On It's Way -

I sold No.18 to Nick as part of the Foil Drive Assist Plus package.

Tricia was in town and she brought one of his travel board bags for me to pack the board in.

Here is No.18 all armored up.

And tucked into Nick's board bag.

The tail is nicely secured.

But the board is only 4'10" in a 6'1" board bag - so there is a gap in the nose.

I think Tricia will end up putting in a duffle bag to take up this space.

This board has pulled triple duty - it started life as a prone foil board, carrying me into some gnarly sized surf with the GoFoil GL140, and through COVID closed beaches.  Then it served as a high wind wing board - my first sinker attempts (looked what that lead to - now every board I wing with pretty much is a sinker).  And in it's last incarnation it was the board that opened up the possibilities of the Foil Drive to me.

I really don't like seeing boards leave the hangar - but if they go to good homes, that is a good thing.  And I beet it can pull triple duty for Nick!!!

And that makes room for more boards to be made and ridden!!!

Garage Works - 4/20/2024 (part 1)

I spent a bunch of time in and out of the garage getting No.36 dialed in.  I chased several high points leftover from the rough shaping.  Then I used 180 grit to do the fine sanding over the whole board.

These pictures are not of the board as it stands now - I played with several iterations of where the inserts would go.

The back footstrap inserts will end up going where the polyurethane fill block will go so I won't have to use the divynicell - that'll help save a little weight.

Instead I ended up pushing the d-cell blocks out towards the starboard rail for my strong stance (regular foot) - should be able to jump this one, but I'll have to experiment with what feels better.

I'll cut out the hole for the track block and the footstrap insert blocks tomorrow.

This one is definitely looking more like a mashup of No.34 (front end and rear deck) and No.32 (rear half of the board).

I'll try and get these inserts epoxied into place this week.

Garage Works - 4/17/2024

I passed up a surfing session today so I could get some work done on this next board.

I originally had the intention of cutting the blank out of the billet foam.

Then I figured I might as well get the nose rocker cut in.

And why not go ahead and get the chines in place.

And why stop now - dress up the top deck.  And then I used the dragon skin to blend in the interfaces and remove more bulk material.  And I figured why not use the rough sand paper and get the shape dialed in.

This was definitely a lot further than I was targeting today - but after two hours I had a 90% shaped and sanded blank.

I like the lines on this one.  I still have more sanding to do to get the symmetry dialed in.  Then I'll mark the centerline again and determine where the track block will sit. 

This is a detuned nose - no slight bow shape on this one.  But it also isn't a straight surfboard nose either - with some volume, this part of the board will contribute to the overall stability and will also not drive to one direction or another when it goes underwater (like after coming down from a jump).

Tomorrow I may be helping Matt dial in No.35 - but I'll at least remark the center line and get the track block situated.  Getting a board to this point in two hours... this might be a record for me - I don't want to lose the momentum!

Garage Works - 4/15/2024

I got a crack in my windshield this morning - a rock strike while driving on the freeway.  That will come into the story shortly.

These are the two templates that I've been working on that made the final cut.  These are the 5'0" x 22" April 2024 B and C templates. 

When you line them up together, you can more easily see the differences - the one on the left has a more pulled in nose and tail - and that's the final choice for No.36

I needed the apply the UV resin to fix the chip in my windshield in strong sunlight.  I was getting that all sorted out and the instructions had distinct time periods where you were just waiting.

And that's when I measured the blank, found the centerline and transferred the template.

I really like how this one turned out.

My current plan is to use a similar bottom deck profile as the latest Foil Drive board (No.33 - flat tail, square rail, subtle chines from the tail to 2/3s the way up to the nose where the rail softens).

You may be asking yourself - "Vic, why do you need another wing foiling board - don't you already have a few?"  

Well, No.36 is going to get the 16" tracks so it will be able to support the smallest foils I have - F One SK8 750 and Eagle 690, the Axis HPS 700 and maybe even the Triton T-1

And the boards I have now tend to be at extremes.  No.25 has a lot of volume (for me now - I guess time in makes you able to use smaller stuff).  And No.32 needs more track forward.  This template will take the best of both and fit it in between the two.  At 22" width (or less) it'll move across the water faster (for earlier takeoff) and it'll have less volume (more manageable while winging on a wave).  The nose shape should fit steeper waves better and will feel more familiar to Foil Driving (bringing the two disciplines closer for me).

