I have been sailing for nearly 4 years but my success rate with gybes has been getting worse. Gone from about 30% to 10%. Always sailing in the bay which is choppy. I have watched the Guy Cribb cd about a dozen times.
Can people share any break through moments/tips or sudden realizations they discovered that helped them to greatly improve their success rate? Or is is a gradual thing that only improves over many years? (hope not)
Any suggestions?

Start bearing away to build some decent speed. Bend your knees and commit and that means really commit to the turn. Overhand grip if not already and straighten front arm (pushing sail forward and upright) whilst sheeting in back hand as you initiate turn. As you pass through downwind direction release back hand (even give the sail a little push depending on how strong the wind is)

Resist moving all over the board with your feet and don't lean back as this stalls the board very quickly - in fact if you remeber to lean forward towards the mast track this keeps the sail nicely powered and keeps the board trimmed nicely.

Also try and find some swell to help you around as plowing into the back of a wave tends to throw everything into disarray.

I'm still struggling along but the dry land rig flip practise made an amazing difference! I used to have to think about doing boom shaka but after 5 mins practise on the land the flip happened naturally on the water..Now just got to get the other 50 things right..

Best ever -

It is not a 180 deg turn, it is 120deg at most. Broad reach to broad reach, once back in the straps and planing then you can round up a bit.
Imagine a K - the up and downie bit is your sailing direction. The bent bit is your gybe path. Think "KKKKKKKK" as you initiate

I think having someone filming you would help you to identify what is the main issue.

Don't we all love talking about this. Everyone has their opinion so I'll hit you with mine. I think too much is made of the sail flip. If you get the speed thing going, the sail pretty much looks after itself. I concentrate on the board especially if it is choppy. I figure if you can't get it around and pointing roughly the right direction, nothing else you try is going to mean much. Bear away, keep sheeted in, weight forward and guide the board around. You have to ride the chop, watch for the bumps and with bent knees ride over them and keep trying, it will come eventually.
I don't think there is a magic movement that if you do it it will all work. Every time I go out I improve a little bit, it's just the way it is. TOW.

Ian K said...

baywavebill said...

Gone from about 30% to 10%. Always sailing in the bay which is choppy.

Could be your sail has gone cloudy and you can't see the chop as well as you used to. Late in the afternoon when the sun gets low on the water you can also start dropping gybes. Try a new sail and polaroid sunnies.

If it doesn't help your gybes Ians suggestions will at least make you look cool!

One of the most common mistakes I see is sailors do ( me included) is not maintaining the pressure on the inside rail. Ie mast foot pressure and leaning into the turn. They usually too far back sink the tail and or bounce out of control. It a natural reaction to resist the pull of the sail.
I all ways try to think of a few things in those brief few seconds. Look through the turn, bend z knees and bow and arrow position with the arms, ie. front arm straight and back arm sheeted in. Of course in chop you have to have the legs loose and relaxed to absorb the bounce...not easy!

bend your knees more than you think you should.

Waiting4wind said...

Ian K said...

baywavebill said...

Gone from about 30% to 10%. Always sailing in the bay which is choppy.

Could be your sail has gone cloudy and you can't see the chop as well as you used to. Late in the afternoon when the sun gets low on the water you can also start dropping gybes. Try a new sail and polaroid sunnies.

If it doesn't help your gybes Ians suggestions will at least make you look cool!

One of the most common mistakes I see is sailors do ( me included) is not maintaining the pressure on the inside rail. Ie mast foot pressure and leaning into the turn. They usually too far back sink the tail and or bounce out of control. It a natural reaction to resist the pull of the sail.
I all ways try to think of a few things in those brief few seconds. Look through the turn, bend z knees and bow and arrow position with the arms, ie. front arm straight and back arm sheeted in. Of course in chop you have to have the legs loose and relaxed to absorb the bounce...not easy!

Hadn't thought of that ..makes sense..I try & keep bent but hadn't thought of staying soft..

try multiple short runs about 200+meters then gybe ,another 200+meters and gybe and so on, etc. practice, practice, practice, after a while it will click, this worked really well for me all those years ago.

Best advice I was given in the last few years on new style gear was to;
1) don't slow down and go into the gybe at speed. This makes the sail light with apparent wind or something.
2) hold the boom with back hand further back, then slide front hand to towards mast as you drive into the turn.

Can you use the bay chop\swell to help bring the board around? This is usually a bit more forgiving, helps your balance as the board surfs down the swell and gives you time to think about the sail. If you've got speed up you may have to skip of a few bits of chop as you turn and pick the last one to help bring the board around.

I tend to grab the mast under the boom with my back hand as the sail flips to act as a pivot.

Bill, I've been sailing as long as you. My biggest progression jump was ditching boards that didn't work for me. You might be having the same problem. The next jump was keeping low and moving the back hand back (as Staley mentioned). I have stuffed knees so I had a tendency to stand up. This is like putting the brakes on, and can't push the board around. The back hand seems to allow me to apply pressure to the leeward (carving) rail and push it around in the turn, and stops the board jumping around.

Jive on a wave,easy peasey lemon squeezy!

Bend the knees. Lowers your centre of gravity, helps to absorb the chop and gives you greater control.

Look out of the gybe where you want to go. I have to force myself to do it but gybes improve 100% when I do. Looking up and out completely changes your stance and weight distribution

elmo said...
find a place with lots of sharks

That works well for improving your waterstarts too..

Well the quickest way to learn I reckon is on one tack. Find some flat water, sail for about 200-300m, then turn the board, sail back to where you started and tack. Then do it again 20 or 30 times. Then go for a sail. Once you master one tack, then the other will follow quickly. As others have pointed out, the most important part is carving the board, so concentrate on this aspect, worry about catching the sail when you've mastered the carve.

Happy sailing