Garage Works - 8/12/2021

I asked Marlon how the surf was this morning - he said it had come down, and was waist high mostly (with the occasional bigger set).  With the wind forecasted to come up tomorrow, I figured I'd skip today and try and get the garage projects further along.  First up was putting the divynicell sheets in place.  I cut the fabric reinforcements - innegra up front and 6 ounce fiberglass on the back.  Then I ended up mixing 6.3 ounces of epoxy to get the fabric thoroughly wetted out.

I actually broke out the bag and the seals

(you can see them in the lower right corner of the picture above), but I got lazy and just started piling up the heavy things sitting around.  I just got back in from checking on the hardening process - it looks good (whew!!!).

And while I was doing this, Marlon was painting his newly repaired longboard.  I finished getting the d-cell on and shifted over to preparing Roland's SPG fuselage to take another bolt/nut.

 

I have some more of the screws I used on the first repair.  I opened up the hole Roland started and countersunk both ends.

I'll get some epoxy on this tomorrow including some inside the crack and all along the nut and bolt.  Then I can look forward to grinding and sanding - oh joy!!!!

Wing Foiling Session - 7/4/2021

The weather was fluky again yesterday.  Learning from Saturday, I waited until the clouds burned off and the weather settled.  Unfortunately it settled on the lighter side of windy.  The forecasters have been totally off the past several weeks - like someone purposely jacks up the predictions.  Anyways - the Ensis 6.0m saved the day!!!

The harness has also been a blessing - I still ache after a session, but my joints are not painful anymore.  I had the HS1250 in the truck... the session would have been much better if I had the HS1850, but I do think training with different equipment helps develop better skills.  I even limited my wing pumping - primarily due to the camera on the wing - but also my left forearm tendons - and I was still able to get up.  Finesse trumps brute strength.  This picture is me coming out of a jibe.

This picture is me going into a jibe.

Winging is so much fun!

Prayot is getting better on his 4'10" Amundson (HS1850 front foil).

And here is my old friend Nick getting oriented to this new sport.  Nick and I learned to windsurf together and he lead me through the kiting learning curve.  Always good to get out on the water with this guy!

With Nick out there, I didn't head out to Firsts.  Brian did and he said it was fun - the inbound swell wasn't hitting full force, but the front runners were showing.

I was out between 3 and 4:30 - the wind was frustrating - but again it was an opportunity to train.

You can see the big gaps in wind - but it was still fun.  Top speed was 16.8 kt, and got in 9.58 nm

Wing Foiling Session - 2/21/2021

The wind didn't come up on this side of the island until around 10am.  I wanted to stay close so I went to Hickam around 11am.  The wind was up and down, but there was enough for me to test out the NWFB.  

I nailed three tacks on the outbound legs today.  You can see them on the GPS track below (look for the loops)

I took the foot straps off so I could validate the locations.  They were pretty much spot on - but that is also the same place I'd put my feet when starting.  Keeping my feet in the foot straps before up on foil limits my mobility - so pumping becomes awkward and if the wind shifts, I've lost it more than a few times.  I think I actually prefer foiling without straps - but I do want to start jumping....  Either way, the next time I put straps on, I'll try out the offset position - I might also try the foot hooks I have.

Work on the NWFB - Getting Close

Got some major work done on the NWFB today.  This first picture is a mock up of the deck pads and footstrap setup to facilitate switching stances.  The final product will be something close to this.

After trying to define the mock up, I went ahead and started the rough sanding.  Three hours later, I got everything taken down.  I preened the board with the carbide grit bit on the dremel and opened up the vent plugs.  After that, I mixed up some epoxy and aerosil to fill up any remaining voids.  Unfortunately the resin had been sitting in the sun so it was warm (which makes it set up faster).  I ended up having to mix 4 batches of 1.4 ounces in order to get the bottom deck and rail (most of the rails) covered in this last fill coat.

You can see the dimension label in the middle of the bottom of this next picture.  The board came out to 5' 0.5" x 25" x 5" - should be plenty of volume in this board (I'm guessing somewhere around 95L - very similar to the wing foil board I am currently using).

Tomorrow will be some light sanding and the top deck fill coat.  That means Tuesday will be sanding the whole board, and either wetsanding to 1500, or using satin clear coat and spraying the finish (I'll probably go this route).

