Check out a full gallery from Simon here. 

Simon Bornhoft, Hayling Island courses

LOCAL ACCOMMODATION (HAYLING ISLAND)

HIRE KIT / GREAT FOOD

WEEKEND & WEEKDAY COURSES

VIDEO FEEDBACK / 1-2-1 COACHING / FOR YOUR LEVEL

UNIQUE SKILLS TRAINING GUARANTEES IMPROVEMENT & A GREAT TIME!

FOR MORE INFO & BOOKINGS GO TO www.windwise.net/uk-tour

WHERE: HISC & Other local Hayling beaches (Local accommodation & kit hire available).

BEGINNER-IMPROVER

Sat 27th & Sun 28th April

Sat 25th & Sun 26th May

IMPROVER-INTERMEDIATE ‘Skills, drills and all the essential skills to get your season off to a great start!’

Sat 27th & Sun 28th April

Sat 25th & Sun 26th May

INTERMEDIATE-ADVANCED  ‘Skills, drills and more more to break that plateau and make those moves!’

Sat 18th & Sun 19th May

Thur 23rd & Fri 24th May

Sat 1st & Sun 2nd June

WAVEWISE  ‘Get into and develop essential wave skills’

LOOPWISE  April-Oct 2013 ‘Are you up for it?’

WISEWOMEN ‘Getting more girls onboard!’ Mon 27th & Tues 28th May Half Term

KIDSWISE ‘Get the kids going!’ Mon 27th & Tues 28th May Half Term

SB Windwise coaching

Simon Bornhoft Windwise – Saturday 6th July

Everyone should learn to beach start as soon as possible, as it’s a purely mechanical action and has little to do with your windsurfing sills.  So find a gently shelving shoreline with, ideally with a cross-shore wind and walk out into just over knee depth water to give these skills a go.

Beachstart 1

Beachstart 2

Beachstart 3

RIG ELEVATION ‘Slide & Glide’

Set the board up at approximately 90 degrees to the wind.

Never lift the mast straight up. Slide the mast horizontally so that your front arm sweeps the rig from a downwind position to an upwind position. Immediately hold the boom with both hands and look ahead to make sure the board is pointing very slightly upwind of a beam reach.

Beachstart 4 - steering upwind

Steering Upwind

To steer upwind, drop the rig low and back towards the tail.

Beachstart 5 - steering downwind

Steering Downwind

To steer downwind, raise the rig and push forward through the front arm.

In strong winds start your beachstart 5-10 degrees upwind of a beach reach.

In lighter winds start your beachstart 5-10 degrees downwind of a beam reach.

Beachstart 6

Beachstart 7

Beachstart 8

Beachstart 6 - Be strong with the front arm and get the rig as high as you can whilst ‘fanning’ the clew hand up and down to control and exhaust the rigs power. Place your back foot (pointing forward slightly) just to windward of the centerline (if you have straps, place it between the front and back straps).

Beachstart 7 - Make sure the back leg is bent and pulling the tail in towards the body, especially when you come up on to the board. To create extra lift, ‘twist’ the rig like a giant set of handlebars above your head. The front arm extends up and forwards while simultaneously the backhand pulls the clew in towards and up above the head.

Beachstart 8 - To coincide with the rig twist, flex that back leg and duck your head under the boom towards the mast base. Leave bringing the front foot up as late as possible, but when you do, place it up by the mast base and keep low in a wide Super 7 ‘drop and push’ stance.

Beachstart problems?

Never try to push the rig up, this backwinds the sail and sends you down!

Straightening the back leg when coming up onto the board often links into many of the aforementioned problems.

Getting pulled over the front? You’ve turned away from the wind too much.

Sail keeps coming down on top of you with no lift? You’re too far into wind or pulling too hard.

Keep falling back into the water? You’ve stood up or brought the front leg up too soon.

Getting pulled straight over the other side? You’re standing up too soon.

