There is always a learning curve when going to smaller sizes and that's a big step.
Keep at it.

Yeah big leap but worth it. Your gybes won't be as forgiving to imperfect foot pressure, rig flip, change of stance, etc. If you have been pulling off planing gybes on your big board then here are a couple of suggestions for making the transition to a smaller board
- initially go wider on your gybes by using soft even foot pressure. (You may find your snaking as your foot pressure varies)
- tilt sail forward more to load up the footmast as you go into turn (less floaty boards will sink the tail quicker and stall).
- try and built more speed before going into gybe
- if low on power get your 'new' front further forward after you swap sides to avoid sinking tail

Essentially everything is all the same as your big board but just much more sensitive, so your transitions have to be faster and everything well timed.

Good luck.

Edit: just realised at 168L you may not be doing planing gybes. You may just really be starting from scratch again. Guy Cribbs Intuition DVD on gybing would be a good investment.

just go out into shipping lanes and stuff so your fluf of a jibe tack isnt visiable when people ask just say i didnt attempt it cause i was so far out... thats what i do!

WindmanV said...

Good morning, Day,

The Supersport boards are semi-race boards and are unforgiving if you are learning gybes. An important factor is to have a lot of speed going into the gybe, so that it carries you through. Also try a big radius so as to maximise the time in the gybe whilst planing through. A “strap to strap” gybe might be best, because, as you come out of the gybe, you can then move your front foot forward toward the mast base, to keep the board planing.

If possible, have someone video your attempts, so that you can see what’s happening.

You might care to get Guy Cribb’s DVD “Intuition, Gybing”, which covers everything you need to know about gybes. It’s about $65, but runs for 2 hours covering just about everything. The first gybe on the DVD is breath-taking. Hope this helps.

I thought they all were.. Now that's carve gybes! Doesnt look like they even slow at all!

i have a super sport 118 and gybe it np . best alpha on it is 22 kn

Trick with the board is lean forward into it - really have to commit yourself to the gybe or you will lose speed. i tend to put my back foot up into the foot pad just behind the other forward strap . flip the sail once you go 90 degrees off the wind going boom to boom. dont leave the flip to late or you will eaiher get back winded or really have to force it around which causes the board to trun fast into the wind.

once the sials flipped you can just slide your foot straight into the strap since its already in the right position and can easily step your other foot back. Getting your front foot into the oppsite strap early gives a ton more leverage to deal with the boost when you sheet in.

Looks like there will be a bit of wind this week wed - fri. Chances are i will be sialing down at Kyemah those days and can have a look at what your doing if you can make it down.

Good morning, Day,

Have had both the X-Cite and still have Super Sports.

For learning gybes and ease of sailing, the X-Cite would have been better. Now that you have the Super Sport, keep with it.

Hope this helps.