How to GYBE in windsurfing! (Non-planing)

In this video we are going to be taking a look at the gybe (or jibe as some may spell it).
Specifically we will be looking at the non planing gybe, which is a move that can be used on all levels of windsurfing but is targeted more for improver windsurfers and windsurfers using big boards.
For anyone that has had lessons early on in their windsurfing career, you should have seen a simplified version of this gybe, most likely one relying less on using lots of power. This gybe we will be looking at here however, will make the turn much faster and smoother and will give you a good foundation for your future planing gybes! Even for people that can already get planing and might be looking into planing gybes, if you haven't practiced this first, its worth giving it a try! As mentioned it lays the foundation for the speed gybe but also it is a gybe that can be used on any board for turning around when the wind doesn't allow planing and you are not comfortable with tacking.
Before your start learning the gybe here are a few skills you should already have:
- To be able to ride easily in all directions.
- To have good posture while riding.
- To have full control over your sail.
Give it a try and let me know how it goes! Any questions will be answered in the comments!
Good luck and see you on the water!

[@iuryqueirozmonteiro1159]

That last spining gybe is a killer, so beautiful to see. Thanks for the video. I've been training and almost making it. Cheers from New Zealand.

[@martaskorulska99]

One of the best and simplest explanations of this skill. Many thanks, Kyriakos.

[@kyriakosgiakoumaroswingandwind]

I am glad you like it! Hope it helps :)

[@quimt.6440]

Gracias a vosotros, descubrimos un mundo maravilloso.

[@kyriakosgiakoumaroswingandwind]

Gracias!

[@lozinja]

Just had to comment to say how good this guy is with replying to user questions. That's MVP dedication!

[@kyriakosgiakoumaroswingandwind]

Thats why I am here! :D

[@RAF74Winger]

Another excellent video, thanks for the tips.

[@kyriakosgiakoumaroswingandwind]

No problem. I am glad you enjoyed it and I hope it helps! :D

[@Halerno]

Thnx man, really great videos you make. I stopped windsurfing 35 years ago (big board) and will soon continue, first with the beach start and than water start. But really clear and helpful your videos about the subject, so thanks and all the best for you.

[@kyriakosgiakoumaroswingandwind]

Thank you! I hope the videos help you out and enjoy your re introduction to our awesome sport! :)

[@user-bw9yy6sk8h]

Thank u so much. I love this video . i remember when i stay in vietnam. Nice spot to do the windsurfing.

[@kyriakosgiakoumaroswingandwind]

Glad you liked it! :) Yes Vietnam is fantastic for the winter season

[@wajfarut]

Hi Kyriakos and congratulations for your tutorials! i think they're really clear and deep, you cover all the aspects of the move and it helped me even to refresh and better understand fundamentals Here's my suggestion, what about making a waveriding series? i bet you already have this in mind good luck with your channel

[@kyriakosgiakoumaroswingandwind]

Hello Andrea and thank you for your kind words! I am glad you like my videos and that they help you :) Wave riding would be great. I will look into it more but we dont have many wave opportunities here in Rhodes. But there is always a way :D

[@fabricelabor2383]

Thank you very much.

[@dimitriszachariakis1118]

Very Good!!!

[@kyriakosgiakoumaroswingandwind]

Thanks!

[@AlexTakos]

Awesome videos! Really informative and detailed instruction. Just curious, what’s your weight? You made that “sinker” look more like a floater.

[@kyriakosgiakoumaroswingandwind]

Thanks a lot! My weight is approx. 90kg but its all about weight distribution and speed on the movement :)

[@carollloyd7042]

Really helpful

[@kyriakosgiakoumaroswingandwind]

I hope it helps you get to your goal! :)

[@user-td1mt4up8z]

유머스러워 재미있게 잘 보고있습니다. thank you

[@kyriakosgiakoumaroswingandwind]

Thank you! I hope they help :)

[@haymolin]

the gybe looks tough!