Waterstart

In lighter winds and on larger boards, you need to uphaul or beachstart to get going. In stronger winds, more experienced windsurfers develop a technique known as ‘waterstarting’. The power in the sail lifts them from the water up onto the board, much like a waterskier is pulled out of the water by a speedboat. Sub 115L boards have to be started this way as they have insufficient volume to be uphauled. Once you’ve mastered the basic beach start, try it in deeper water. In time you’ll be able to do it out of your depth. In windy venues and on fast track clinics, they teach waterstarting to relative beginners. It’s actually is a very mechanical move that has little to do with the rest of your windsurfing ability. Whilst it’s not essential keep windsurfing long term, waterstarting does opens up a whole world of opportunity to sail in stronger winds and on smaller boards.

Simple Summary

• Twist the rig up and forward
• Roll the head in and down towards the mast base
• Flex the back leg to pull the tail in underneath you

Simon Bornhoft Windwise www.windwise.net

GOING FASTER

Once you’re comfortable in the harness and straps, you’ll be able to use larger sails and reach planing speeds. On modern equipment, it doesn’t take long to progress enough to experience the thrill of skimming over the water at about 20 Knots. It’s a sensation you’ll never forget and want to repeat as often as possible. Initially, sailing in stronger winds can be physical and you’ll have an increased number of dismounts, but that’s half the fun of learning! If you work on your stance you’ll become more assured with your actions and soon be sitting back and enjoying the ride.

Going faster

To establish a good base stance, think of the number 7 it will help apply some key windsurfing principles.

Vision: Look where you want to go.

Trim: Keep the board flat with equal weight on the feet, extending the front leg and slightly bending back leg.

Opposition: Extend the front arm to keep a distance from the rig and create that counter balance.

Power: With the arms shoulder width apart, sheet the boom in and down by dropping the rear shoulder and hip to windward.

OVERALL THOUGHT: Use the body weight to resist the power in the sail, not the arms.

PLANING STEERING

When you’re in the harness and straps at higher speeds, it’s possible to change direction using the slightest leg, toe and heel pressure.

DOWNWIND STEERING

To turn downwind, push through the front leg and toes of the front foot whilst flexing the rear leg.

If you also lean the rig forward (body stays back) it will accentuate the downwind turning action.

UPWIND STEERING

To turn upwind push through the rear leg and slightly flex the front leg.

If you also lean the rig back, it will accentuate the upwind turning action.

Blasting control

BLASTING CONTROL

How you move, position and angle your body, has a massive effect on being able to adapt to different water states, wind conditions, board speeds and the varying power in the rig. So get ready to be dynamic and accentuate some key points. Using the 7 shape as the basis of your stance, you alter the alignment between head, hips and heels to control and cope with different conditions.

Blasting control

In lighter winds, both in and out of the harness and straps, you’ll want to straighten the ‘7’ stance. This is done by lifting and locking the hips and tightening the torso to encourage the rigs power to transfer through the body to the board. Really extending and pushing through the front leg, also helps to lock the board flat and drive it forward.

“A Lift & Lock Straight 7 Stance”

Rig back, body forwards.

To keep planing through lulls or when heading upwind, lean the upper body forward and rake the sail back towards the tail to counter balance.  In extreme situations this can mean bending the front leg slightly to allow the upper body to accentuate the forward lean.

Strong wind control

STRONGER WINDS

At the other end of the wind scale when you want to control excess speed you need to alter your stance and the forces that transfer from the rig to the board. Essentially you need to commit more weight down into the harness and lock the board flat to the water.

Drop and dig

Strong winds, need real commitment and the rewards are amazing. So whenever windsurfers need more control they use what is often referred to as a Super 7 ‘drop and dig’ stance. This action is used whenever there is a very strong pull from the rig, be that getting going, harnessing, finding footstraps or controlling a speeding board over chop. The principle movement is to ‘drop’ the hips and ‘dig’ the heels (curling the toes up when in the footstraps). This dropping down and back in the harness increases your resistance over the rig and creates a down force onto the mast base that helps lock the board flat. The curling of the toes and the crucial flexing of the back leg absorbs chop and reduces bounce. When it’s windy, you’ll see people locked down and really blasting flat out. No words can describe the sensation this gives you.

“At speed the board responds to your every move as you’re scudding over the surface of the water, powered by the wind and controlled through your body. It’s a feeling you’ll never forget!”

