A gybe is where you carve the board downwind, and then around in the new direction.
This tutorial explains the heel-side to toe-side gybe, and then looks at
the footswap used afterwards.
You begin by turning the kite back quickly, to send it straight across the window.
After turning the kite, you must very quickly carve the board downwind.
Before the kite hits high power, you must be riding downwind, otherwise the kite will
launch you downwind.
As the kite looses power, you keep edging the board crosswind to ride away.
While learning, you can send the kite across a bit higher and slower.
However, if the kite moves too slowly, you will loose line tension as you carve the board
downwind.
Let’s look a bit more closely at this gybe.
Keep the kite low, and ride with decent speed.
Turn the bar sharply.
Then quickly carve the board downwind, to follow the kite.
To turn the board quickly, place some extra weight on your back foot.
And lean your shoulders forward to apply weight on your toes.
As the kite leaves high power, edge more to ride crosswind.
Removing your back hand will help you lean properly over the toeside rail.
Let’s review that with a left to right transition.
Steer back sharply.
Extra weight on the back foot and lean your shoulders forwards.
Follow the kite downwind.
As the kite calms down remove your back hand so you can lean forwards and edge crosswind.
If you mistime your board and kite movements, it will hamper your gybe.
If the kite is steered too late, you will be riding downwind and start to sink, while
waiting for the kite to cross the window.
If you steer the kite too early, it will cross the window into low power, before you’ve
finished carving the board around.
Soon after mastering the gybe, you will find it useful to foot swap.
First, we look at a quick foot swap, and then give you the steps for building up to it.
To make the swap easier, you reduce your line tension and edging.
So raise the kite higher, ride downwind and flatten the board. Riding like this you don’t
need much pull from the kite, so depower accordingly. It’s now far easier to swap stance.
Point your front foot towards the nose. Give a slight kick down on the board. Then move
your back foot first. Aim to bring the back foot up and over the top of the front foot.
Before you stand on your own front foot, shift the front foot back towards the tail.
As the feet are moved, they are always placed along the center line, to avoid suddenly turning
the board.
At first, it can be challenging to foot swap in a single movement, but there are plenty
of steps to build up to it.
First, while riding around, practice shifting the back foot towards the front, and then
back again. This should make you comfortable riding with both feet in the middle of the
board.
Next, take this a step further and try riding in ski stance.
You point your front foot towards the nose, then shift your back foot along side.
After this, you should be ready to footswap using smaller steps.
Point the front foot towards the nose. Bring your back foot alongside. Then gradually step
the new back foot towards the tail.
At each stage of this, you must keep your weight evenly distributed over the center
line.
If you don’t keep your weight evenly distributed, the board will turn suddenly. Here, for example,
the rider places their weight slightly to the left of the center line after the foot
swap.
If you edge hard and pull in the bar too much this will also cause problems. As you lift
your feet the board slows downs slightly due to drag, while the pull from the kite keeps
your body moving forward and away from the board.
Good luck learning the gybe and footswap.
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