Garage Works - 6/28/2026

Needed to fix Kalani's Triple Seven PT Hybrid 5.7 again.  The D line pigtail was getting frayed again.  I installed and new one and encased it in vinyl tubing.

NO WAY this is going to get frayed again!

I settled on a template for the new prone foil board

I reshaped the previously broken AFS 80cm UHM mast Stu had smashed.  I'm going to have to place more epoxy slurry and do another round of shaping to get this back to 100%.

And I opened the tracks on this conversion (from tiny prone to tow boogie)

I'll add a fill coat on this, sand some more and sand again.

I also sanded the track area on the big wing board.  I didn't take pictures - but I'm preparing to laminate more carbon to cure the shifty box.

Gonna need to setup my hot wire cutter....

Garage Works - 5/19/2026

Window install on Tim's board got sanded -

And covered today.

I'll try and wake up early to sand this and get a clear coat sprayed on - then it can go back to Tim tomorrow afternoon (and I can get more working room back in the garage).

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 - 3/8/2026

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 - 2/28/2026

And after running errands and grabbing lunch with La, I headed into the garage to try and get Roland's board modification closer to the finish line.

First off - I sanded the delamination repair areas and the rest of the top deck where strengthening patches are going to be placed.

Here's all the work completed.

Then I prepped the inserts and the slots

All glued in.

Tomorrow I'll shave off the excess glue, cutout the patches, and laminate.

I'm probably a few days away from being finished.

I've been conversing with Charlie over on Maui - he's been looking for a board to learn to Foil Drive prone with... and to wing with... he may be interested in No.34

Which means I'll have to build a replacement...

Garage Works 1 of 3 - 1/24/2026

I skipped out on the dawn patrol to get further ahead on No.43 (and to go with Marlon to Hapa Surf Shop - that's the next post)

I started this morning by sanding the board top and bottom

Then I redid the fill coat on the bottom deck to get a more opaque look.  Don't skimp on the pigment and the small jars pretty much do a single board.

This is where Marlon and I left.  And when we got back, La and I headed out to hit the bookstore and get lunch.

So in the afternoon, I skipped out on an afternoon session to sand yet again.

Top deck - 

Bottom deck

I cleaned the spots where I was going to place the labels, got them on and let them sit for a little bit.  This is when I got to installing a vent on Kalani's board (upcoming post)

Here is No.43 with the decals and the last epoxy fill coat.

Transom decals 

Standard starboard bottom deck label

Standard port side bottom deck label for foil boards 

This build is coming along nicely.

Tomorrow I'll get an epoxy fill coat on the top deck early in the morning.

Once that is hardened, I'll sand the whole board through the sanding grit regime.

I'll target opening the tracks and dressing the slot edges.

I should be able to get the vent and leash plugs installed also.

That'll leave the 2K clear coat for Monday, and deck pad installation for Tuesday.

I'll let everything sit and get settled/cured/hardened for a few days - that has No.43 getting anointed anytime from Friday on (conditions dependent). 

Garage Works - 1/23/2026

I worked on a couple of different projects this afternoon.

First up was getting the starboard finbox on the Firewire Machadocado to get tighter.  This finbox had the Wolverine fin loose yesterday, and when I fitted this fin set, the same thing was happening.  The looseness was lateral.

I used a strip of aluminum duct tape placed on the outside wall of the finbox and "done"!

Nice and tight now.

Then I sanded the entire surface of No.43 to make sure the next layers of epoxy would adhere.

I placed the tape dam, mixed up a batch of slow hardened epoxy, and used a new batch of International Orange pigment.

And this is the color I was going for.

I let the first coat get tacky, then mixed another batch of epoxy, this time with fast hardener, and more pigment.

This second coat really filled in the color to be nice and solid - similar to No.39

Tomorrow morning I'll get a last fill coat on to the bottom deck.  That'll have the first rough sanding happening Sunday morning.  I'll get through to 120 grit, clean the board of dust, place the labels and get a clear sealant coat on one side.  That'll have Monday seeing the other deck get clear coated, Tuesday the fine sanding and plugs day.  Then Wednesday as the final clear coat day.

Thursday I'll get the deck pads on, then the board will sit for a couple of days to get all gelled together.

It'll likely be next Saturday morning when this board gets wet for the first time!!!

Garage Works - 12/3/2025

I sanded down the window fills on all three window sites on Kalani's board today in preparation for the cap sheets of fiberglass.

And while I was doing that, the suspected leak showed itself.

Now I've got it marked and I can get it repaired.

Tiny pinhole opening - but it still is an opening for water infiltration.