Control problems? Image credit Starboard/John Carter

Looking at the kit, breaking at the waist, bending the arms too much or moving in the same direction of the rig, are all common beginner, intermediate and advanced problems, both in or out of the harness. Working on developing your 7 shaped stance range early on will pay huge dividends as you progress through the sport. Especially when new to planing speeds, there’s a tendancy to be catapulted forward by the rig. To combat this, take a more upwind sailing line and accentuate your ‘drop & dig’ stance.

There will be more from Simon Bornhoft Windwise www.windwise.net in the next edition of Boards Basics soon! For now check out the previous pieces in the series and catch up on any techniques you have missed here. 

Images by Karen Bornhoft Windwise

Some larger boards have carrying slots in the deck, if not you can use the daggerboard handle, mast base or footstraps to help tuck the board under your arm. Always try to carry the board so that the board is downwind of your body. This means that the wind helps to lift the board taking some of the weight for you. If you leave the board alone on the shore, point the tail directly into the wind.

Carrying Kit, what's the best way?

CARRYING YOUR RIG

You’ll initially find rigs harder to handle, especially in a breeze. The golden rule is to always have the mast facing towards the wind.

CARRYING YOUR RIG BY YOUR SIDE

In breezier conditions hold the mast and boom by your side, allowing the rig to fly downwind of you.

CARRYING YOUR RIG ON YOUR HEAD

In lighter winds, it’s possible to carry the rig above your head. Always try to keep the mast facing towards the wind, with the mast base facing forward.

Leave the rig downwind of the board, with the side of the board pointing towards the wind.

To get you gear to the water, stand between the rig and board, lift the rig by holding the boom at the apex of it’s curve and lift the tail or grab a footstrap to help push the board into the water.

Launching

Check out more Basics features here on Boards. 

Written by Simon Bornhoft Windwise www.windwise.net

RYA Advanced Windsurfing is covered in the RYA books app.

The free app includes taster editions so you can have a look at what the eBooks are all about before you buy, as well as a selection of RYA titles for you to purchase and download in full.

A selection of eBooks covering both sail and power are already available via the Play Store which include additional video and animation content.  As well as being useful from a students’ point of view, this additional content is of great value to instructors; helping to bring the teaching points to life.

Further enhancements for a number of other titles, including the rules books and RYA VHF Handbook, are also currently being worked on and are planned for release in the spring.

“EBook technology has been developing at a great pace in recent years and extending our eBook solution to the Android market is the next logical step and opens up the potential market to thousands of devices”, explains RYA Publications Manager, Steen Ingerslev.

“Our approach is to enhance the books we’ve currently got by embedding videos and animation to help bring the content alive; in doing so it makes for a much more interactive reading and learning experience.

“Looking to the future we are investigating the feasibility of redesigning the app for the popular Kindle Fire and also examining other options for digital delivery. One thing that is for certain is this area of the business will continue to evolve”, Steen concluded.

Win a Google Nexus 7

All you need to do to enter this great competition to win a Google Nexus 7 is to tweet about the new Android app.  Mention @RYAPublications in your tweet with either a screenshot image from the app or a link to the RYA Books page on the Google Play Store.

The winner will be selected at random from the RYA Publications Twitter account.  Competition closes 31 March 2013.

Visit RYA Books on Google play at: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=air.com.yudu.ReaderAIR2932330&feature=search_result#?t=W10

If you have an enquiry regarding RYA eBooks or have a preference as to what you’d like to see next, then email ebooks@rya.org.uk or for more information visit www.rya.org.uk/go/ebooks

ARE YOU A PARENT LOOKING TO INTRODUCE YOUR KIDS INTO WINDSURFING?

Answer…..START EARLY!

You're never to young to get involved in windsurfing! Image credit Thorsten Indra.

Venturing into windsurfing at a young age is the best way to ensure rapid progression and become part of a sport without limitations! If you’re young and want the opportunity to try the best sport in the world, get your parents to sign you up for a windsurfing lesson NOW!

