Rest Day and Unboxing the BRM S3 5.3

I felt like taking a nap this afternoon - with the wind mostly down and the surf just at fun levels, I figured it would be a good day to rest.

I was also waiting for the FedEx delivery person to deliver the BRM S3 5.3

Once it arrived, I headed to the beach to unbox and test fly it.

Roland was just finishing setting up.  Looked like it was good conditions for Foil Driveing

But I was more excited about unboxing this -

Nice shopping bag (made with the excess fabric from the parawings).  This time it is black.

I ordered a S3 specific harness line along with the parawing.

I paid attention to how the parawing was folded, so if I have to get it back in this bag I should be able to.

Folded in half, then five times

This general carrying bag seems similar to the Paia bag

This is how it came out of the small bag

Unfurled

This parawing is super light.  Stays up in the lightest of breeze - even more so than the Maliko 5.1

It did not want to drop to the rear of the wind window

It had a ton of depower range from the bar - the wind was not strong enough to test this out fully

It retracted really easily - probably the easiest (except for the Ka'a).

It really seems like the lines should not really even have the opportunity to tangle - but only time on the water will tell that story.

For now the wind is not forecasted to get back up to parawingable strength until Monday.... curse of the new parawing.

Day Off - Garage Works - 9/25/2025

I charged up the HO battery and even brought the already setup board/FD/foil from yesterday - but with the wind directly onshore and decently strong, I opted to sit today out.

Instead of Foil Drive-ing, I ended getting some ground handling practice with the Flysurfer POW 4.0 and the BRM Maliko 2.9

I ordered a demo POW 4.0 and it arrived today.

And this is the first time I had the BRM Maliko 2.9 out and flying.  I had already changed the bar out, and I've been trying to confirm the bridle mod was already completed (it has).  There wasn't enough wind to get this parawing to pull like it should, but I did get a feel for it (and I really think it is going to be a blast!).

This 4.0 seemed to have the same power distribution as the Maliko 5.1 - will be interesting to see how close they are.  The 5.0 is definitely more powerful than either the POW 4.0 or the Maliko 5.1 - so that is off on it's own.

This parawing changed direction easier than it's bigger sibling.  That means the jibing challenges I was having on the POW 5.0 is the larger size and difference in handling.

I should be able to test drive this in the water on Sunday and find out first hand.

Of note, there were only brake lines leading up the canopy from the bar.  I'll have to see if that is the same as the 5.0

Also happening today - I got some garage time in.

I placed some epoxy and glass bubbles in the seam of No.42

I'll sand the overage tomorrow and get the track block glued into the slot.  That will set up a weekend lamination.

And I got the bolt holes deeper on Felipe's mast repair.  I still can't get the bolts to just drop in, but I'm really close.

Once the bolts can drop in, I'll clean up the holes and place either epoxy/milled fibers, or JB Weld (probably the epoxy).  After that is in place, I'll drill holes for the helicoils, tap the holes and get the helicoils installed.

Just in time to get Prayot's AFS UHM 80cm foil into the garage for repair...