[@kyriakosgiakoumaroswingandwind]

It is a little tough but feels great once you get it :)

[@tiboregresi9295]

Hi, first of all, i would like to congratulate you. Your videos / tutorials were great. Concerning gybing i have a question: You mentioned in your tutorial, that you recommend to stay on the centerline. From my point of view, it could make sense to bring some pressure on the inside rail to sail a sharper / more dynamic turn / gybe (also in non-planing conditions) At least it seems to work for me. Am i wrong ? Kind regards ...and greetings from Germany !

[@kyriakosgiakoumaroswingandwind]

Thank you for your kind words! :) As for the point you make, I cannot say you are wrong. However, this depends a lot on the size of your board and the amount of wind (and speed) you have while attempting the gybe. For example on the board I am using in the video (the big one) putting pressure on the inside rail would actually have the opposite effect! And with the speed I had if I did that on the small board I use at the end I would mess up my balance. Generally, the slower you are going and the less power you have the more you should focus on staying centered and only when you are in planing should you focus on carving through the board. This type of gybe at this level is mostly for beginners trying to get around slow gybes smoother and faster but also (and most importantly) for building good technique for the future. And thats when you will start using the rails. Hope that makes sense and clears up a few things! :)

[@unbearly]

this type of sport I can only watch, learn and hope I can practice it.

[@kyriakosgiakoumaroswingandwind]

Practice is the most important so come find us at windsurfers world in Ixia Rhodes!

[@Greg-iw8pn]

Your tutorials are excellent! Very clear and concise. I did my first gybes the other day thanks to this video. I have a question - I find that I struggle to go down wind when initiating the gybe, below ~10knots wind I struggle to get beyond a beam reach and at ~15knots I can barely hit a beam reach. Do you have any pointers? I'm riding an Exocet Link surf/sup board with 5.5 sail at 110kg bodyweight.

[@kyriakosgiakoumaroswingandwind]

Hi! Its very hard to tell for this specific question without being able to see you do it. But for the lighter wind problem try heading as much downwind as you can before you even start the gybe. It shouldnt be a problem to control due to the light wind. Once you are pointing as much downwind as possible then start the gybe and see how that feels. Also for the 15knots + try playing around with your weight a little and see where things work. This really depends on your board but many times it can be that you just need to take a step back etc. For example, a strange example actually, the very large beginner boards we use at my station require to put your weight on the opposite side of the board in order for them to turn easily through the gybe! I am not saying this is what you should do but try to play around with the pressure and weight distribution and see if something helps! Hope you get something good out of this! The most important is keep practicing and it will click soon enough! :)

[@Greg-iw8pn]

@@kyriakosgiakoumaroswingandwind Thanks! There is plenty of room behind me on the board. I'll try it next time I'm out. Looking forward to your next video!

[@salsamancer]

Thanks for the tips! One of my biggest beginner obstacles is learning how to sail back to shore in a downwind. The wind keeps turning me upwind out to sea and it becomes very frustrating to feel like I'm too weak to sail under power

[@kyriakosgiakoumaroswingandwind]

Hey! Its a bit hard to explain in a comment but fro going downwing as a beginner on a big board and a small sail is many times hard because of wrong stance. (after all you spent most of your time up to now trying to stay upwind I guess) First thing you should think of is that you want to be quite comfortable. Don't try going downwind for a long distance in a position that feels bad because you will simply fail at some point. Second try to position your hands a little further back on the boom to allow more power into the front of the sail. (BTW there is no need to bring your feet forward on the board when trying to go downwind) Third you should try to put a lot of pressure on your front foot. Not weight, as your body should still stay in the same positions towards the back, but pressure. Like you are trying to push the board into the direction you want it to go with your dront leg. This last one actually only works properly when you have enough power in the sail to at least slightly hang back and on the downwind position you should not be afraid of closing the back of the sail and catching more power. So basically, your hands are further back and at the same time you catch a lot of power with the back hand. All this power you should channel it through your body (with the correct position) and send it to your front foot which will be pushing the board into the right direction. When applied correctly there is many times not much need for even putting the sail forward to steer downwind. Of course you can still do it a little to help you out. And dont forget too much downwind is also not good. There is a limit to how much you should point downwind! I hope you understand and I hope it helps a little :)

[@pablogutman6285]

Seeing you do the water start seems very easy, what sail do you use? how many knots were there?