You’ll pick it up so quickly that you’ll soon be way better than Mum and Dad! You’ll impress all your mates, get fit, strong and the rush windsurfing gives you is better than any other sport or video game. There’s some amazing user-friendly kit around to make your whole experience on the water sensational. You have to give it a go.

You too could learn to blast fast, do tricks, maybe compete, ride waves and impress your friends. If you’ve got parents who don’t windsurf, join a local windsurfing club, they can help you with kit and you’ll meet and sail with others of your age and ability. So whilst your mates are wondering what to do in their spare time, you’ll be screaming about on the water with an awesome feeling of independence and a rush adrenaline running right through you. It feels even better than all the amazing pictures in this magazine!

Jumping! Image credit Thorsten Indra.

PARENTS

More then ever, windsurfers from the 80’s & 90’s are getting their kids into windsurfing. So if you’re a parent, what’s stopping you? It may even increase your own windsurfing opportunities. Saying, “I’m just off to the beach” on a weekend can be a tough call, but take the kids with you and it’s much more likely to happen. Yes initially you might become an under-appreciate caddy, but the long term benefits of getting the family involved has to be a good thing for everyone. But, it’s really important to go about it the right way, otherwise those wetsuits will only be used once and Facebook will regain control of their lives.

Here’s our BOARDS BASICS guide to get and keep young people windsurfing in a fun, safe and enjoyable way.

Parents FAQ – on page two.

Kids Kit – on page three.

Simon Bornhoft blasting in the footstraps.

FOOTSTRAPS

Being secure in the straps is wonderful feeling and the basis of stronger wind windsurfing.  At first it can be a pulse racing experience to actually get your feet in them. Problems are rarely due to the movement of the feet it’s almost always down to not maintaining a counterbalance. Hence our prime mantra when going for the straps – Body moves one way, the rig moves the other. When you combine this with weight in the harness you’ll be able to move your feet more freely.

KEY PRINCIPLES

Vision Look forward, not down at the straps!

Trim Place the feet close to each strap before trying to get into them.

Stance Form a strong 7-shaped stance, with weight in the harness before and after going for each strap.

POSITIONING

If you’re new to straps use the ‘inboard’ settings.

Once mastered, move the straps to the more outboard settings.

On narrow boards, use a single back strap. On wider boards, use a double back strap.

Getting into the front footstrap 1

Getting into the front footstrap 2

Getting into the front footstrap 3

FRONT STRAP TECHNIQUE 

Rig Forward & Body Back 

Sail across the wind in controllable conditions or slightly upwind in more challenging winds.

Sit back and over a bent back leg to un-weight the front foot. As you do so, extend the front arm to keep the rig forward.

Simultaneously slip the foot into the strap. Once in the front strap, ‘lock out’ adopting a 7 shape stance.

Don’t go for the back strap yet, just sail.

Getting into the back footstrap 1

Getting into the back footstrap 2

Getting into the back footstrap 3

BACK STRAP 

Rig Back & Body Forward 

Getting into the back strap is usually the big stumbling point in marginal or rough conditions, when the back foot seems fixed to the board.

The best way to create that safe and all-important ‘opposing’ environment, is to head UPWIND before going for the back strap.

Through out, it’s vital to weight the harness and pull down on the boom.

Head slightly upwind, by leaning the rig back.

This enables you to then lean the upper body forward un-weight and slip the back foot into the strap.

Once in the strap, put the rig forward re-establish a good 7 shaped stance, steering downwind if you’ve lost speed.

BACK STRAP PROBLEMS

• Excessively pulling on the arms is a harness and footstrap killer.
• Don’t stab at the footstrap slide the foot in smoothly.
• Getting catapulted? This usually means you’re too far downwind when going for the straps.
• Keep heading upwind? You’ve leant back, stood up or pulled the boom too close.
• If you’re going too fast, head upwind slightly by digging the heels, raking the rig back and sinking harder in the harness.

SIMPLE SUMMARY

On the water, a lot seems to happen all at once, so weight that harness and follow your mantra.

Look forward and form a decent 7-shaped stance before and after hooking in.

Rig forward and body back when going for the front strap 

Rig back and body forward when going for the back strap 

We’re going well now, next up how to get some extra blasting control!

