So, I've got a few days on my wing setup now. I can get up and foiling on both tacks, but haven't been able to gybe.
I can get the board around OK, because it's no harder than kitefoiling, but don't know what to do with the wing. I have to switch hands, and never end up putting my hands in the right place. I also haven't tried riding toeside yet.
What's the easiest way to learn to gybe?
Switch feet to toeside, learn to ride toeside, then gybe back to heelside (i.e., foot switch before turn)?
Or should I gybe to toeside and work on the "hand switch" first? If I do this, I have to learn the hand switch and toeside riding simultaneously, which might be harder.
Maybe I should just practice the hand switch on the beach a hundred times first?
What's going to be the most effective way to learn to gybe with a foot switch?
I am a few session behind you in ability but my plan is to practice bringing the wing around on land a bunch of times. Since there is so much variation in different wings as far as handles (or boom), there is probably no standard best way to do this.
the wind actually makes a big difference for me.
In stronger winds just start going into a larger radius and 'umbrella' your wing. The larger radius gives you lots of time to slowly turn your wing over your head and switch handles. Once I switched handles I do move the wing actively to the new side while still going downwind. It did help me a lot to really move the wing to the new side (left side in right turns and the other way around)
Now finish your turn quickly and ride on (still switch).
In light wind it is more difficult. The wing tends to fall down because your speed is the same as the wind speed once you are going downwind. A tighter turn helps. But then you have to switch handles quicker.
Ah... Gybing was trickier than I expected. I can windsurf gybe and learnt to foil at a wakepark so done hundreds of both heelside and toeside 180 turns at each end of the cable so thought gybes would be straight forward.
I learnt to wing on really choppy patch of water so first lesson for me was to pay close attention to ride height and actually keep the foil in the water as I carved.
What I underestimated was doing two things at once - maintaining the carve (with good ride height) and the hand switch. Just had to repeat enough times until I didn't have to think about it too much.
On foot switch (ex windsurfer!) after hand switch I found it helpful to really focus on where your new front foot needs to land.
If I remember to look through the turn, and focus front foot landing in the right place, the rest seems to follow...
Gybing is super easy, as long as you don't overcomplicate things. Here are a few things people do that screw it up.
1) They try to use the wing to power though the gybe: This usually ends up stalling the wing. Instead just let go of your back hand as soon as you start carving the board around. Do NOT switch hands until you have carved all the way around and the board is pointing in the new direct. Just get the wing out of the way by holding it over your head during the an manuver. Once you are around, then change the hands over. Free hand to the handle you are holding, and once you have it there, then move your old front hand to the back.
2) They go into the gybe too slow. If you go into the gybe to slow you wont have the momentum to carry you though the gybe.
3) They head upwind before entering the gybe. This slows you down and also makes you cover more ground in the gybe. It takes less speed and energy to gybe on a downwind course.
Have a look at this video from the 96 seconds
https://youtu.be/f2oHCv5KVEg?t=96--
Gunnar
Gybing is super easy, as long as you don't overcomplicate things. Here are a few things people do that screw it up.
1) They try to use the wing to power though the gybe: This usually ends up stalling the wing. Instead just let go of your back hand as soon as you start carving the board around. Do NOT switch hands until you have carved all the way around and the board is pointing in the new direct. Just get the wing out of the way by holding it over your head during the an manuver. Once you are around, then change the hands over. Free hand to the handle you are holding, and once you have it there, then move your old front hand to the back.
2) They go into the gybe too slow. If you go into the gybe to slow you wont have the momentum to carry you though the gybe.
3) They head upwind before entering the gybe. This slows you down and also makes you cover more ground in the gybe. It takes less speed and energy to gybe on a downwind course.
Have a look at this video from the 96 seconds
https://youtu.be/f2oHCv5KVEg?t=96
--
Gunnar
I am barely able to foil in both directions but did a successful gybe on my first attempt today. I basically did what Gunnar describes (before reading this) because it is pretty intuitive. Key is to have some speed so you can remain on foil. As I started going down wind, I spun my wing towards me and kept turning my board, then grabbed wing in the other direction and rode away toeside. I am not particularly athletic.
I tried this a few more times yesterday and still haven't quite got it yet. I think the thing that's holding me up is just general unfamiliarity with the wing. I go to switch hands and just miss the right handle, so I have to look at the wing and find where my hands are supposed to go, and then I fall off foil while I'm messing with the wing. I just need more practice I think.
I tried this a few more times yesterday and still haven't quite got it yet. I think the thing that's holding me up is just general unfamiliarity with the wing. I go to switch hands and just miss the right handle, so I have to look at the wing and find where my hands are supposed to go, and then I fall off foil while I'm messing with the wing. I just need more practice I think.
Are you leaving both hands on the Wing during the turn? Or are you letting go with the back hand?
If your backhand is free, just bring it to your hand that is still holding the front handle when you are though the turn.
--
Gunnar
I've been using the Y handles on the wing because I like that I can slide my hands forward/back from the position of the leading edge handle back to the first handle on the strut without letting go. But that means I can't just bring my hands together, because I have to reach for the opposite Y handle. Would it be easier to learn while holding the first handle on the center strut with my front hand?
Hi Tyler,
I forgot that you where on the WASP. With the Y Handles you have a few more options. In the beginning you can still ride out of the gybe with holding the "wrong" Y handle. So you can go hand to hand, and then shift the hand to the upper handle after. However as you get better you will be mostly riding using the 2nd Strut Handle, so there you can go hand to hand. If you are on the strut handle, a small tip is to change your grip to palm side up on your front hand just before you enter the gybe. This allows you to rotate the wing easier during the gybe, it is almost automatic.
--
Gunnar
After a few days off, I went out and tried again and was able to make a few gybes. It's easier once you're on a wave, cause you can keep foiling while you mess with hand placement. I think once I can make my hand switch automatic, it'll be easy. After donig the first few, it no longer seems that difficult, just one of those things that needs practice to do reliably.