Wing Foiling Session - 6/22/2024

I hit Hickam today (didn't want to deal with the crowds or the low tide swim out at WPB).

The wind was either way up (nuking - to the point that a 4.0 would have been good) or lulled out to where you had to working it to stay up on foil.

Jim was there when I parked.  He wanted to test his new Amundson with the Foil Drive.

Arvin, Matt (nice board) and I were the group that was out initially.

The North Mode Pro 4.8 was smack dab in the middle - good thing it likes the top end.

I spent most of the session out at Firsts.  With the strong wind, I was able to get tacks both inside and outside.

I had to wait for the waves - but when they came, they were really good.  I caught three head high rollers (just kept going).

I called it at 75 minutes -

Lots of people had shown up by this time.  Ken, Zach, Harris, Jesse - and Arvin, Matt and Jim were all still out.  I wanted to get home to work on the boards in the garage.

I really like using the Project Cedrus Aluminum 90cm mast.  I barely have any ventilation issues and riding full mast height is pretty thrilling.  I may bring the Clydesdale out soon to get that dialed in for downwinding.

Super fun session!

W:75/FD:44/F:4/S:12

Wing Foiling Session - 6/21/2024

And with the wind blowing pretty hard around my house, I packed up some gear and some optimism and headed over to WPB.

Reedin SW2 4.7, No.36, Evolution Cedrus Wind Mast, and the SK8 750/Carve 195 foil set. 

And while we were setting up, the wind was whitecapping.  But by the time we were launching, it had died back a notch.

Everyone (Roland, Kalani and I) were able to launch without much issue.  Norm was already out.

But the wind did slack a few times.

When the wind was up - it was really fun.  The wind swell was running so there were rides to be had.

Those long blue trails are the lulls - and me drifting downwind trying in vain to get back up on foil.  If I had the SW2 5.2 and the SK8 950 (or even the Eagle 1090) I'd be up a lot more than I was.  

When the wind was up, it was really fun - too bad it wasn't really up.

I was actually down more than I was up... the forecast couldn't have been more wrong.

W:74/FD:44/F:4/S:12

Garage Works - 6/21/2024

I used the grinder and opened up the boxes today.

I'll get a fill coat on this tonight.

Garage Works - 6/20/2024

I got the majority of the epoxy work done this evening on this repair.

I got the finboxes set into the foam block, the voids on the side of the block filled in with thickened epoxy, and then laminated the carbon layers to hold everything together.

Tomorrow I'll grind open the finboxes and start placing the fill coat(s).

Wing Foiling Session - 6/20/2024

Grabbed some winging time again today.  The wind was stronger than yesterday.

I setup the same gear as yesterday - 

Save the wing - with the stronger wind I pumped up the Ezzy Flight 4.0

Kalani, Gary and Roland also headed out.

The wind was really good.  And with the wide open exposure to the ocean, the wind swell was rideable!

A notch stronger than yesterday.  For most of the session I was up and ripping.  But there were a few lulls where I had to wait for gusts to get back up.

Yes - I forgot my watch and my GoPro.  I used my phone to get the track and speed data.

Tomorrow should be similar to today.

W:73/FD:44/F:4/S:12

Wing Foiling Session - 6/19/2024

And then the wind kicked in - all chores and garage works were placed on hold, and out for testing some new (to me) stuff.

Conditions were similar to yesterday, but slightly stronger and more consistent wind.

I pumped up the SW2 4.7 (same as yesterday), but everything else got switched up.

I set up this new (to me) 90cm Project Cedrus Aluminum mast.  And I bolted on the Advance Plus Crazy Short fuselage, and the Spitfire 840/P325

Kalani was at the parking lot when I pulled up.  He's had to get the demo Code 850S back to Robby so he wanted to put it through it paces one last time.

Robby was out Foil Driving - Norm, Roland and Derek rounded out the rest of the crew today. 

I got some frequent flyer miles logged today.

I've said this before - the Spitfire 840/325P combo is the closest I've come to in winging to surfing good waves on a performance shortboard.  The F One SK8 carves like a dream, but the smaller Spitfire slashes.  It is abrupt, and there are pitch fluctuations - but I think that all adds to the appeal of this foil in the surf (powered by a wing).

And having the extra mast height on the 90cm was a huge deal - breaching isn't on my mind when riding waves.  I had a lot of back-to-back waves where I'd ride one out, head back out only to tack onto the incoming and ride it out.  I'm way more sore this evening than I've been in a while - that Spitfire....

