The Carve Gybe:  Part 3 - Gybe Exit Having already looked at the carve gybe entry and mid gybe stages, it is now time to look at the final part of the gybe - the exit.   All the hardwork in getting our toolbox of skills full will now pay us back by having more balance and awareness as we look to rotate the rig.		[480K Video Stream - Audio OFF]   You will require the latest Flash Player for the clip above:

FOUNDATION

By concentrating on the key stages of the gybe we will now be entering our gybes controlled and with speed, the carving downwind is gradual with increasing foot pressure and our footwork is deft and efficient. The exit will draw heavily on the main skill of clew first sailing and rig rotating, if you own these then you will own the carve gybe – its the simplest correlation, clew first control = dry gybes.

KEY PARTS

• Clew first control. Pausing and controlling the sail whilst carving on the heel side.
• Rig rotation. Sliding the front hand and guiding the rig back and then drawing it back forwards ready to power up.
• Get low to go. Hanging off the boom to drive the board forward in order to get it planing to full speed and fast.

FUNDAMENTALS

• Clew first sailing – The crux of this move, enough said.
• Look where you want to go –Keep looking forwards – all the time. This will enable you to control the sail clew first and give you a smooth rig rotation.
• Board flat – A flat board from end to end will keep your speed and is a by product of looking where you want to go and keeping the rig away.
• Rig away – Staying low whilst clew first will give you control. As the rig goes back the body moves forward and then as the rig moves forward you move back. Wherever you are, the rig isn’t!

		CLEW-FIRST CONTROL
		Look forwards in your direction of travel. The front foot is now forward with the weight over the heelside of the NEW back foot. This continues the carve from downwind to new broad reach. Keep that rear hip low and back leg bent.
		RIG ROTATION
		Stay low and keep carving with the heels of the rear foot. The back (clew) hand stays well down the boom as the front (mast) hand slides up to the mast.
		Keep looking forwards as the front hand guides the rig back after releasing the back hand. The hips are low and well to windward of the rig. Check out how the rig goes back as my hips subtly shift forward. The new front hand is moving towards the new side.
		The new front hand collects the boom on the new side. The hips start to shift back now as the new front hand begins to draw the rig forward. Keep looking forward.
		The new front hand has subtly slid down the boom to give me more power and with the rig forwards the new back hand goes on. The rear hip is low and back with the rig forward.
		GET LOW TO GO
		Get into your early planing position. Arms together and extended, front leg straight and back leg bent. The head is well below boom height and still looking forwards. (NOTE)
View video of this move: Low bandwidth [MPEG, 0.4MB] High bandwidth [MPEG, 1.2MB]		Up to Speed and into the straps – pure joy. A good fast gybe and coming out with speed is very satisfying – YOU WILL DO IT! BELIEVE!   If you dont stay low as you exit the gybe, you have very little chance of planing away.  If you stay low, you can make even a slow speed gybe have a planing exit!

NOTE - PLANING GYBES

Most planing gybes start off and continue with speed and control as the board takes a wide arc. At the exit, the rig can be held and speed maintained whilst clew first, then rotate the sail and into early planing mode. Or you can pause briefly at clew first and then rotate and plane. Its depends on many factors, power, speed, water state, board size, wind strength. The planing gybe is all about ’the seam’.  If you can come out of your gybe moving, with the board slightly off the wind, then the quicker you get into your early planing position the faster you will plane out. Therefore, if you are very good at early planing and adopt this ’low to go’ position everytime you come out of a gybe then this coupled with speedy gybe exits means that the gybe becomes ”seamless” and consequently – planing.

SUMMARY

• Look forwards
• Stay low and control the sail clew first
• Slide the front hand
• Release the back hand and guide the rig back
• Hips subtly move forward
• Collect the rig and draw it forward
• Body moves back and maintains its sunken position over the rear hip
• Get low to go

”We can draw lessons from the past, but we cannot live in it” – Lyndon Johnson

Jamie Lever GBR-5 "Try to choose a flat patch of water to initiate your gybe. Even when the sea is rough, you can always find a flat patch between the waves to gybe in."
Lucy Horwood GBR-95 "Try to be as light footed as possible when taking your back foot out of the strap.  If you stamp around like an elephant, you have no chance of planing out of your gybes."
Ben Proffitt K-800 "Dont think too much about the rig, just try to carve the board as efficiently as possible, just like a surfer would."

For any windsurfing technique queries, feel free to contact Jem on:
jem@jemhall.com or visit www.jemhall.com

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