Check out the rest of the Basics section for more technique and advice for getting into windsurfing, plus head to the technique section for online coaching across all levels. 

Want to feel part of the board and rig?

As you progress into slightly stronger winds you’ll soon seek and appreciate the wonders of harnessing. Not only does it save your arms, but it also makes it far easier to control the power in the sail. You can try harnessing in very light winds with a small sail, but that amazing feeling of lying back against the rig needs a decent size sail and a reasonable breeze to support your weight. Harnessing is soon followed by slipping your feet into the footstraps, the combination of these two key components gives you the control and freedom to blast wherever you want to go! Here’s how to do it with ease!

Ready to get into the harness?

Waist harness

HARNESSING

Your first consideration is buying the right harness. It’s now pretty much universally accepted that a waist harness is the best short and long term style of harness to own for all-round use. Get one that fits well and has an easy tightening system. As for harness lines, buy them to suit the length of your arm (see below) and then take some time to position them correctly on the land before fine-tuning on the water.

Waist harnesses are positioned so that the hook is below belly button height on men and above belly button height for women. They should sit snug around the body and be tightened so that the hook doesn’t ride up when you hook in.

Harness Line Length

HOW TO SET YOUR HARNESS LINES

The Velcro tabs should be no wider than a hands width apart.

Place the very tip of your elbow in the line and tension it.

Elbow to ‘chicken bone’ part of palm minimum length

Elbow to ‘blister pad’ part of palm maximum length.

Harness Line Position

HARNESS LINE POSITIONING

Before going on the water, use this great tip to get a STARTING point for harness line positioning.

Find a place out of the wind, hold and lift the boom with two fingers.

Adjust to find the balance point so that the boom is horizontal when you lift it.

Fix your harness lines just either side of that point.

You’ll notice that…

On smaller sails the lines will be placed slightly further forward on the boom. 

On larger sails the lines will be placed slightly further back on the boom. 

Remember this is your starting position, YOU MUST FINE TUNE ON THE WATER!

HOW TO HOOK IN

VISION & SAILING LINE

Apart from a brief glimpse hooking in, look forward and sail slightly upwind to help bring the harness line outboard and towards you.

STANCE Form a good 7 shaped stance before and after hooking in.

Hooking in step 1

Hooking in step 2

Hooking in step 3

Sink low to pull the whole rig to windward.

Then use a short sharp pull on the boom to swing the line towards the body.

Simultaneously lift the hips to hook into the line.

Once ‘hooked in’, push back and down in the harness to keep the weight in the line.

Look forward and re-establish that 7 shaped stance, leaning outboard to maintain harness line tension.

Your weight distribution should be 90% harness and 5% on each arm.

TOP TIP: To unhook, pull the boom towards you and slightly lift the hips.

ON WATER TUNING GUIDE

Move the harness lines back if you feel the backhand pulling a lot.

Move the harness lines forward if you feel the front hand pulling a lot.

HARNESSING PROBLEMS

• Avoid standing up to hook in other wise you get pulled over by the rig.
• Do you suddenly head into wind? This is due to sheeting out too much or over weighting the back foot.
• Keep falling out of the harness line? You’re pulling on your arms too much.
• To control excess speed, avoid catapults or being pulled over by the rig, adopt a wide foot spread and put more weight down in the harness.
• Should you get caught under the sail whilst hooked in, don’t panic, push the line away from the hook and swim away from the rig.

Settled in the harness? The next quest is the comfort and added control of the footstraps!

Check out the rest of the Basics section for more technique, help and advice for those just starting out in windsurfing.

Photos: Karen Bornhoft Windwise

Simon Bornhoft Windwise

www.windwise.net

PERTH WA DEC 2012

We’re now well into our WA Windwise Skills & Drills courses here in Perth. I’m always grateful for the wonderful welcome and being able to coach and meet so many keen and dedicated windsurfers who revel in the excellent conditions in and around this beautiful and windy city!

We started in Safety Bay with 3 days of blasting until we couldn’t hold on any longer – sailing pretty m

Setting it up

Duck that rig!

It's all too much!

