Topics

1

Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / How does a carbon mast interact in an aluminum fuze?

« on: August 26, 2022, 08:56:51 AM »

Some companies have carbon masts which insert into aluminum fuselages.  Doesn't this cause corrosion?  The the anodized aluminum protect from that?  I have a well used aluminum fuselage and can see where the red color has worn off in spots on the inside where the mast would insert.  Does that make it more vulnerable?

2

Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / Wingfoiling? Video

« on: August 14, 2022, 10:22:13 PM »

This is a wing and a foil is involved.  But the medium is air.  I promise this one will be entertaining.  Best HG footage ever IMO.  Drone footage capturing loops and spins.  This is a great double surface glider and is 'topless' (no top wires so less drag)   I flew a topless glider in 1979 but it had struts. No struts on this one.   Don't ask me how.  I've been out of the sport for 42 years.  The pilot is obviously fearless.  The max pushed out spins certainly blew my mind.  I saw spins when I flew but never this controlled.  I nevah.  Guys were occasionally flipping upside down back then, their bodies landing into the frame of aluminum tubing.   Just imagining it made me freaked and prevented me from even thinking about it.  I knew some great aerobatic pilots but being a Maui pilot,  my focus was always thermaling.   To me, aerobatics were for places with untold lift, like money to burn.

   

3

Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / new Axis 1310 PNG foil

« on: August 07, 2022, 08:59:01 PM »

Has anyone tried this 1310  PNG foil?  51" span, 2080 sq cms area, 7.3" chord, AR 8.53

Obviously it's an U-2 or an albatross, depending which age you group you belong in.  Paddling with it might hit the foil.  Winging and dock starting? 

Some kid did a 17 min. dock start pump.  There's a video but it's irritating with fast forward and horrible soundtrack.  They shoulda shot it with a drone.  Anyway, it looks interesting but I wonder about the reality.  It is promoted with use with a high mod carbon mast.

4

Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / Anyone have experience with 500 Anhedral Rear Wing?

« on: April 14, 2022, 12:28:57 PM »

Axis makes a 500 rear wing with dihedral and one with anhedral.  I basically understand what each does with an airplane wing but wondered how it translate to foiling.  If you have a dihedral 500, I'd like to know your experience with that as well.

5

Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / Kahului harbor wing foil use

« on: November 09, 2021, 08:03:05 AM »

We're 'under the gun' for wing use in Kahului harbor.    Our presence has been contentious.  The canoe clubs on the north side of east Maui have been there for years.  They suspended practices during this pandemic and now that they're returning, they find the harbor and the parking lot around it, filled with wing foilers.

But the greater issue is,  the harbor is a commercial port for the island.  With wind and currents, it's already a tall order for tugs to get their barges into the pier safely.  They need physical and psychic space to do their maneuvering, another words an empty harbor with no distractions. 

The mass majority of wingers are now up to speed on the program.  But please, if you visit here and plan to wing, pay attention to any loud horns, movement by the ships or tugs at the pier and outside the entrance.  For any of these go in immediately.  When they enter the harbor entrance, it's ideal that they don't see any wingers.  You can see them from pretty far out and even the bridge on the tugs are high enough to spot over the breakwall.  They don't move fast. 

The other day a large barge was outside the harbor.    Every one came in except one guy.  When he came inside, I thought he'd come in but then he began to jibe to go back out.  I barked at at him and waved him in.  He was nice enough and said he was under the impression that if he stayed within the buoys it would be OK.   I pointed to everyone else parked on the beach.  "Do you think we all came in so we could watch you wing?"  I explained the 'clear deck' reason for the tugs and he apologized.

Nobody likes telling people what to do and I don't either.  So please ask questions and observe constantly.  There are also posts on some of the trees telling when the canoe practices are so that you can know when not to be in the water and preferably not even around the canoe club washing your gear or putting it away.  I subtract another half hour before they start (3:30 on Tuesday and Thursday) so that my parking space is open to one of them when they begin to arrive.

6

Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / Shimming 400 tail pics

« on: October 24, 2021, 07:07:17 PM »

I don't know about you but I get confused when people use terms like positive and negative angles.  I relate more to; lift the leading edge or lift the trailing edge. 

Here's how the 400 rear wing seats into the black fuse with no shim.  As you can see, even with the screws tightened down there a gap toward the rear, which seems to whistle, which bugs me as I go where I don't want to be drawing attention.

Soo... to lift the leading or trailing edge , that is the question... with a 999 and short fuse. 

Second shot is with a single layer of plastic I harvested off a big empty green container for kitty litter, this eliminated the gap toward the rear back half of the fuse/rear wing connection and eliminated the noise.  Hard to tell if this lifted the leading edge or not.  It appeared like it just created a better seat and with the shim being equal throughout the length of the attachment , would the leading edge be the same as no shim?

Third shot is with a double layer toward the front half (still single in the rear) which I think is lifting the leading edge of the stabilizer up a tad.

I didn't do a rear shim yet.  But it's pretty easy once you have a generous out of the shim.  Any excees you can trim by drawing a razor blade along the side with the top and bottom being a guide. 

