4

Wing Foiling Session - 2/23/2024

Got to WPB at 3:30. Norm was there, but had popped his wing yesterday - so he was going to prone foil along with his son.  Kalani was there already and just setting up.  

The wind looked good - but the windline was pretty far out.

I setup No.32, the SW2 5.2, the ART999/400P on the Evolution Wind mast.

After paddling out to the wind line, foiling was awesome!!!  There were head high waves breaking on the outside.  Lots of luffing and long rides going right.

The wind was coming in from the ENE at good speed.

Until it stopped.  I kept looking for a gust to get me back up so I could get back to the launch.  That gust never came.  There was a long line of rain clouds and it killed the wind.

Unfortunately I was way outside when the wind died.  The current was actually taking me west.  After drifting past the Cabins, I figured I could make landfall at Campgrounds.  After a hellacious paddle, I finally made it back to land.

It was too dark to walk over the rock ledges along the beack, so I deflated the wing, rolled it up, draped it over my shoulder and put the foil/board over my other shoulder and started walking to the road.  I got halfway back and Kalani met me in his SUV. 

No doubt the wind died off.

I usually can tell when the wind is going to drop off in the afternoon - I got tricked into staying out longer today.  It was definitely a great session on the front side.  And on the back side it was definitely a kick in the nuts.  Days like this are inevitable - and when you get back in one piece with no damaged gear, you get stronger from the experience.

W:16/FD:13/F:4/S:8

Wing Foiling Session - 1/27/2023

The wind was up enough today to go winging!!!  And Noe was available - it was good conditions for a training day!

I set her up with the 4'7" board (which at 22" wide would be easier for her to paddle back if needed), the Go Foil 27.5" mast, the GL210 (pushed back in the tracks), and the Ensis V2 4.5.

I used the Triton T1 for the first time (with the WWFB and the Takuma RS6.1).

This was the original spot where I installed the foil.  By the end of the session it was jammed as far forward as I could put it (and I think I needed more - this is a good excuse to build a new wing board with extended tracks....).

I suggested to Noe that she should paddle upwind before starting so she could have some ground to lose while trying to get up.

I had no idea what this foil was going to feel like.  I figured with the 6.1 I would have plenty of power.  The track below shows I had a slow start, but I did get up when I got into the wind lane.

This foil is way different than anything I've ever ridden.  I would get to speeds where I thought I should have gotten up on foil, but I'd still be on the surface.  I'd have to move way back on the board with both feet pretty much right over the foil and keep my feet really close together.

Some of the other characteristics of this foil - you need a lot of power to ride this.  There is no glide so as you are turning you need to get powered back up quickly.  But it does turn on a dime.

I would get up and get my feet situated, but I never felt like I could climb upwind (because I'd lose board speed and drop off foil).  So I ended up pushed up against the Second's reef.

Noe had held her line way upwind for quite some time.  Kalani was keeping an eye on her as I drifted unrecoverably downwind.  But eventually she drifted to where I was.  He said the she was having trouble with the wing size (too big as it was dragging her downwind) and she needed to work on where to put her feet.  At this point I told them we should paddle to the bail out point (where we go fishing on the flat).

While we were setting up the paddle in, I saw that Noe had stopped, was sitting up on her board and was staring at a big black moving shape in the water not far from her.  After a quick double check, I told her it was a big manta and that they only eat arms.

We eventually got to shore and I did the walk of shame back to the truck to go pick Noe back up.

Reviewing lessons learned, In this wind speed (15 to 20), at Noe's weight, she should be using a 3.5, which means 12 to 17 would be the 4.5, and anything above 20 will be the 2.5.

The other lesson learned is she should have her foil a little smaller and more forward (the GL210 was mounted 1" back from where I mounted the 1095 - 3/4" might have been better since Kalani saw her porpoising).

I did not hit 51.7 mph.  Combing through the data I saw 17.4.  Interesting day.  I can see why the T1 is a good kitefoiling foil.  But more and more people are winging with it.  I think if I build a board with longer tracks further forward, I'll be able to use this foil in average conditions.  I'm thinking 4'6.5"x25"x3.5" (~70 liters).....