I got the cap sheet on the bottom window tonight.  That'll clear the way for working on the top deck tomorrow (2 windows and a pinhole).

Garage Works - 11/18/2025

I decided to rest up another day - considering the forecast, I want to be at 100% for the next few days.

So staying home, I figured I should go ahead and finish off this cosmetic repair on No.40

I sanded the excess epoxy off and then took the repair area through the full grit regime (80-120-180-220-400)

Then I sprayed on the clear coat - just the regular Rust-o-leum gloss and not the 2K.

With the nuking winds tomorrow, I'll likely take No.40 with the Enduro 1300 and either the BRM Maliko 4.0 or 2.9 (TBD).  If it is really raging, maybe even the Enduro 900

It is going to be EPIC the next few days!!!

Garage Works - 10/9/2025

I got home from work and figured the surf would be a repeat of yesterday - so I figured I get the sanding done on No.42

Went through 40-80-120-180 grits

Here's the bottom deck 

And the top deck

And a look from the side

I went ahead and rinsed the dust off the board.  I'll wipe it down one more time tomorrow morning before I spray the clear coat 

The left side is the nose, and the right side is the tail.

After the clear coat dries, I'll give it a few more hours and then put on the deck pads.

Saturday the wind is supposed to come up again!!!  I'll get the foil positions dialed in using the wing, then I'll parawing the crap out of this board!

Unless is sucks - 

Garage Works - 10/7/2025

The surf was tiny and the wind was onshore - I kept to the garage.  Besides, I really need to finish this board so I can get it put through its paces this weekend.

I resanded the patched areas and faired everything in again.  I filed the track box fill (where the router took too much).  Then I wiped the board down and taped up the perimeter.

I used 7.5 ounces of ProLink epoxy for the last fill/seal coat.  I got the rails and the bottom deck coated.

Then after a few hours, the epoxy was pretty much hardened.  I taped up the bottom perimeter and then mixed up another 6 ounces of the Pro Link.  I got the top deck and the rails coated. 

Tomorrow I'll sand the board - top, bottom and rails through the whole regime.  Then I'll get the vent and leash plugs installed.  I'll try to get through all that shortly after I get home from work tomorrow.

Once the epoxy placed in the leash and vent plugs hardens, I'll sand those down and then spray clear coat on the bottom deck and the rails.  This is where I start to question whether I'll have enough time tomorrow...

Ideally I'd then get the top deck sprayed.  Then Thursday morning I'll place the deck pads and let those set for 24 hours.  If I can get all that done in that schedule, the board will be ready for use on Friday.

The forecast is kinda shifting a bit - but Saturday afternoon looks to be the point where the tradewinds return.  So I've got an extra day or so....

And with the crappy conditions, I'm actually getting to rest my body from the nearly non-stop foiling (parawinging and Foil Drive-ing).  I actually need this break!

Update - I headed back to the garage after dinner and got the plugs installed.

Measured out position on the board and drilled out the pilot holes.  Switched to hole saw bits and got the openings drilled in.

Used about 0.2 ounces of epoxy to set these two plugs in place.

Today's work got me ahead of planned schedule.  Wednesday should be sanding and clear coat spraying.  And Thursday will be deck pad application.

The trades look to be solid on Saturday - I'll likely head to Hickam to get the foil positions dialed in on wing, then try parawinging it!!!

Garage Works - 10/6/2025

I definitely needed to rest today - and the weather helped keep me home.

I guess I'll count working in the garage as resting.

I sanded No.42 - both sides, top and bottom to 40 grit.

I signed the board and pulled the dimensions - 6'6" x 18.125" x 5.125"

It's narrow - but the point of this board is to get up on foil faster.  There should be so stability from the length and the mast below - we shall see.

Then I opened up the tracks.

The corner of this one got opened up a tad too much - so I rigged this mold to get it filled back in.  It really didn't need it patched - but the board is new and I'm placing epoxy anyways...

I was going to put a coat of Pro-Link epoxy over the bottom and sides, but I figured I should fill in the slightly low spots with the excess pigmented/milled fiber infused epoxy I had left over from the track fill.

And here is No.42 - low spots filled and through the first sanding.

Tomorrow I'll fair in the fill and then place a Pro-Link seal coat.  I'll try to do that early, so after a few hours I can go back and install the leash and vent plugs.

That means Wednesday is the next sanding day.  And If I'm lucky, I can go ahead and spray the clear coat on.

Thursday will see the deck pads go on and Friday I can get the board anointed.  I'll first take it out with a wing so I can get the foil positions dialed in (Enduro 900 and 1300, Ultra 750).  Then I'll take it out with the parawing!!!

Getting close!