There were a few lulls I had to wait out - but there was good wind throughout the session.

When Derek came out, so did the air monster in Roland!!!

Can't complain about the conditions today!

Too much fun today!!!

W:72/FD:44/F:4/S:12

Garage Works - 6/19/2024

I did some work in the garage today.  First up was cutting the slots for the mast track on the big SUP Foiling board (repair order from Jim and Scotty).

This went fairly eventless (my favorite way).

Then I cut out the carbon patches for both the SUP Foil board and No.37

Then I had to head out to pick up a couple of billets of EPS - can't turn this stuff down (I haven't bought a blank in quite some time now that people who know me keep getting these to me).

I am actually stalling at this point... I don't know why I don't feel like placing epoxy....  But despite my hesitancy, I need to get the big SUP finished before the weekend.

Wing Foiling Session - 6/18/2024

Despite the clouds, there was wind today at the Plains.  And with the high tide, launching and landing were nice evolutions.

The only down side was the waves were on the small side.

I was optimistic and pumped up the SW2 4.7 - and for 90% of the session it was the perfect wing.  I'd say it was at the low end for the 4.7 - but I never felt like I was going to drift towards Camp Grounds.

I did setup the Eagle 890/DW190 on No.32 - more optimism (but well founded). 

There were waves - mostly wind driven swell.  They were fun to ride when you lined up with them - they just went on and on...

I got in a bunch of tacks on both sides,  On my heel-toe tacks, a few times I'd lose momentum and would drop off foil - if there was a downside to using the 4.7 today, this was it.

Good wind - just a bit up and down.

The drop offs were where I would trip on tacks.  More than a few of these - but no big deal (as the wind would ramp back up).

I was out for over an hour before Norm, Duke and Roland made it out.

I brought the GoPro out - I'll review the photos and repost if there are any good ones (update - here are some pictures from yesterday).

Outside tack (heel-to-toe)

Inside tack (toe-to-heel) - It looks like I breached the front foil...

Outside tack -

Inside tack

Fun session!

W:71/FD:44/F:4/S:12

Garage Works - 6/17/2024

Between napping and working on the yard (edging and mowing), I got the big SUP repair forwarded.

I started by using the planner to take down the pour foam.  Then I used the router to open the slot to accommodate the polyurethane blocks.

Here's the open slot and the foam blocks.  I had to use the surform to get everything to fit the way I wanted it to. 

Expanding Gorilla Glue for this one.  I've been reading a lot of feedback on how other people secure this - most have moved on from epoxy to avoid the exotherm damage potential.  And the Gorilla Glue is stronger than the foam it is securing together - so the results strength wise should be the same.

At this point I had finished the yardwork and used the planer and surform to level out the foam block (and glue that expanded out).  Then I marked up the center line and the 90mm spacing 

And here is where I stopped for the day - I setup the first cut.

I'll cut the slots out tomorrow and then likely epoxy in the tracks.  I should go ahead and cut out the reinforcement patches and get those epoxied on at the same time (so everything chemically bonds together).

Wing Foiling Session - 6/16/2024

Kalani and I hit Hickam on this Father's Day afternoon.  When we pulled up, Zach was finishing up (Harris, Matt, Jesse were still out - Clinton was setting up and Norm had just pulled up - full house).

There was texture on the water so I stuck to my plan - testing the Ezzy Flight 5.0 (latest version), along with getting the F One SK8 750 dialed in on No.36

I had a hard time getting the Ezzy to lift me off the water and onto foil.  Was on the struggle bus for about 18 minutes - but then I was out in the wind line and caught a gust.  All was good after that (until later when I was trying to head in).

The waves were really good - I saw almost everyone catching some good sized rides.

I caught a monster from the outside (was heading out to stronger winds so I could turn - just so happens the turn coincided with nabbing a freight train).

I had plenty of great rides today!

The wind was perfect for a 5.0 - but the Ezzy and I were not gelling today.  I sent Donnel an email with the feedback - but basically it didn't have low end (which is something I believe designers based on Maui don't get - lighter wind wings need to have some draft).

I really enjoyed the session - the wing was fine as long as there was decent wind, and the SK8 750/Carve 195 were really solid in the waves.  I even got the whole setup to 22.6 mph

Good Father's Day session!!!

W:70/FD:44/F:4/S:12