The color scheme is going to pull from one of my earlier prone boards (the tiger striped 4'10" No.17) and what I just did with Matt's board (No.35).  And I'll use the rail tape trick to keep the transition clean.

I'll put footstrap inserts into this - and I'm thinking of placing a centered rear foot so I can use it only for jumping.

Lots of design criteria for this one - should be a good build!  

Garage Works - 1/29/2024

I got through the sanding regime on No.34 this evening.

I had a picture of the top deck also, but blogspot isn't liking it (keeps turning it on its side).

This board's primary duty will be as a wing board.  It may look like a shrunk down down wind foil board - and that's because it is.  I'm anticipating this board to move fast when powering up, which in turn will get the foil to lift way sooner.  

Secondarily it will be a Foil Drive Max board - in an effort to extend an already long battery life.  

I may also try to prone foil this board - at which point it may become a quiver killer, but for now I'll just focus on winging first. 

Dimensions below.  I'll get the wear coat (acrylic clear coat) on tomorrow - and maybe even cutout the deck pad and get it stuck on.

Now we just need some wind -

Garage Works - 9/9/2023

La and Noe were over at Kaneohe when I got home.  I skipped breakfast and pushed hard to get No.32 all finished today.

Here are the rails getting their first clear coat spray.

Signed and covered with clear coat.

The two bars on the front are so this board can be setup as a Foil Drive prone board.  These footstrap inserts will be used to screw down the battery/controls box.

I normally use a flat or slightly 'v'ed nose on my boards.  For this one I wanted to use a double concave (similar to the board I made for Kalani).

The rails are squared and the tail is flat - so this board is meant to build speed fast and to get off the water as quickly as possible.

Here is a side-by-side with No.25 (my workhorse).

No.32 is smaller (narrower by 2").

No.32 also has the mast track installed 1" further forward.  This should allow me to use some smaller foils (Eagle 890) or foils with geometry that force them to be mounted further forward (Triton X-1).

And here is a lineup of the three boards I have in the 4'10" range - interesting change in volume - but these are all made to go fast.

Progress on No.32

I've been putting more time into No.32

Yesterday I used the planer and dialed in the rocker.  I also looked at the divynicell blocks and poly urethane blocks plotting out how I'm going to mount the blocks (top to bottom decks - I'll cut out the whole EPS section and Gorilla glue in the higher density blocks).  I am going to build this board to jump.

And today I used the surforms and got the rough shaping done.

This is the bottom deck - its kinda hard to see with the shadows and the lack of contrast - but I added shallow concaves to promote lift on this one.  These are not deep at all, and with this board being dual purposed as a wing board and a prone Foil Drive board, I want to see if this adds to the performance.

I kept the nose wider for more surface area, which I feel will counter the slightly the thinner thickness.

Here is the board with the bottom deck up.  Square rails and flat tail for release and speed generation.

Today I also got through the 80 grit rough sanding.  Tomorrow when the sun is out, I'll go through the finer sanding screens and dial in the shape.

Wing Foiling Session - 4/22/2023

I hit Kailua this morning hoping to snag some wind.  The forecasts were correct - there was just enough wind to get up on foil.  Probably blowing 10 to 15.  There was a kite foiler out with an 11m RAM kite.  This guy was setting up and 11m, but then changed his mind to put up a bigger kite.

Rex had already pumped up a Duotone Unit 6.0, and setup up a 75l board with his Eagle 990.

I rigged big - the RS 6.1, the WWFB and the Eagle 1090 (which has become my light wind foil).

I got in almost 14 miles in an hour.  There were some really small waves, but I was just happy to be able to get up on foil and ride.

I was comfortably powered on the 6.1

At a few points, Rex and I were in close proximity to each other - and he would over take me.  I'm not sure if it was the Eagle 990, or the F One Mast - but he was faster.

I'm so glad I winged this morning!

W:35/F:25/S:26

Skunked!!!!

The wind was blowing yesterday afternoon - that is until I got setup and paddled out.  Then it dropped off the map.

Oh well - you win some, you lose some.

