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Foundation

The gybe draws strongly and is built from having an efficient and fast blasting stance. Setting up for the gybe can be practiced whilst on a reach and continuing on that direction. The footwork and rig transition draw upon the skills learnt in the light wind gybe. Proficiency in clew first sailing will pay huge dividends in your gibing success rate. Lastly, the better your ability in getting planning the more smooth the transition from moving gybe to planing gybe. Therefore, the gybe can be addressed in stages.

We can address the move by moving with efficiency through the key parts:

• Set-up – Unhook, hang off the boom and take the back foot out of the strap whilst maintaining speed. The back hand is right down the boom with the back foot next to the back strap to give your feet space for the switch. Lastly, scissor the board downwind
• Carving – Come over the inside rail and drop into the turn. Gradually increasing the back foot pressure. The front arm is extended with your rig forward and body back. Start to look out of the turn, where you want to go
• Foot change and rig transition – As you come to downwind open the sail and continue looking out of the turn. With a heavily weighted back foot your front foot switches across the board and then the back foot can step forward. Keep the weight over the new back foot, carving through the heels and pause in the clew first position
• Exit – Keep looking forwards. Slide the front hand down the boom to the mast and rotate the rig to the back and then draw the rig back forwards. Hang off the boom and drive the board back to speed.

Practice

• Unhooking, hanging off the boom and fast broad reaching
• Switching the feet and sail on dry land in very light winds
• Light wind gybes on a floaty board
• Clew first sailing, clew first beachstarts.

Fundamentals

Rig away – maintaining this through all the phases of the gybe will keep the board speed up as your weight will be on the rig and the board will be kept flat; another key fundamental.

Look where you want to go – This really is the top tip of the move. Look downwind on the entrance. During the foot change look out of the turn to enable shifting our weight. At the exit look forwards to keep up speed and enable a smooth transition back to full speed.

Clew first sailing - Become the master of this and your carve gybe success rate will increase significantly. The hands are spread wide and down the boom with your head looking forward and the clew pulled in tight, whilst your body resists the sails power. Your sailing line will be downwind from just off a beam reach to a broad reach.