7

Foil SUP / Downwind pic from Maliko

« on: October 04, 2021, 09:57:56 AM »

This is my friend Jeremy on a downwind run from Maliko on Maui's north shore.  He was innovative and stuck his paddle (with cam at the other end) in the board's carry strap to support his paddle.  Taking us 'with him' with a very close up shot.

8

Foil SUP / Wake up call

« on: September 17, 2021, 04:33:18 PM »

More like the sudden realization that winter waves are just around the corner and it had been over a year since I paddled... anything.  Since then winging and the other vagrancies of life, like; work, covid and any number of excuses have distracted me from even touching a paddle. 

But recently I've been inspired by my pal Jeremy Riggs to learn how to pop up from the flats on a foil.  And even failing to lift off, at least I'll be able to augment my wave catching ability on a foil board.  Jeremy, 60 pounds less than me and 20 years younger is quite proficient at lifting off from the flat, usually in three strokes.  I posted a video (Jeremy Riggs flat water pop up). 

So I decided not to be too ambitious and went down to the beach I live near for just some flat water paddling to reacquaint.  Water was churned up and a little rough but the time for excuses was over.  Used my old SUP board (no foil) with a three years worth of dirt on the bottom.  Did about two hundred yards with Shirley on the beach taking a few pics so I could see what was happening.  Yes I know... top arm bent, hips not turned.  It was pathetic, I'm tired but I didn't fall and I have a starting point.   This will be my new 'breakfast'.  Tomorrow I'll start with the foil board.

I also did the check out on my foil board for center of mass for board and foil, which had my mast position 1" forward of where I have been riding it when winging.  The 1" back position had the board slightly tipping nose down.

9

Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / Jeremy Riggs flat water foil pop up

« on: September 09, 2021, 08:06:13 AM »

In the pyramid of learning how to lift on a foil, winging is probably the easiest, catching a breaking wave with a paddle-- a bit more difficult, catching an open ocean swell with a paddle-- really challenging, and finally popping up on flat water with a paddle is a considerable task, which once conquered, enables all the lower challenges.  In this video Jeremy Riggs breaks it down.  After coaching one of the  females, who had experience in all the lower categories, she popped up on the flats.  The whole beach erupted in cheers.

10

Windfoiling, Windsurf Foiling / Anyone seen this harness hook before?

« on: April 08, 2021, 09:17:44 AM »

I saw this on FB and it looked like a 'kinder' hook than any of the other metal hooks I've seen.  He says it's light weight but doesn't mention the material.   I like the shape and rounded edges.  But as Letterman always said, will it gouge?

11

Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / Foil Pump simulator

« on: September 19, 2020, 08:43:40 AM »

s

12

Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / I put a handle o my Unit today

« on: August 16, 2020, 11:30:39 PM »

My first day on my 6M Unit today.  While the wind has been strong and gusty during this last week,  I've been fashioning a boom, a la Pono Bill velcro style.  It was an old SUP paddle that I cut so there was still a hand's grip length beyond the handles where they attach.  The boom felt secure and tight for my first run on it but I hadn't figured out the best position for my hands yet so I came in and took it off.  Then went out with the handles only and that was better for my first day. 

Figured out where I needed my hands to be and after a few dropped wing tips that I managed to pull out without falling, I pumped the handles and up I went.  Wind was extremely light.  No whitecaps.  Only one other guy was on foil and he was real good.  He did every trick in the book.  I went straight and fell on my jibe attempts, which I have no idea how to begin them with handles.  But other than that,  I dug the handles.  They were extremely comfy and spongy/springy and really aided with the pump up.  Super fun getting up in light breeze.  The boom will get another try soon.

13

Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / Tack sequence

« on: August 06, 2020, 11:07:07 AM »

I took this pic yesterday after my oil change for my car.  Actually three pics I jungle spliced together to help me grasp the 'tack'  The rider is a local boardmaker, who also made most of our downwind boards back when we did that and now produces foil boards.  Mark Raaphorst.  He's fairly adept on foil and quick with wing changes with both jibes and tacks.  Wind yesterday was filled into the beach at 30-40mph so he was able to be within range for my crappy cell phone camera to get a reasonable capture.  My cam went to B&W for some reason, which pissed me off, so I tweaked it to sepia for better contrast. He's on a sub 6' board that he of course made and an axis 1000.  Don't know which stab or fuse he used. 

14

Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / Wing harness?

« on: July 26, 2020, 03:05:05 PM »

Anyone have a great idea as to what kind of harness to use for a wing?  Not the lines but the harness itself.  Obviously there is the issue of poking your board with a hard hook. 

15

Wingsurfing, Windfoiling, Wingfoiling, Wing SUP / Calf cramp when knee starting

« on: July 25, 2020, 01:03:37 PM »

Had my calf cramp yesterday when knee starting with wing.  Anyone else have this happen?  It was a first for me but the pain is still slightly there today, despite ice, ibuprofen, mag/cal and a vibrator.  Not just minor pain, all encompassing undeniable pain.  Had to sit there for several minutes before I was able to get back in.