Wing Foiling Session - 3/8/2023

I picked Marlon up from UH and we beat feet home - after which we beat feet to the beach.  The west wind was nuking!!!!  White caps abound, a rising tide, and some unexpected rather large wind swell.

I used the WWFB because I didn't want to have to struggle to get on the board.  I bolted on the Kujira 980 figuring I had way more than enough power in the wind to get up on foil early and fast.  And lastly I pumped up the Reedin SW 3.6 - again there was plenty of wind.

I stayed out over an hour and a half.  There were plenty of waves, but most of them would start to show, but then petered out.  There were some sneaker sets (way overhead) - I had two large waves that were breaking behind me for a really long distance, but most of the other rides were running along with the swell, but having the waves not break was a little odd.

From this chart, the wind was pretty much coming from the west.  And from riding, the swell was bending in from the SW.

Looks like the wind broke the anemometer...

The first generation Super Wing is a back hand biased wing - to keep it powered and not backwinding when you are pulling upwind, it needs the rider to place a lot of back hand pressure input.  It does drift/luff well - but I think the Super Wing 2 is a much better balanced wing that pulls upwind easier.  I'm curious about the Neilpryde Fly in the smaller sizes also.  I'm saying all this because I think this wing wasn't optimized for today's conditions - not sure if it is this wing starting to stretch out (look at the first picture above), or if it is the overall design (but this to me has always been a back handed wing), but things change really quick in this sport.

The 980 did the trick.  I'm pretty sure if I had a smaller Kujira that would have worked today easily.  Top speeds were had while racing down wave faces.

There were several other wingers out today - Marlon had spoken with them and it seemed like they were all down from Mokuleia (looking for their normal sailing tacks with the reversed winds).  Marlon had several subjects to chase with the drone and he got a lot of good footage.

The forecast calls for the strong westerlies to fade - I truly consider winds like this to be a gift!!!

W:27/F:14/S:13

Wing Foiling Session - 3/7/2023

The west wind arrived today in full force!!!  I got to the beach late - Eli had already come and gone, and Kalani and Roland were already out.

In the interest of time, I grabbed the foil that was already put together - the 1095/178 from the last prone session and headed out the door.  I could see white caps - so really I should have pumped up the 4.2 - which I did not have, so 4.7 it is.

More on this in a minute, but I think the 1095 is perfect for prone foiling and winging in cleaner water - not for excessively choppy conditions.

I was well powered today (definitely could have used the 4.2), and I had a great time riding swell back in REGULAR FOOTED AND LUFFING THE WING!!!  I love west winds at WPB!!!

I only got an hour in - slower pace than normal.  I believe it was the 1095 - it was really pitch sensitive and keeping it calm in super choppy conditions was a challenge.  I did appreciate it when riding waves in and needing to glide through (or muscle through) a fading wave and on to the next one standing up.  But when going straight, I could feel every bump - I guess exercising muscles I normally don't use isn't a bad thing...

Nice strong consistent wind!!!  It would have been nicer if it had more west and less south - but it was still great!

Kalani and Roland were having difficulties with the different direction - but it was perfect for me.

Tomorrow is supposed to be stronger!!!  I'll likely use the 980 tomorrow...

W:26/F:14/S:13

Wing Foiling Session - 3/2/2023

Got in a quick after work session today (because I needed to pick up Noe from school).  The wind was still blowing strong.

I used the same board and foil as yesterday - WWFB and the Eagle 890/KD Marlin 14"/foilparts fuselage/85cm Project Cedrus mast.  The wind seemed to be a little more behaved (less viceral) than yesterday, so I pumped up the SW2 4.2

I focused on carving tacks today.  I think I was getting the results I wanted about 60% of my attempts.

I also focused on carving through my toe-heel tacks.  I'm just happy to complete these more consistently now.  Carving through the first 1/3 of the turn has proven to be the hardest part for me.  But now I'm using the wing to pull me through the remainder of the turn.  The more I do these turns, the easier they'll become.

The Eagle 890 with the KD 14" Marlin is a fast combo.

I got out after an hour - this being the end of this strong wind event, I've had a great time and will remember this as the time I felt confident executing the toe-heel tack, and the period where I learned to start a sinker board.

W:25/F:12/S:12