[@kyriakosgiakoumaroswingandwind]

Hey! The water start is mostly a matter of technique. With the right skills you can get up in very low winds but of course that takes a lot of practice. I use a 4.8 and in this video the wind was probably 16-18 knots. I cannot remember exactly.

[@virtualsoundsify]

Hi, new sub here! Awesome channel! I’ve got a question for you. Going to buy new equipment, and im a little bit curious about the board. Im looking at the Starboard CarveIQ 2019 model, either 141 or 131, what do you think i would go for? Im planing on my 140 board (bic classic, pretty narrow) now but havent learned to get into the footstraps, i use the harness. Enough stability in the 131L to practice gybes like this in low wind? Weight:87kg length:187cm. Thanks man, looking forward to explore your channel more!

[@kyriakosgiakoumaroswingandwind]

Hey! Glad you subbed and I hope you find all the information you need in my videos! As for your question, I would personally go for the 131. You should feel fine on it, especially because newer boards tend to be wider and offer easy maneuverability combined with comfort and balance. Also it is a better size for a board that you can keep and use a lot in the future. If you do have difficulties with it in the beginning dont worry... just keep trying and you will soon be used to it. The more you can challenge yourself in windsurfing the more likely you are to progress faster. Hope this help! Have fun :)

[@virtualsoundsify]

Kyriakos Giakoumaros Windsurf Coaching thanks alot! Ill probably go for the 131, im afraid i will regret the 141 when im getting more used to it, thanks man! Keep up the nice content!

[@kyriakosgiakoumaroswingandwind]

@@virtualsoundsify that is a wise decision! :) Will do! stay posted :D

[@richslaney]

Brilliant videos... carve gybe please

[@kyriakosgiakoumaroswingandwind]

Thank you a lot! Will look into it :)

[@richym2020]

Thank you for this explanation! When I tried before I found I got stuck and it was difficult to get the bard to turn? I will have to keep trying!

[@kyriakosgiakoumaroswingandwind]

Hope the info you find here works for you! And if you are still having problems dont hesitate to ask... I am here to help with whatever I can! Good luck!

[@bertrandc8207]

Salut Kyriakos, merci pour tes vidéos qui sont vraiment excellentes. Ça change des vidéos avec blabla, ou du funbooarder qui veut frimer sur You Tube avec son jibe qu on ne pourra jamais faire.

[@michal5869]

Is it relatively easy to do if you have this red board with low buoyancy, a 7m2 cambered sail, and it's blowing at 14 knots? Any tips to prevent the sail from ripping out of your hands?

[@kyriakosgiakoumaroswingandwind]

Lower buoyancy is harder of course but the more speed you have the less the buoyancy will effect you. As for the sail ripping out of your hands I would say you have to commit more. So pull in the back hand even more and sit lower in your stance. I hope this helps a little!

[@williamnortheast5638]

what is the board volume for the small board you mentioned at the end of the video?

[@kyriakosgiakoumaroswingandwind]

Hi William, I am using my personal board the is 100 litres freestyle board. :)

[@vascocostaantunes6826]

Hi! When the left hand slides to the mast, where should the wind be? Parallel to the axis of the board?

[@kyriakosgiakoumaroswingandwind]

Yes you should be at least parallel or even further past the line of the wind. the more you can get your board to go to the direction you want to sail to, the better! :)

[@cinokaftw6118]

Kyriakos thanks for you Videos! Im struggeling with the Gybe when I get too much power into the Sails (while going downwind) and it get pushed out of my Hands (mostly the Backhand). What can I do there ?

