Photo: Sam Wai Chan
The jibe is a turn downwind. Unlike a tack, it involves a (wide) curve away from the wind and back into it. What sounds simple was a real challenge for me on the foil. It took several attempts before I managed my first somewhat controlled jibe. But once you can jibe on the foil, it’s your ticket to endless flying – theoretically, at least ;). There are now many variations for jibing. However, this post will focus on the basic version.
Photo: Falko Wagner; Graphic: Silvio Hesse
Prerequisites
It is helpful if you can already do the following:
- Ride confidently on the foil, and be able to head up and bear away.
- Control the wing well. I practiced this on land first – running, then on a longboard and surfskate, and finally on the water, but not immediately on the foil. You can find the basics of wing control here.
- Being able to ride toeside (turned in) is definitely an advantage. For me, however, I learned toeside riding through the jibe, when I rode out of it toeside.
The more consistent the wind and the calmer the water, the easier it is to start.
The Sequence of Movements in Stages
Video: Sam Wai Chan
1. Build Speed
Gain speed: Speed gives you the necessary lift to stay on the foil.
My mistake at the beginning: I went into the jibe too slowly and ended up landing the board on the water. I was wary of speed and wanted to approach it cautiously. In principle, not a bad idea for practicing the movement sequence with the wing again, for example. But I wanted to foil through. Finally, I got the tip that I needed to start the jibe faster. And bam: Suddenly, I not only had more lift, but it was also less wobbly.
2. Initiate the Turn
Before you initiate the jibe, you should definitely make sure that everything is clear and you have enough space for the maneuver.
Then steer the board further downwind towards a broad reach with slight pressure on your toes (if you are riding heelside, with the wing in front of your chest). If you are riding toeside, you need to apply slight pressure to your heels to initiate the turn.
My mistake: I wanted to turn quickly. You can do that. It’s fun too. But it makes the jibe unnecessarily difficult at first. I was too frantic and rode too tight a radius. It's easier to jibe in a larger radius and initiate the turn with only slight pressure – also for control.
Photo: Falko Wagner; Graphic: Silvio Hesse
3. Hand Change on the Wing
While turning from a broad reach, release your back hand from the wing and place it next to your front hand. Then release your original front hand, re-grip the wing with your new back hand, and power up. Regripping the wing with the back hand requires a bit of timing. You'll know when the right moment is.
Stronger wind usually keeps the wing up during a jibe. In light wind – or if you're flying across the water like a rocket – you might approach or even exceed wind speed. This means the wind no longer keeps the wing up, and the wing may partly come towards you due to "apparent wind" – until you ride into it.
This problem can be solved by ensuring the trailing edge isn't too far down during the maneuver. I often give the wing a little push – as if I’m throwing it up and to the side with my back hand as I release it, while turning. This helps it rotate into its new position.
Photos: Sam Wai Chan; Graphic: Silvio Hesse
4. Foot Placement (Optional)
You can change your foot position before the turn, during it, or afterwards. I can't do it during the turn. I usually change my feet afterwards. (Briefly touching down during a foot change – as seen in the video – is completely normal at the beginning and can provide extra stability.) Often, I just continue riding toeside. However, you also have to get used to toeside riding – just like changing feet, especially while on the foil. If you've mastered the foot change but not toeside riding yet, it might be easier to change your feet shortly before initiating the jibe. This way, you'll ride out of the jibe heelside.
Additional Tip
Plenty of wind definitely makes it easier. The wind keeps the wing up, and you can focus more on the board. A tip that helped me a lot was to jibe primarily with the board, not with the wing. You build speed beforehand, then carve the turn with the board, and only then rebuild speed with the wing as you exit. Because I paid less attention to the wing – just enough so it didn't get in the way – I could concentrate better on the board to stay in the flow.
If speed isn't enough: just pump the board a bit in between.
Additional training for foil fitness and balance during my off-water time also helped me progress faster – even if it still took some time.
Recommendation
I'm not a coach. I would recommend taking a course. You can do it without one, but you'll probably save time and avoid setbacks if a professional shows you directly how it's done and what you're doing wrong or right.
Additional videos, books, and tips from others are always good, of course – for me, videos and others' tips were essential. Just ask other people on the water if they have any tips for you if you're stuck on a maneuver. You're not alone. We are all connected by the fascination and enthusiasm for this magical feeling of flying over water – and most people are happy to help others.
This blog is based precisely on that. I've received many valuable tips from others on the water and want to pass them on. The blog is, so to speak, just an extension of the beach – well, or the parking lot.
