Getting stuck halfway during gybe

boardsurfr · Joined: 23 Aug 2001 Posts: 1266

3 things to do on a longboard to get it to turn:
1. Step back further.
2. Move the rig a lot more.
3. Foot steering - if you're using a daggerboard, it's the opposite foot that you'd use for a carving jibe.

Practices:
1. On a downwind course, hop as far back as you can. Place your feet side to side, toes pointing out. Control how much the nose rises by pulling the sail to you, and pushing it away from you, pushing down on the boom. The goal is to get your knees wet. You'll see the board really wants to turn.

2. Again on a downwind course, stand back a bit, and move the sail a lot to the sides. On a 7-8 m sail, your hands move several feet each on the boom. The mast goes past 45 degrees on one side, and the clew almost touches the water on the other side.

3. Are you using the daggerboard? Is it up or down?

boardsurfr · Joined: 23 Aug 2001 Posts: 1266

With proper technique, any longboard can be turned within a couple of feet radius (in light wind). Takes a lot of practice and drills, but looks quite impressive if someone can do it.

NOVAAN · Joined: 28 Sep 1994 Posts: 1549

Ask someone at you sailing site what your doing wrong. Send us a video so we can see whats up. Then we might be able to help...

Wind-NC.com · Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2018 9:24 am Post subject:

Yes, move feet further back, and switch the feet earlier.

Also, move hands WAY back on the boom, and transition to clew first sailing by holding firm with your old back hand, allowing the mast to drop down toward the water, and feathering for power with your old mast hand.

Sounds like you're getting stuck with the sail still trying to go "forward" in the old direction. Transitioning to clew first sailing will "jibe" the sail without actually jibing the sail. Then you can FLIP the sail after you're steady and heading in the new direction.

1) hands further back
2) feet further back
3) start jibe by leaning mast forward and across the nose of the board (so that you can see the nose of the board through the sail's window)
4) switch feet while holding the sail steady. Do this early, before dead downwind.
5) transition to clew first position by relaxing your mast hand and holding the clew hand firm and upright
6) flip sail once steady on the new tack

The board will go through dead downwind during steps 4 and 5. It will be more of a slide/pivot/spin, rather than a long drawn out gliding carving turn. There should not be a lot forward motion or ground lost.

coachg · Joined: 10 Sep 2000 Posts: 3550

lturkevich · Joined: 11 May 2000 Posts: 68

ctuna · Joined: 27 Jun 1995 Posts: 1125 Location: Santa Cruz Ca

If you come off the plane its sail steering that is the primary
thing that you should use to turn . You can sink the tail to turn
faster but basically it's the last part of a pivot jibe .
Which means the sail(mast) goes to the outside of the turn.

lturkevich · Joined: 11 May 2000 Posts: 68

nw30 · Posted: Fri Aug 24, 2018 1:01 pm Post subject:

"So BEFORE you do anything, when you look back (to check if there's another sailor below you), use that as a reminder that you need to look where you want to go."

Very good advise, like most sports the rest of your body and equipment will follow your head, and in this cast I will also add your knees.
I initiate my jibe with my knees, and going as fast as I can, a pump or two to build up speed can help, then bend the knees. By bending your knees, you are committing the inside rail (sinking it) which makes the board turn. I stay in that position until I pass thru the eye of the wind (going straight downwind), only until then, do I release the clew end and switch my feet.
So just keep one word in mind when going for a jibe, "commit". A half hearted commitment, will result in a half completed jibe.

techno900 · Joined: 28 Mar 2001 Posts: 4161

Pretty much what has been said, but in the simplest terms:

Longboard, light wind slow jibe:

1. Keep the sail perpendicular to the wind all the way through the jibe (wind in the sail).

2. Lean the mast toward nose to initiate, then keep the mast and sail in that position as the board turns.

3. As the board turns, shuffle the feet so that you are always facing downwind.

4. At the conclusion of the 180 degree turn, you will be sailing clew first - then flip the sail, letting go of the old back hand (new front hand).

5. How quickly this will happen depends on the wind speed and your position on the board. More wind and or moving further back on the board will cause the board to turn more quickly.

Planing jibes are COMPLETELY different.