[@kyriakosgiakoumaroswingandwind]

Hey! Is this for the non planing gybe? If that is the case I would recommend to actually be a little more aggressive. This is the case with many moves in windsurfing, that when we feel too much power our first reaction is to open up the sail or let go but actually the best you can do is the opposite. For example try pulling the back hand closer, so closing the sail more and also focus a lot on the body position. Mainly the legs and back. So get low for better balance and grip and keep you lower back straight and shoulders back. This will stop you feeling like you are being thrown forward. With more info I can give better advice but there are the basic and usual problems so I hope it helps! Good luck! :)

[@cinokaftw6118]

@@kyriakosgiakoumaroswingandwind Wow thanks for you fast answer :) I hope when I am at Rhodos the next time, I can visit your local Spot! Yes I was talking about the non.planning gybe. The Problem is exacly as you say, I fell the Hard pressure in the Sail and then I fear to lose balance, si I release the Sail.

[@kyriakosgiakoumaroswingandwind]

Good! Let me know how it goes! yes for sure visit us if you are ever in Rhodes :D

[@kyriakosgiakoumaroswingandwind]

@@cinokaftw6118 No problem... I hope the information helps! Let me know how it goes and come visit us in Greece when you have the chance :)

[@il_fastidio]

Great tutorial! I am still struggling to control the power in the sail. Sometimes I just have to let the back hand go before I completed the turn, not to fall. Therefore I stop moving. Then I sort of steer the board with the front hand, flip the sail and start on the new board. Not a great jibe :(

[@kyriakosgiakoumaroswingandwind]

Thats very common. Practice will solve it but most likely you are not pulling in the power enough to start with. Close the back of the sail even more and make sure you are standing back on the board. Far enough from the sail to be able to resist the power it is giving you. Standing too close to the sail will never work if you actually have some proper wind. Good luck and enjoy!

[@ulviugur3605]

My challanged point is turning the sail; some videos mention that the mast should be vertical, but yours is more natural to me. Any specifics on that ?

[@kyriakosgiakoumaroswingandwind]

Vertical is correct also but I find that if you swing the sail the way it naturally wants to go, it will feel easier, lighter and more under control. It takes some practice to get the swing right but all around feels easier. The vertical is just easier to accomplish but very basic. Hope that helps! :)

[@ulviugur3605]

Yes, absolutely 👍 I will try it today, greetings from Alaçatı, the other side of Egean 🏄🏻‍♂️

[@Aaron-CC]

I am a beginner and bought some second hand gear that came with a Starboard 2009 Futura 133L (77cm wide and 247.5cm long) . If I stand with my feet either side of the mast to pull up the sail the front of the board will be under the water. I tried to stand with both of my feet one side of the mast (towards the back of the board) to uphaul the sail but still find it a bit unstable. Do you recommend buying a bigger board? What is the size of the big board in your video? Or should I just persist with the current board and attempt to beach start then water start?

[@kyriakosgiakoumaroswingandwind]

Hey Aaron! First I will answer the question about the size of the board in the video. This is a 200lt beginner board. Now onto your other questions, first thing you have to think about is how much money you want to spend on boards. If you buy a board like the one in the video then you will want to change down pretty fast and then its basically useless to you. Although it will be harder now in the beginning I would recommend sticking with the one you already have now. It will beat you up a little to start with but I am sure you will get used to it pretty fast. Just persist! :) The problem you are having is also caused because the futura as a model, although it is a good board, it is quite short for its volume and has limited buoyancy in the nose. (at least the ones I have tried) So I would suggest to make sure your front foot is in front of the mast but pressed right up against it and maybe try to spread you back foot further down the back of the board. Between the front straps might be a good point of measure. If you still have a problem then you can simply but more of your weight on the back leg as you lift and see how your board reacts. Play around with it and try to find the sweet spots. These tips should help a little but like I said its just about practice. Keep trying and dont give up... I am sure you will get used to it pretty fast. Have fun! :D

[@Aaron-CC]

@@kyriakosgiakoumaroswingandwind Thanks for your reply. I will keep trying. I previously learnt on a Starboard Go 175L and that was quite easy to walk around the board. I find when I tack and walk around the mast on the front side of this futura board it is very unstable and the nose dips into the water. I guess I just have to do it faster :).