Team Windwise

Get set...

Gybe talkin'

Peter Hart Wavesailing

Peter Hart
- Dahab, Red Sea – 17-24 March 2013
- Ialyssos, Rhodes 19-26 June 2013

Simon Bornhoft

Simon Bornhoft - Marsa Alam, Red Sea – Feb, Mar, Apr & Sept 2013
- Margarita, Caribbean 03 January – 14 February 2013
- Moulay, Morocco 02-09 May 2013
- Alacati, Turkey 08-15 June and 15-22 June 2013

Jem Hall Clinic

Jem Hall
- Marsa Alam, Red Sea 13-20 & 20-27 March 2013 
- Prasonisi, Southern Rhodes 12-19 June 2012 (intermediates),
- Prasonisi, Southern Rhodes 19-26 June 2013 (advanced/looping),
- Prasonisi, Southern Rhodes 26 June – 2 July 2012 (int-adv) 
- Prasonisi, Southern Rhodes 04-11 September 2013 (int-adv)

There are also the last 4 spaces available for Peter Hart’s Introduction to Wave Sailing in Jeri.
Jericoacoara, Brazil – 09-19 January 2013 10 nights + LAST 4 SPACES +
Peter’s 5th clinic in Jeri for entry level wave sailing plus general skills for intermediates-advanced is now open for bookings. January offers the perfect ‘introduction to wave-sailing’ conditions. The waves are bigger, the wind a perfect force 4-5 and the whole place noticeably less crowded and laid-back.

Call 01273 844919 to book your place or email info@sportif.travel  www.sportif.travel

image courtesy Simon Bornhoft

We’ve just had one of the best ever trips to one of our favourite Windwise locations. Our annual Pilgrimage to Le Morne on the south western tip of Mauritius is one we always look forward to immensely, and this year it delivered something really special.

image courtesy Simon Bornhoft

With a large lagoon offering everything from flat water at low tide to bump and jump at high tide, you can just blast back and forth or try what we affectionately call ‘comfy pillows’, which is a small wave break that’s perfect for those wanting to try waves for the first time in total safety. There is also the option to venture out through ‘Little Reef’ and sample the smooth but impressively large rolling swells of Manawa! Real waves on a real point break! Down-the-line heaven!

During our October Windwise Freewave course we covered: how to hover for, catch and ride waves – both front side and back side. How to strategise for wave safety, selection and maximise you precious time on a wave. We polished up the vital short board uphauling, fast tacks, flat water wave riding and gybe variations to get round those corners in all conditions. Plus we covered how to either avoid or enjoy jumping over waves on your way out and learnt what to do when faced with white water or large swell.

image courtesy Simon Bornhoft

So, I wanted to say a big thank you to all those who joined us in Mauritius. Everyone sailed brilliantly, worked really hard, had their own eureka moments, which included everything from learning to control and sail smaller boards in a wider range of conditions, to catching their first or biggest waves. Plus the more experienced sailors were starting crank and master their top and bottom turns, jumping and confidence in, on and over the waves!

With an amazing wind record of 10 out of 10 planing days on sub 100L boards with average size sails between 4.7m-5.9m we were treated to some fabulous conditions. In fact, it was too windy and wavy to even think about dolphin trips, paddleboarding or adventure walks up Le Morne mountain!

image courtesy Simon Bornhoft

The Windwise Mauritius Freewave course and conditions offer plenty of variation and excitement for anyone who can sail a sub 120L board. We are already filling up with reservations for Mauritius 2013. If you want the best possible Freewave experience and to improve your windsurfing let us now ASAP, as ever places will be limited. Head to http://www.sportif.travel/coaches/show/simon_bornhoft to find out more about the clinics Simon runs with Sportif.

Gybing is a downwind turn where the rig is swung over the nose whilst the body remains at the back of the board. In lighter winds it’s a relatively simple turn, but in stronger winds it becomes a fast, dynamic and really exciting move. Like all transitions, it’s down to good vision and maintaining a counter balance with the rig before during and after the rig is released and rotated over the nose. Developing the right technique in lighter winds will give you the skills and confidence to master faster and faster turns in stronger winds. Carving a turn on a small board feels incredible and well worth the effort to learn it!

