Evening Session - 11/27/2024

Yesterday evening the wind was up and down, the tide was lowish and the waves were small - I ended up bringing the Sweet Potato.  I could have brought the Mode Pro 6.8 and the Dragonfly - that for sure would have worked, but I opted to play it safe.

I actually got up on several waves - but there was so little energy it was hard to get maneuvers in.  At least I didn't get skunked.

Roland and Prayot on the other hand did take out their prone foil setups and had some good rides.  Three-peats were common.

This was Roland's last wave of the day - he took it all the way in.  But it wasn't sand on the inside....

Hopefully the wind comes back soon.

W:145/PW:2/FD:83/F:5/S:23

Evening Session - 2/8/2024

A new Tasman Sea swell was supposed to be arriving.  The wind was "supposed" to be down and the tide was low.  I figured I mix it up and bring the Great White Twin.

Well - the thermals kicked in and the wind was blowing almost straight on shore.  I think with the Eagle 1090 and the SW2 5.2 I could have been up and riding - but the tide was REALLY low and the waves were up.  Whatever foil I brought out would have gotten beat up.

And I actually want to swap out the Endorfin Twins to some of the other twin sets I recently purchased, so I'm glad I brought this board.

I paddled out and caught several really fun waves.  I got plenty of turns in, but the rides were relatively short.  I think this board needs another foot in surf height.  Surfline was calling today's waves at 29kJ.  So I think 35kJ will be the point at which I'll take the GWT out.

Derek was out winging on a 5.0.  Gabe and the two teenagers were out prone foiling.

I felt good about shortboarding - but I think the Sweet Potato would have worked better today.

W:13/FD:10/F:4/S:6

Evening Session - 10/10/2023

Got in an evening session after work - sometimes just swimming around in the ocean after a long day at work is good to wash off the work day.

The tide was dropping and the waves were about waist high.  The wind was up and down, and it did have more North in it.  There was a winger out in front of Campgrounds - they looked to be powered up and on foil.

I brought out the Boogie Fish!  I placed the True Ames Hess Noriega keels.

This board is different than the other boards I've been using lately.  The end result is this board is really skatey (compared the more drivey feel I get from the Sweet Potato).  This is especially noticable when completing a top turn and redirecting - slides a bit more at the end of the turn.  This is likely due to the bottom deck elements  - some spiral V and concaves that have an edge on the rail side of the feature.

I think the best way to describe this is "fun"

It did seem like it wanted more energy to open up and run.  The waves today did not have that much energy behind them, and it was good to find the low end of this board's range.  Going forward through the week, the waves are supposed to pick up. What a convenient excuse to keep using this board!  

W:103/F:93/S:43

Evening Session - 10/4/2023

Another low tide session.  Waves were coming in better, but they were smaller.

I used the Sweet Potato again - I got many waves and several were slashed apart by me.

The Sweet Potato definitely is a lemonade making machine! 

Roland was out on the Progression 140 -

And busting airs!!!

I absolutely love this board - it does things that defy logic and physics.  And it is saving my foils from horrible bottom scars (that I would be getting if I felt desperate enough to foil during low tides like today).

Thanks to Marlon for taking water shots today!!!

W:101/F:92/S:38

Dawn Patrol - 7/29/2023

Marlon and I went on the dawn patrol this morning.  The tide was negative so I opted to skip foiling.  At the front end of the session the wind was down - but soon after the wind did come up.

Marlon was checking out the surf while I was changing.  I finished and went over to check it out and say good morning to the Stage Crew.  Marlon was walking back and said the surf was small - I told him we were here and I was going to go out for a short session - so he might as well go out anyways.  He agreed.

I knew it would be small and low tide so I packed the Sweet Potato.  And I also wanted to try out the NVS Ono Convertible keels.  Marlon brought his trusty longboard.

I saw him catch several fun ones (so likely no regrets on paddling out).

I caught several also.  I can't say enough great things about the Sweet Potato.  I would catch a wave that would normally take a longboard to pick up, setup in the power core of the wave and then do full on turns.

These Ono Convertibles are really sweet!!!  I actually don't know whether I like the more/the same/less than the Webber Transformers.  I also love the way I can throw the tail around with this twin fin config - but I'm wondering if I put in a tiny trailer if the ride will get even better....

I got to talk to Scott this morning - I haven't seen him out in a while (he's been busy taking his son to baseball).  Noel and Andrew were also out - but they didn't recognize me without being on a foil (lol).

Surfing, foiling, winging.... it's all good!!!

W:72/F:68/S:31

Dawn Patrol - 5/13/2023

Negative low tide this morning.  There was some light wind blowing - just enough to put texture on the water, but not much more than that.  And the swell was on when it was on, with some lulls.

I brought Kalani's SUP so I could give it back to him.  I also brought No.31 and the Progression 170 - but looking at the shallow water depth, I opted for the Viking.