W:5/F:6/S:8

Wing Foiling Session - 5/24/2022

Marlon and I hit WPB this afternoon - got there just before 4pm.  I was setup and out in the water within 10 minutes.  The wind was really good - perfect conditions for the Takuma RS 6.1 and the Kujira 1440.  So good in fact, Marlon initially opted to just drone.

I was out and stayed a little further out because the wind line seemed stronger outside.  I was able to jibe onto a few waves and eeked out some fun rides - then the wind died.  I then spend the next hour trying to get back to the launch.  I was able to get up on foil a few more times, but the wind field wasn't wide enough for me to pull upwind.  I eventually paddled in over at Two-Cots.

Roland said he didn't even get up.  Kalani got up only to hit the big lull.

So I ended up doing the walk of shame... at least I didn't have to get picked up at Camp Grounds!

Marlon ended up surfing on his longboard.  Looked like it would have been fun prone foiling.

And there it is on the meter - good for 20 minutes, then really calm (with a hard swing in the wind direction - total bait and switch!).

Since I did get up and catch a few waves, I'm counting this session.

W:44/F:48/S:15 

Wing Foiling Session - 9/11/2021

I got my ass handed to me on Saturday afternoon.  While I was setting up, the wind was blowing nicely and the waves were borderline too big to foil (lip pitching when they broke).

It did seem a little on the light side as I was setting up.  I figured I would use the HS1550V1 to surf the waves, but pump up the 6.0 to compensate for the smaller front foil.  Used the Scoprega pump - this is a good unit - heavy, but after the warranty service to fix the stripped drive screw, it works brilliantly.

Well, it all went downhill fast.  I was able to get out through most of the breaking waves area.  Once deep enough, I flipped the foil into the water to prevent the wing from having a chance to get ripped.  And just as I was getting set to wing the rest of the way out, I got picked up and thrown backwards by a wave.  The foil board went upside down at some point, and when I got resituated, there was a smaller hole on one side of the strut, and a large rip on the other side.

Then the wind died and I had to make the call to paddle in.  I picked up a gust to foil through the break zone, but I was way down wind of Fenceline (pretty much at the last of the cabins).  There is a shallow reef ledge in this area so I knew getting back on land was going to have it challenges.  I was making it fine, until the last 10' - a wave came up and I was sure all my gear was going to get chewed up.  I still need to triple check, but upon inspection I only had a spot on the rear stabilizer that got scratched up.  I had not done the walk of shame in tons of sessions.

I definitely paid taxes today - but it certainly could have been worse.

Wing Foiling Session - 5/26/2021

As I was getting ready to head home from work, a number of people were making comment about how much wind was kicking up - that perked my interest and I checked the reports.  WPB was blowing from the SE at nearly 20 mph!!!  I headed home and packed my gear and away I went.  Well, from the track below, you can tell it was an interesting session.

The first half was actually really fun - perfect amount of wind for the 5.2 wing and I was able to get up on foil quick as I had the HS1850 bolted on.  I even stayed up on foil on my transitions despite the significant chop in the water.  I tried to get as far upwind as I could early on so I would have slop to mess with riding waves.  I did catch a few and rode them in goofy (with some pressure in the wing).  Then the fun really started.

A little less than halfway through this session, the wind totally shifted and dropped off in strength significantly.  From that point on I was schlogging just trying to get back as close to WPB as I could.  You can see it was a long time getting back in from the way outside. 

Eli and Kalani were also out.  Eli made it in before the wind died - and he was kind enough to tell Marlon that I probably would make landfall over at Campgrounds - which was 100% true.  Marlon was waiting on the beach for me and helped get my gear back to the truck.

It's totally ok to eat humble pie every now and then.  This was still a really fun session (while the wind was up).

I need to mention a few really cool things that happened - first, while I was down after the wind shifted, I booby (bird) came flying straight to where I was sitting - just flew over me to check out what was going on.  Second - I passed up a few rather large omilu swimming pretty far offshore (but in still relatively shallow water - there were breaking waves so it had to have been shallower than the surrounding areas).  And lastly it isn't all that often that you get to actually be in a wind stream exactly when a significant directional shift occurs.  Yes it totally sucked having to schlogg and paddle back in - but being there while that happened was pretty cool!!!