Hi - im still struggling with the foil gybe several mths in.
i had a few clips taken of me today - and when running natural footed it seems that consitently when i go to switch hands (i think)? the board lifts, the foil breaches and i often fall off the back
here's a grainy clip...please let me have your insights / advice....its doing my nut in !!!
Try to turn sharper in light holes.
In strong gusts, you can turn long and slow like the vid.
Not a big C arc, but more a turn followed by some downwind, flip wing, and finish turn.
Select to expand quoteLeeD said..
Try to turn sharper in light holes.
In strong gusts, you can turn long and slow like the vid.
Not a big C arc, but more a turn followed by some downwind, flip wing, and finish turn.
And drive the front of board down (look to where you want to turn, this will move your head and chest forward), it will make turn a little faster without breaching.
Your goofy turn was pretty good, you only lost it after completing the turn, you just needed a little more forward weight.
You are doing a windsurfing Gybe with too much weight on your back foot causing the wing to breach. Also looks like you have a short mast which doesn't help, 80 - 90cm is a good length for wingfoil gives you more leeway .
With the wingfoil it's a subtle weight shift and rotation and roll of your front shoulder into the turn. As a windsurfer you are used to riding both ways front foot forward which can be a advantage at first but you will need to learn how to ride toe side at some point. Gybing both ways in your natural stance is easier to learn.
I would practise doing big S turns by just rolling your weight from above the hips, get that right before trying again. Its hard to kill bad muscle memory.
I would also set up your board so that the foil has some positive front foot pressure that way you have to keep your weight forward which will stop the front wing breach.
Also like windsurfing speed is your friend in the gybe so going in fast more on a reach will get you around quicker with more time to sail switch
Good luck your are not far off.
Keep power in wing. I move front hand back a handle before I rotate wing to keep power as you gybe and when I change hands, quickly power up with back hand. As the guy said above go in with speed and in the front of a wind swell also helps with a pump or two 
Some good suggestions for you to try. Here's my 2 cents.
1. Ride in faster.
2. Release the wing (let it flag).
3. Carve around the turn allowing the wing to float out in front. Turn tight-ish to maintain speed or open up to wash off speed.
4. Get comfy on your new direction before bothering with the wing.
5. Sheet the wing back on and go.
Ideally surf the foil around more than sail. Go in fast you can always wash off speed. get rid of the wing early and don;t bring it back on til late. As you get better and more comfortable you can start keeping the wing in play for more and more.
Good luck with it all.
Ride safe.
JB
Go though the turn without the power of the wing. Just give yourself a big pull down wind, hold the wing palm up so you can turn the wing with one hand and then grab the wing after you're through the turn. Pump the foil some if you need time to get the wing sorted.
You need more power going into the gybe and don't rush it.
1- When you see a gust, point upwind.
2- Then bear away slowly to get some speed.
3- Go downwind and do a wide carve using the front foot to drive the board. Leant slightly forward.
4- Let the wing float in front of you still holding it on your existing front hand only.
5- Let the wing swing the other way, or push the middle strut with your other hand.
6- Switch front hands, you're still gliding downwind.
7- Grab the back handle with your old front hand.
8- Congrats you've done a gybe to toe side, carve up to gain speed and pump the wing if you're losing power.
One note about the "surf it, don't sail it through." You do see family straight legged from what I can see.
Try dropping the wing as was said and said and bending your knee needs a bit like you're doing a surf turn.
I'm only just learning this but my practice routine is that I drop the wing at the end of a run (with a little speed as was said) and try to just make the turn. I don't worry about the wing. I find that I can "surf" around the turn more times and then drop off foil as I'm trying to get the wing. But one thing at a time. It seems you have the wing so maybe forget about that for a few times and try some surf turns depowered.
Also, the S turn practice and the note to have some fromt pressure at all times is good advice. Get used to that and it'll make this all mellower.
But take your time and be careful to not come in too hot. Sharp turns are how you breach a tip and get a taco fall. Starting high and diving low help that a bit I find.
You are either stalling or ventilating the foil. My guess is because you are focused on the wing and forgetting about riding the foil. Break it down....practice just gliding downwind and carving around with your back hand completely off the wing till you stall. Do it a few times with increasing speed and you will feel comfortable with that part...then add the wing movement and hand switch. It will come together quickly, as you are very close to getting it.
Thanks for all the brilliant comments and encouragment - really useful - will digest and see if i can implement some key changes next time...if i can get out due to lockdown and the fact that its about 3 degrees Celcius.
I was worrying i needed a bigger board (as said im 90kg, but probably 100kg currently in 5mm winter wetsuit, boots, hood, gloves) on the Naish 110. However, I have no issue whatsoever standing up from the knees / riding it / getting up on foil etc....its just the gybes that are eluding me! I think the smaller vol just means my feet placement need to be better / quicker.
I also got some feedback from Rob Claisse @ Progression on Fbook, who kindly said (in summary) "get weight fwd, bending your front knee AND push your front hip forward towards the nose - this hip action will keep weight forward over the board rather than accidentally leaning into the turn - short answer, bend your knees, front hip towards the nose of the board, head up and look where you want to go"
...which chimes a lot with the feedback above!
As suggested i think i often hold onto the wing (rear hand) too long as a hangover from windsurf gybes...so will try and release the back hand (earlier) also.
I have also borrowed a mtn board to ttry and give me some dry land gybe practice..and get the feel for the switch stance that feels pretty alien.
PS
I have 2 front straps on (at the very front position) and the mast positioned 3/4 way fwd in slot boxes - should i remove the straps whilst i dial this in?
PPS
someone asked about mast length - its a 75cm std Naish one
Thanks again Seabreeze community - much appreciated. I will feedback on progress on this thread
Northy1
Great advice above. I think I had a similar issue when I was learning gybes. The advice that helped me was stay at lower altitude going into the gybe if you are breaching in the gybe. This will give you more time to correct the steady rise to breach you seem to be experiencing. Imagine a banking turn on a skateboard in a bowl. Start low, rise through the corner, then exit dropping and gaining speed.
The converse goes if you are touching down to much in a transition - start as high as comfortable.
Tuning your mast a cm back may help to avoid breaches as well.
Hi Steve,I,m more or less struggling with the same point. The jibes I stayed dry was because I catched a little bump/slooooow waist high wave added drive and forced me to keep frontfoot pressure and to let the wing go and just FRONT foot carve. Although most people advice to do differently what really worked for me was changing feet early instead of baring away switch stance.
Select to expand quoteJeroensurf said..
Although most people advice to do differently what really worked for me was changing feet early instead of baring away switch stance.
the couple of locals who can gybe do this ie flip and almost move feet at same time as they turn - but im not sure thats viable for me with 10 liters bouyancy - they have more like 40 liters (and younger haha!).