NON-PLAING CARVE GYBING

High-speed turns are called a carve gybes, but because you’ll be learning in lighter winds at a slower speeds, the first gybe you’ll learn is a non-planing carve gybe (NPCG). These uses the core principles, foot movement and rig rotations skills that can later be transferred into stronger wind planing gybes.

GET THE BASICS RIGHT FIRST

1. Always adopt a wide hand and foot spread for maximum control and leverage.
2. Try to look forward and where you want to end up, not at the kit.
3. As ever, position and move the mast and whole rig in the opposite direction to the body. E.g. If the rig is forward and leant out of the turn, the body should be back and leaning into the turn.
4. If you’re board has a daggerboard, always have the daggerboard up for gybing

Especially mid turn, orientation and simplification are key.

So use this LOOK, LEAN AND LEVER mantra.

LOOK where you want to go!

LEAN where you want to go!

LEVER the rig in the opposite direction to counter balance!

E.G. If you’re turning downwind to the right – Look right, lean to the right and lever the rig to the left.

Gybe 1

NPCG Gybe Entry

Adopt a wide foot and hand spread. Use your downwind steering skills to turn the board by twisting the rig forward with an extended front arm and flexing the rear arm, keeping the body low over the back foot on the inside rail.

Gybe 2

NPCG Mid Gybe: LOOK, LEAN & LEVER!

As the board turns downwind, the mast/rig is levered forward and out of the turn as the body looks and leans back and into the turn. This whole process is made so much easier if you focus on one key skill and that’s keeping the rear/clew hand pulled in close to your head. Pulling in and down on the rear hand, locks the rig in place, encourages the board to turn and counter balances against the mast that’s leant out of the turn.

TOP TIP: Before the foot change and before the rig rotation, try to keep the whole rig at roughly 90 degrees to the board.

Gybe 3

Gybe 4

NPCG Shift & Switch The Feet

As the board faces dead downwind, look where you want to go and pull down on the boom. Keep the shoulders back and continue leaning sideways into the turn as the mast is leant out of the turn. Keep the shoulders back as you bring the front foot back to switch the feet round. Before, during and after the foot switch, keep pulling that clew hand in and down towards your head and keep the rig at 90 degrees to the board. Always re-adopt a wide spread on your feet to help steer the board and prepare for the rig rotation.

Gybe 5

Gybe 6

NPCG: Rig Rotating

Slide the front hand up to the mast and look where you want to go. Release the rear hand and try to keep the mast forward as the boom swings over the nose. Extend the mast hand to keep the rig away from the body as the old backhand passes under the boom to grab the new side of the boom and draw the rig forward.

Gybe 7

After collecting the rig, drawn it forward with the new front arm, sinking down and back into that ‘drop and push’ Super 7 stance to counter balance the forward rig.

GYBING PROBLEMS

Board won’t turn? Usually down to not looking, leaning or pulling that backhand in towards the head to help lever the rig out of the turn.

If the rig falls downwind at the end, it often means the rig rotation was too late, you broke at the waist, looked at the sail or were too far into wind when releasing the rig.

If the rig won’t swing over the nose or the mast comes in towards the body, it often means that clew hand wasn’t pulled in tight enough or the sail was rotated too early.

Simple Summary

Look where you want to go.

Lean the rig forward and out of the turn as the body stays back and leans into the turn.

Extend the front arm and pull in and down on the clew hand just before, during and after changing the feet.

Keep the rig at 90 degrees to the board and rotate it on a board reach.

Drop low, use an under arm movement to grab the boom on the new side and low out of that turn!

So that’s tacking and gybing sorted, how about we learn to sail faster in the harness and footstraps!

SKILLS & DRILLS

A great skill to practice the end of a gybe is a clew first beachstart. Start on a broad reach, keep the rig at 90 degrees to the board and pull in and down on the boom with the clew hand.

Clew First Beach Start

It’s really worth setting a board up on the beach to practice the foot and rig work for tacks and gybes.

Simon Bornhoft Windwise

www.windwise.net