[@kyriakosgiakoumaroswingandwind]

@@Aaron-CC Yes exactly! Speed around the nose is key especially on a board like the futura! I have a video on the fast tack on my channel so go check that out. The steps might help you get around the front without effecting the board much

[@user-lb8io7eg8r]

Καλός καλός

[@aneesalzaidaney6654]

What is the type of board?

[@cinokaftw6118]

Did you Travel with your Windsurfing Stuff or did you rent it in Vietnam ? I think its pretty difficult to Transport a Board Sail and Stuff Safely :D

[@kyriakosgiakoumaroswingandwind]

Yes I traveled with my own things! However, for Mui Ne if you are going for a holiday to windsurf It is not worth it as the prices are good and there are a lot of options! Not to mention that they actually broke my board in the airport! :/

[@cinokaftw6118]

@@kyriakosgiakoumaroswingandwind Fuck thats the Problem about traveling with own Stuff. I always fear they break some shit

[@adamb.8854]

Why is it so hard to sheet in, in bigger winds almost plaining when i try to start jibing? Thx

[@kyriakosgiakoumaroswingandwind]

Depending on the wind you have to adjust your body positions and weight used on the sail. You should always be able to counter the sails pull on this type of gybe as long as your position is good and you are prepared. Also, many times its lack of commitment from the get go that creates this problem!

[@yevhenhorilyy965]

Is heli tack and gybe same thing?

[@kyriakosgiakoumaroswingandwind]

No very different moves in every way. :)

[@vascocostaantunes6826]

Where is this spot ?

[@kyriakosgiakoumaroswingandwind]

This is in Vietnam, Mui Ne! Specifically the Surf4You station which is the flat spot in the area :)

[@soriristzimas6691]

Are u from greece if you are pls make videos speaking greek...thanks

[@kyriakosgiakoumaroswingandwind]

Will try to look into it in the future! But your English looks pretty good to me man.. :)

[@soriristzimas6691]

@@kyriakosgiakoumaroswingandwind thankss...

[@eliasrizopoulos3708]

Keeping your weight on the back foot and the pressure on the front foot does not make any sense. Weight=force=pressure*area... Please clarify

[@kyriakosgiakoumaroswingandwind]

That is because you are not taking into consideration the force being created by the sail. what you say is true if there is nothing else except you standing on a board. So basically what you want to do is focus on taking all the force the sail gives you, channel it through your arms and down through your body to your front leg. That way even though your body mass is falling more to the back the pressure that is put onto the board is from the front leg. If completely powered up you should be able to even lift the back leg off the board/ground while maintaining the correct windsurf body position. I hope that makes sense and clears things up a little! :)

[@A1B2C3D4E5Z6able]

Έλεος! Ούτε ένα βίντεο με Ελληνικά! Γιατί;

[@kyriakosgiakoumaroswingandwind]

Kαλημερα φιλε! Γιατι νομιζεις οτι δεν εχω βιντεο στα Ελληνικα. Λιγοι ειμαστε οι σερφαδες της ελλας αρα να φτιαξω βιντεο και να παιρνει 100 views δεν συμφερει. Και οι περισσοτεροι μιλανε και αγγλικα. Δυστηχως δεν μπορω να του εξυπηρετησω ολους. Ελπιζω να βρεις κατι καλο και στα ελληνικα.

[@mtbtenerife9818]

Chiquito paquete

[@katamaranscom]

Good tips

[@kyriakosgiakoumaroswingandwind]

Thank you! I hope it helps :)