Kalani and Dennis had their Foil Drive setups (Kalani's inaugural run).  Dennis has got this wired - takes off on waves that barely have any carry, and with the setup he has he can pump back out also.

Caught several from the outside and rode them pretty much all the way in.  Then had to paddle all the way back out.  Normally one would look at a board like the Viking and think this is way easier to paddle than a shortboard and that it is the EASY button.  In my experience, the Viking forces me to expend a lot more energy than if I was surfing a shortboard or the TJ Everyday - this is primarily because I do a ton more long distance paddling and I try and catch waves from the far outside where they are still lumps.  I ended up going home to help La at the yard sale in our neighborhood and after I took a really deep nap - because of all the paddling I did.

Good session!!!

W:43/F:35/S:28

Dawn Patrol - 6/4/2022

Dawn patrol with Marlon.  He brought his longboard - and I brought the Viking.  The tide was really low.  And the swell had dropped off considerably.  I managed to catch a few good ones, then called it.

Kalani, Noel, Andrew, Duke and Roland were all foiling - tide was too low for my liking.

I was going to fly the drone and take pictures/videos of Marlon - but I messed up memorizing his pass code for his phone and couldn't get set up.

Good exercise today and we got a good view of Molokai this morning at dawn!  It's always fun to surf the Viking!

W:44/F:56/S:17

Dawn Patrol - 3/26/2022

Same setup as yesterday - but with the swell breaking further out, I should have used the 29.5" mast for the extra clearance.  I'd catch a wave on the outside, but the lower height was restricting my free flow.

Despite the slight setback (I need to remember the differential between the 27.5" and 29.5" masts conditions wise - bigger waves breaking further out is ok in low tide days for the taller mast) - I caught my share of some really good foiling waves.

I went in early because it seemed like good conditions for the wind to blow - didn't want to be too tired to wing....

W:18/F:32/S:10

Evening Session - 3/25/2022

After work, there was supposed to be some wind so I went to Hickam.  I had brought some additional gear thinking I would have to deal with some lighter (but still consistent wind) - the GoFoil fuselage for the Project Cedrus mast, the GL210 and the 16.25" stabilizer.  I even left the Reedins at home and had the OR A 5.0.  Well - the wind was not even marginal - I turned around and headed back home - time to prone foil.

WPB was breaking chest high.  The tide was really low - I had the 4'8", the short GoFoil mast and the NL160.  The NL is one of the best surfing foils I've used - makes foiling seem a lot more like shortboard surfing.  With the bigger waves, the break shifted further out so no contact with the bottom was had (for once).

I caught tons of waves - and even foiled from Fenceline to Two Cabins and back several times.  

W:18/F:31/S:10

Evening Session - 3/15/2022

I got in an evening session with the skinny 4'10" and the GL180.  I bolted on the 27.5" mast since the tide was on the low side and only dropping more.

Roland was out and we were pretty much trading waves.  The crowd was manageable (still had kooks that were dropping in though).

I caught more than a couple of handfuls of waves - pretty long rides, lots of turns and a few pump outs.

Not a bad way to end a work day!

W:14/F:27/S:10

68cm Project Cedrus Mast

I received this 68cm Project Cedrus mast in the mail yesterday.

I ordered the Axis adapter and the 2021 Takuma adapter to help reduce the amount of times I have to switch adapters when using the foils in different disciplines.  This Axis adapter looks way better than the one I got with the used 75cm mast (I might have to order another one).

This is only going to be used for prone foil surfing.  I ordered this 68cm mast so I could go out in lower tides.  It may not seem to be that much of a difference between the 75cm and this 68cm masts, but at a 0.7' tide I've been tapping the bottom where on the Armstrong 72cm mast I wouldn't.

And actually, the 75cm when setup is at 79/80cm.

Fully assembled, I measured the height from the extents (top of the mount plate to the bottom/invert of the fuselage and this 68cm mast turns into a 73cm assembled foil (which is 28.75").

I'm also thinking this will improve the effectiveness of my pumping (shorter stroke height should allow for faster/shallower pumping).  Using the 75 (79/80) cm setup I found I was having to ride way higher to get the foil to the optimum height below the surface (foils work best just under the surface which also reduces the drag of the mast), and that took some extra effort to get and maintain it there - often meaning I had to pump through a higher water column.  Again you may be thinking "you're only talking about 2.75"" - but everything makes a difference.

Looking forward to getting this bolted on and ridden hard!!!   

Evening Session - 8/27/2020

After applying the epoxy this afternoon, I set up dinner in the slow cooker and then went back to WPB with Marlon for an evening session.  I knew the tide would be lower so I brought out the Pigfish thinking the inside waves would be the call.

I totally got my share of waves - and some of them were really good!!!  It's been a while since I've surfed this board and I forgot how fun it is to go front side on it.  The crowd was pretty thick - but I just stayed inside of them all and picked up wave after wave of juicy fun!