RIP Foil Fish

Due to the turmoil at home, I decided I'd brave the forecast and escape to Tsu again. Supposed to be big wind but was pretty much a repeat of the last time I was there.

Which wasn't a bad thing. I really got the gybes dialed in and started going harder and faster, with more power and load on the foil.

That was all good and well until I got too close to shore and slammed into the shallows so hard I gave myself whiplash. Sore neck at the time, stiff the following day. That I could live with . . .

. . . unfortunately, the fuselage is bent again and the mast rounded. That I could almost live with . . .

. . . but the big deal is the crack in the board. Guess I really nailed it hard :(

It's a good news, bad news kinda thing

Sun's out, wind like yesterday but a work day so I got the lake to myself. Cold though, and my gears still wet so I go with the 6/5/4 suit. Ugh.

Got to the beach with the Duke, Fun Foil, and 10m XB but it was howling so I went back for the 7m kiddie's toy. So small, thin, tiny, far away from the bar!

Was fine for a bit, then the wind dropped so I was working it hard. Not so bad, I could get consistent pull out of it that way, but it was hardwork.

Went back in for the 10m. That was better, had some good foiling runs and tried some gybes and S-turns, which was fun. Got to surf a wave accidentally too, until I ran out of speed and pull and sank.

Nailed the bottom HARD at speed, twice...fuselage is bent again. But I got some epically nice rides after that, long foils at constant speed and carving turns.... Huh.

So, plan B rev. 2: ride it as-is until I can foil consistently without slamming into the bottom, then cut it down for the extended fuselage. Tempted to get some aluminum stock and shift the mast mount point too... we'll call that plan C.

There was something else I meant to add, but have forgotten. Oh well.

Fat Bastard strikes again

Plan was to use the light wind to get some time on the foil, ready for summer.

Good decision: using the 6/5/4 suit and 5mm gloves n' boots. Spent a lot of time in the water.

Bad decision: not squaring off the bottom of the mast :-/

So the wind was good when I hit the lake, but after 20 minutes fighting out to chest-deep water, an attempt or two, the wind just dropped right off. I kept playing with the gear but it was frustrating; progress was hampered by fighting to keep the kite in the air, and the foil hitting the bottom.

Found a hole in the lake bottom down near the new breakwater... it's not very long, but if I could get up on a foil, I could fuck off upwind from there easily. The problem is of course, getting up on the foil....

Got back to the beach and thought the fuselage was bent. Yup, sure is. Dammit....

Think I got body dragging with the foil sussed out though. And the feel for the foil again, although goofy is very goofy indeed.

And so it begins

Light wind, just enough to ride. Got a bit of practice in on the Dialer... There's a ripped cell in the right wing tip too, great. Going to fix it with Dacron tape and be done with it. Poor old girl...

Rode from about 5pm to past sunset. Temp dropped under 30 and so we get out first whining about the cold... Gotta wonder what is wrong with these people eh.

Way over the top welcome to Samui

Arrived on Samui on Monday, and some wind arrived today. I thought it'd be light, and contemplated putting up the 21, or going out on the XB16 and the Flydoor... Thank god I did neither!

As it was, I was overpowered, then out if control in gusts. Some nice boosts though. The wind picked up and the gusts got worse, and after about a half hour I got hit by one I couldn't hold onto and started rocketing off towards the pier...

So I threw the safety, splashed down then walked back to the beach, towing the kite. Shame, I was having such fun!

Sliced up my foot on reef remains in the shallows... forgot my reef shoes and my Kindle! More to come, no doubt...

Oh, and the force of the wind on the kite when I ejected caused the Amsteel to cut the bungy in the safety line. Huh!

Redialed

Actually looked enough wind to contemplate my 10m, and Miyachi had the Bandits there for demo so I borrowed the 8th edition 11m for a run. Ok powered, falling to under so I swapped it out for the XB. Bar pressure was light for sheeting, medium for turning but crisp. Flapping behind the LE robbed power when sheeted out. Vague at the zenith... didn't like it.

Had another good time on the Dialer, but fell and hit my spreader bar hook on the rail and damaged it. Dang, something else to repair but I expected to ding up my first board. And an excuse to check out a new board... or maybe a Dynabar.

Really seems I'm going to end up riding the Dialer in lighter wind and saving the TT for really good boosting day... shame I can't surf worth a damn.


Weather was reported as 12 to 16 knots, gusts to 22; 15 degrees at 55%.
Wind felt like just to under powered.

What I learned recently...

• front foot pressure is important to make gybing your feet easy
• still no clue on tacking