This is the only picture in existence of me jibing, and I've used it as my profile picture, mainly because it really screams what this blog is all about. "Aaron, you suck."
This was taken in the outer banks on the ONE FRIGGIN' WINDY morning we had the whole week.
I can name about 5 things I'm doing wrong during this "jibe" (that I'm not even sure I survived).
This is an open invitation to all the excellent internet semi-pro windsurfing gurus of the world to point out just how many things I'm doing wrong. The more mean and chiding you are, the more points you will be awarded by the judges.
10 comments:
Ok, you asked, for a start:
1. Not bending the knees enough;
2. Not extending the front arm & therefore choking the boom (arms should be like archer shooting bow);
3. bending at the waist (also see #1);
4. not bending at the ankles (see 1 and 3)
5. Looking down instead of ahead and outside turn;
6. If thats your wake in the pic, you have turned too abruptly, instead of driving off the front foot to push the nose of the board downwind while still in the harness and then detatching from harness gently and hanging below booms to set up the jibe;
7. Back hand should be further down boom;
8. boom should still be sheeted in tighter (probably it wasn't because of 7 and you are hanging back over the tail, stalling the board because of 1, 3, 4, and 6 :) (I made those up, but anyway all the bends in the wrong place or not there);
9. mast should be leaning into the turn still at this point (well, maybe coming across to other side where it is, but it never was leaning into the turn, was it Aaron?)
10. the water looks pretty smooth here unlike the rougher water behind you, so you probably sailed into a lull to jibe (classic error I still make) when its really easier to jibe in the gusts when you do some of the first #s.
No comments for a week, I thought I should help.
That was fun, can we do some more?
mf4
I've seen worse jibes... Typically through my first-person perspective. So RELATIVELY SPEAKING, you're doing fine. :)
That's a good list from Moreforce. I was taught to jibe by Dasher in Aruba, who was big on focusing on 1-2 aspects of technique at any given time.
My two picks for you would be:
1. Look where you're going. In a jibe this means forward (not forward and down) and slightly to the inside of the turn. For the rest of your windsurfing career you need never look at the board when you're sailing. Look at the board when you're buying it, setting it up, before a session (to make sure the straps are in good condition, the mast base well place and firmly attached, and the fin solidly and smoothly mounted) and after your session (to see if you damaged it.)
2. Extend your front arm as you carve downwind. Bending your front arm is the same as extending your back arm...you are sheeting out the sail, dumping power and releasing mast base pressure, which digs in the tail of the board (further slowing you down).
Thanks for the comments guys! I spent a lot of time working on these in Bonaire, and I think they are coming along a little bit at least. The two things that I've found help me the most are 2 things: Looking through the turn (head up, like everyone mentioned) and focusing on the oversheet (like has been mentioned about front arm extension, etc).
My "dry" percentage right now is around 60-70%, but now I'm rounding up most of the time. I guess I'm having trouble transitioning my weight back over the board.
Oh yeah, I think mf4 won, but do you think you guys could be a little more condescending next time? :)
Condescension? Perish the thought...I at one time was the Worst Jiber in the World. When James says he's seen worse, he's probably remembering seeing me somewhere years ago.
Let's talk about rounding up (and let me note, for better or worse, that I moonlight as an instructor for ABK.) In all likelyhood you are doing one of two things wrong, or both:
1. You are holding your carve position too long. This is common...if you enter a jibe with good speed and set the rail well, the carve feels great, and it's nice to hold that position for a few seconds. (Andy Brandt calls this "Carve Fascination") Unfortunately if you do this, you'll run out of speed and sink the tail before you can flip the sail and regain power. As soon as you are fully oversheeted it's time to flip the sail and switch your feet.
2. You're not carrying a lot of speed into the turn, which means you need to step forward very early to prevent digging in the tail. If necessary exit the jibe without flipping the sail (ie clew first) to regain some speed sailing on a broad reach, and THEN flip the sail.
Almost everyone working on jibing flips the sail way too late.
OK you asked for it.
a. Never look down - always look where you want to go. Where your head goes your body follows.
b. Put your back hand further down the boom - you have more control that way when you come out of the gybe.
c. Bend your knees like you are trying to get your eye level down to the boom. If you feel you are sticking your bum out thats ok.This way you are getting your weight forward instead of leaning back which is the most common bad factor everyone does in a gybe.
d. Lean into the turn.
e. When you get round don't gybe the sail too soon and get your new front foot as far forward as you can so you can keep the board on the plane. Again look where you want to go - don't look too far upwind while gybing or the board will turn too quickly.
Hope that's constructive.
Reasons that immdiately come to mind:
1. Two WordS!
2. YOU!
3. SUCK!
Good, you got some good (except last)as well as condescending comments! 60% dry jibes is very good I'd say, it took me a few years to get that far; and on sub 90 litre boards its a good day if I'm at 60%!
As the others say, rounding up is a symptom of hanging your weight back and not flipping early enough (although if you just hang onto the sail and try and sail out clew-first this won't be a problem and its good practice anyway once in a while, just don't get addicted to it!).
mf4, that's a buddy of mine talkin' smack, so no worries about that... thanks for the advice!
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