Garage Works - 4/14/2026

Stu smashed the crap out of his AFS UHM 80cm mast.  The damage looked more hydrodynamic and less structural - so I figured it couldn't hurt to try repairing it.

Clamped and hardening.

I'll rough shape this and see if I can get it to fit on a fuselage.

You can see the main issue below - the front end got smashed and split open.  I think the epoxy-milled fibers fill will hold - it's the reshaping that I'll have to make sure gets done correctly.

Garage Works - 3/22/2026

All sanded down and ready for paint.

I put two coats on so it would look good

'Cause when you look good, you foil good!

Looking good!

Garage Works - 3/21/2026

I hurt my lower back while moving some stuff around in the yard (we have some work being done to the house this week) - so no water time today (and maybe tomorrow...)

But I did try to get more work done on this board (for Noel to Foil Drive).

I got the fill sanded down.

Then I got the fiberglass patch fitted and epoxied on.

Tomorrow will be a light sanding to fair everything in, then a spray with primer gray.

Garage Works - 3/19/2026

And I got to pick up my new router and vacuum attachment today (delivered to Home Depot Kapolei).

When you get a new router, you have to test it.

So the vacuum attachment isn't the best - it did take in some of the cut material, but maybe 40% still decided to go elsewhere.  I might try to glue up the sides to get less bleed by.

And the bit slipped twice.  I don't know if that was the router breaking in, or something I'm going to have to monitor more...

But the handle trigger is really nice.  And the unit quieter than the Hitachi. 

I figured I should get as much done as I could, so after dry fitting the block and trimming a tiny bit to get a great fit, I went ahead and glued in the block.

And while I was working on the tow boogie, Noel stopped by and dropped off the board he's been using for Foil Drive-ing to get a ding fixed.

I got the ding opened, sanded and prepped for fill.

And I got the fill placed.

Tomorrow I'll sand the fill down and get a fiberglass patch epoxied on.

That means Saturday I can fair it in, sand a bit and get a coat of spray paint on the board.

Garage Works - 3/18/2026

Noe is back home (if only for a short Spring Break stint) - 

While La and Noe were clothes shopping, I hit Foodland Farms and grabbed a bento and this!!!

I haven't had kava in a long while.  I really didn't feel much - but I did notice my speech was a bit delayed and a tad slurred (I had to take a few phone calls while eating).

Anyways - back in the garage I got the patches sanded down

And the clear coat sprayed on.

Tim already grabbed the board -

And I got this in the mail - the replacement for the Triple 777 PT Skin 5.4 that Kalani bought from me - this is the Triple 777 PT Hybrid 5.7

I got to the beach pretty late so I just focused on ground handling this new parawing.

I really like how it flies!  It lofts in very little wind (probably due to the enhanced air foil section), is really stable in flight, responds well to bar pressure and collapses easily.

It was blowing light (under 15mph) while I was at the beach - this was definitely below minimum getting up of foil wind speed.

This makes me think I should put up the Paia...

Humans aren't the only creatures to express affinity for this beach -

There were two monk seals chilling on the beach

And I also got this new rear stabilizer in the mail - the KParts Mako Carve Pro Medium,

I think this will pair well with the Enduro 900, Silk 1050, and the Enduro 1100 - we shall soon see...

Garage Works - 3/17/2026

Got these signal windows sanded CAREFULLY

And covered in fiberglass

And pressed to optimize the epoxy-fabric ratio

Top deck - same deal

I used 0.14 ounces of epoxy (with slow hardener to buy time) and it was just enough for the 3 windows

I'll still likely have to feather in the edges, and then I can spray with clear coat

This should be done tomorrow

Garage Works - 3/15/2026

Tim just got a Foil Drive and his board has zero connectivity in the water.

So here it is back in my garage getting signal windows.

Here's the bottom deck window.

The two top deck window holes.

Windows filled

Bottom deck hole prepped

And filled.

0.1 ounce resin and 0.04 ounces of hardener per window.

With this epoxy work done today, I can sand and get the fiberglass patch on tomorrow.  I'll have to be careful sanding because that purple is a sticker under the fill coat.

I may have to keep the patch a tad bit proud to preserve the lam.

