The jibe – in English: jibe – is the turn with the wind. Unlike the tack, it takes you in a (wide) curve away from the wind and then back toward it. What sounds easy was a real challenge for me on the foil. It took quite a few tries until I managed my first somewhat controlled jibe. But once you’ve learned the jibe on the foil, it’s your ticket to endless flying – at least in theory 😉. By now, there are many different ways to jibe. In this post, though, it’s all about the basic version.
Requirements
Before you attempt the jibe on the foil, you should:
- ride the foil confidently and be able to head up and bear away,
-
be able to control the wing well. I practiced that first on land – walking, then on the longboard, then the surfskate, and finally on the water (but not yet on the foil). You can find the basics of wing control here.
- Being able to ride toeside (turned in) is definitely helpful. For me, though, it was more like I learned to ride toeside through the jibe – when I exited the jibe riding toeside.
The steadier the wind and the calmer the water, the easier it will be to start with.
The Movement in Steps
1. Build up speed
Before initiating the jibe, make sure everything is clear and you have enough space for the maneuver.
If everything is fine, pick up speed: Speed gives you the necessary lift to stay on the foil.
My mistake at the beginning: I entered the jibe too slowly and ended up back on the water with the board. I was hesitant about the speed and wanted to approach it cautiously. That’s not entirely wrong – it's good for practicing the movement with the wing, for example. But I wanted to keep foiling. Eventually, I got the tip that I should enter the jibe faster. And bam: suddenly I not only had more lift, it was also less wobbly.
2. Initiate the turn
Steer the board with gentle pressure on your toes (if you're riding heelside, with the wing in front of your chest) further into a broad reach and then downwind. If you're riding toeside, you need to apply light pressure on your heels to initiate the turn.
My mistake: I wanted to turn quickly. You can do that – it's fun. But it makes the jibe unnecessarily difficult at first. I was too rushed and made the turn too tight. It's easier to jibe in a wider radius and initiate the turn with only slight pressure – which also gives you more control.
3. Switch hands on the wing
During the turn from broad reach, release the back hand from the wing and place it next to the front hand. Then release the original front hand and grab the wing again with the new back hand and power it up. Grabbing the wing again with the back hand takes a bit of timing. You’ll get a feel for the right moment.
Stronger wind usually holds the wing up during the jibe. In light wind – or when you're flying over the water like a rocket – you might reach or exceed the wind speed. As a result, the wing is no longer held up by the wind and may seem to come toward you from the front due to "apparent wind" – until you run into it. This problem can be solved by making sure that the trailing edge of the wing doesn’t dip too low during the maneuver. I also often give the wing a little push – as if I’m tossing it upward and to the side with my back hand when I release it while turning. That helps it rotate into the new position.
4. Switching feet (optional)
You can switch your feet before, during, or after the turn. During the turn? Not me 😅. I usually switch my feet afterward. Often I just keep riding toeside. But it does take some getting used to – just like switching feet, especially while on the foil.
Extra Tip
Plenty of wind definitely makes it easier. The wind keeps the wing up, and you can focus more on the board. One tip that really helped me was to focus on riding the jibe mainly with the board. You build up speed beforehand, make the turn with the board, and only then start powering up again with the wing when exiting. Because I paid less attention to the wing – just enough so it didn’t get in the way – I could focus better on the board and stay in the flow.
If the speed isn’t enough: just give the board a little pump here and there.
Recommendation
I’m not a coach. I’d recommend taking a course. Sure, you can learn it on your own, but you’ll probably save time and setbacks if a pro shows you directly how it’s done – and what you’re doing wrong (or right).
Additional videos, books, and tips from others are always helpful too – for me, videos and advice from others were essential. Just ask people at the water if they’ve got tips when you’re stuck with a maneuver. You’re not alone. We’re all connected by the fascination and excitement of flying over the water – and most people are happy to help. This blog is built on exactly that. I’ve gotten so many valuable tips from others at the water, and I want to pass them on. This website is basically just an extension of the beach – or, well, the parking lot.
If you’re looking for inspiration for practical companions while discovering new spots, you might find something in our Outdoor category.
And if you’d like to bring a touch of surf and foil flair into your home as well, take a look at our Beach House Collection.