Good thing there isn't any substantial wind in the forecast - this has allowed me to focus on taking my time and finishing this board off on a great note (not rushed to get out on the water).

Measurements for the NFWB Foot Strap Inserts

Marlon and I tried to dawn patrol today - but the surf was almost flat (it was a high tide at 2.35' and the swell was too small to show through that high of a tide).  We came back and I decided to get more work done on the NWFB.  I took the places where I place my feet on my current board (I've been looking and adjusting during the past several sessions - to include where my feet go when I'm riding toeside) - and transferred those positions to the NWFB.

Next I cut out the divynicell reinforcement blocks.  I used a donor block from a previous project for some of the blocks.

These are cut to size so the inserts don't go all the way through.

This was about two hours of work.

This is set up for a windsurfing setup (switch stances after transitions) and an offset regular stance for days I plan on tackling waves.  At this point, La and I took off to run some errands.

Wing Foiling Session - 12/4/2020

I've been eyeing the forecasts and there has been minimal winds for days - and there will be minimal winds for days to come, but for today - well there was a call for wind and wind there was!!!

I pulled up the the launch at 1500 and went to measure the wind.  My anemometer was reading lows of 10 mph and highs during the gusts just into 20 mph.  I pumped up the 6m Ensis.  Prayott (first time on wing) and Harris were out.  While out winging, the gusts were really apparent - from shlogging to nukin' in the same run.

I had altered two variables (against my better knowledge) - pushed the foil up another 1/4" and then I removed the washer from the rear screw of the rear stabilizer.  The foil setup felt a little faster (less drag from flattening the rear stabilizer), but it also seemed harder to get up on foil (less lift out the back).  Between the two, I'd rather lift out of the water sooner (so the washer is going back in).  One thing I did notice was the higher riding height and the squirtiness of the tail.

The other thing I found out was that I don't like footstraps in this sport.  I went in after the first run and took them off.  They were in the right spot for riding, but that also turns out to be the best spot for standing to pump to takeoff.  All that work to get them on... oh well - at least I know.

The other thing that happened this session was I made a few complete jibes.  It is getting easier.  Still need to work on my exits.  You can actually see the loops where I made the jibes.

I think next time I'm going to set up the Armstrong HS1850, 60cm fuselage, CF300 tail on the 85cm mast.  It's going to be several days before there is enough wind though.  That'll give me time to add a layer of fiberglass to the front of the board (final seal coat), to pull off the footstrap inserts and to reinstall the deck pads.

Footstraps on the Wing Foiling Board

I installed the footstraps on the wing foiling board.

Can't wait to go winging again (crossed fingers for Friday)!!!

Adding Footstraps to the Wing Foiling Board

After taking careful note of where my feet end up while winging, it was time to add footstraps.  Instead of using inserts routed and glassed in to the board, I opted to use the NSI Stick-on inserts.  I started with the front two

I pull tested each one to make sure it was holding, and had to reset one of the middle inserts.  I also trimmed the corners of the front two.

Tonight I set the rear inserts.  I need to pick up another strap for the rear - I'll get another Armstrong since they can be kneeled on.  Friday looks to be the next day that the wind will be up - these should be set in nicely by then (resist the urge to go out immediately after installing these - at least that is what the instructions say).

Next Project

This blank has been sitting in my garage since I finished making the skinny 4'10".  I've been contemplating what to make out of it - and still haven't really decided.

I've thought about making another skinny 4'10" (maybe 4'8") but with a little less thickness and volume - one with a little less float than the last one.  I could add foot-strap inserts and start practicing aerials.  I do have the foot-straps...  But that would not make the most use of the blank.

Considering that last factor, I figured I should make a Winging board - something around 26" wide, straight parallel rails, thickness up and down the board, and handles on both the top and bottom decks.  I could use the carbon tape along the stringer top and bottom and innegra for toughness (with cover sheets of fiberglass for sanding sanity).  I could use d-cell sheets where I plan on putting my feet, and d-cell inserts for the foot-strap plugs and the foil tracks.  All sounds good, but a 5'2" winging board is not for beginners and I don't even have a wing.  So we'll see what ends up being next (might get another 10'10" polyurethane SUP blank - to split)