Regarding the Modification of No.26, I just ordered a new big router and vacuum collar - I kept staring at the cut I was going to have to make to clear the block slot and I didn't want to have to clean up all the shavings.  This new tool should be in on Wednesday - and this board should be done by then.

Garage Works - 3/11/2026

Roland came by this evening to pick up his Appletree board.

And I promptly went to work on modifying No.26 into a Tow Boogie (powered by Foil Drive).

I used the Dremel to get the outline cut out.

And I also spent some effort trying to breakdown the stringer.

I'll use the router to remove the bulk material working from the stringer area out towards the rail - twice (once on each side).

After that, this will be pretty much a repeat of most of the work I have been doing recently.

With the weather being all over the place, chances are I'll get through this project pretty quickly.

Garage Works - 3/9/2026

This was from yesterday - I guess I forgot to post it.

I got the final sanding done.

And I got the clear coat on

Pretty darn flat if I do say so myself

And the holes have a nice bevel to them.

Hopefully Roland got these inserts marked properly.  He is a much more centerline rider than I am.

Now I just need to get this board over to him (I think he is avoiding me because he doesn't have the cash to pay for the modification....)

Garage Works - 3/8/2026

I took a long nap this afternoon - 

When I got up and wasn't groggy, I hit the garage and got Roland's board modification sanded down.

Unfortunately, I found a couple of spots that needed additional epoxy fill.

I got those spots filled - so tomorrow when I get back from work, I'll do the final sanding and get the clear coat on.

This one is pretty much done -

Garage Works - 3/7/2026

I got this modification request pretty close to the finish line.

First I sanded the fill coat down to 400.

Then I looked for any soft spots from the lamination.  I found two and opened them up.

Then I went probing for the insert holes and opened those up.

One the front insert for the back foot, I missed the insert - but that's ok since I had to fill the soft spots I found, I was mixing epoxy anyways.

Black pigment and milled fibers used as fill for the holes/voids.

I'll sand this down tomorrow and get a layer of clear coat on the deck, and this footstrap insert installation request is all pau!!!

I didn't take a picture of this, but I also outlined the cut for the block slot for No.26 (converting to Tow Boogie).  I'll also try to get that cut out and the slot routed tomorrow.

Garage Works - 3/5/2026

I sanded the carbon lamination this afternoon on Roland's board modification job.

Then I used acetone to clean the surface in preparation for a fill coat.

I used 2.5 + 1 ounces of epoxy to get the fill evenly spread

And I let it bake in the sun for a good setup.  It came out pretty nice!

I'll do another sanding and possibly one last fill (tinted???) depending how this fill coat comes out.

And I brought the next project out - this is the prospective tow boogie (Foil Drive based).

I identified the center line and eyeballed where the track block would best fit the rocker line of the board.

This is pretty similar to the footstrap insert installation I just finished - measure and mark where the slot will go, cut out the slot, glue in the block making sure there are no voids in the sides, then do a light sanding and laminate.  From there I'll route out the slot and this old board will have new purpose and will likely see a whole lot of action coming up -

Installing a handle in the back, I can use it to ferry me out to the offshore breaks.  And I can add a bungee net up top - towards the front to pack away a tow rope and a windowpane lead anchor.

I'll have to go through another learning curve, but using it as a tow boogie is an easy call.

I can use it as a powered boogie board also - 

On flat days I can use it to drag me out on a longboard with fishing gear and a cooler.

I am pretty eager to get this upcoming project done and across the finish line.

Garage Works - 3/2/2026

This evening I sanded the excess glue off the inserts.  I also sanded more around the edges to make sure the epoxy would have a good mechanical grip.

The gorilla glue did a great job filling the gaps around the insert blocks.

And I cut out the carbon patches and taped up the insert holes.

I used patches to focus the layers in the areas under Roland's heels.  And patches work just fine since a majority of the carbon will be under deck pad (so you won't see it).

I used 7 ounces of resin - but probably an ounce and a half was on the roller.

Tomorrow I'll sand all the laps flush then add a tinted layer of epoxy to get everything smooth and level.

With that add, this will likely be done Wednesday evening.