Duck Jibe

The duck jibe in wing foiling

The term duck jibe comes from windsurfing and refers to ducking under the rig, which is tilted forward during a jibe. Just like in windsurfing, you also duck under the strut of the wing during a wing foil duck jibe – not under the foot of the sail, but under the strut of the wing.

In the advanced version of the wing foil duck jibe, which can be seen here in the video, you let the wing float downwind, held with just one hand. The hand turns the wing above your head in the new direction of travel, while your body ducks underneath it.

The difficulty with this variant lies in coordinating the speed at which you initiate the jibe with the force of the wind blowing into the wing. The wing must float steadily while being held with one hand.

Two errors can occur in this process:

(1) The wing flips downwards – this is due to riding too fast downwind, where the airflow cancels out the actual wind. The wing is no longer supported, folds down with the front tube and can even be pressed against the body by the wind. This problem occurs in rather light winds or when riding underpowered. Remedy: ride slower and/or let the wing float with one hand before foiling on a deeper downwind course (and then continuing through the turn).

(2) The wing is rotating too quickly. This is due to strong winds, which accelerate the wing held only at the rear so intensely that it swings much faster and further than intended. This problem occurs in strong winds or when riding overpowered. Remedy: first turn to a deep downwind course and lift the wing above your head in moderate exercise.

You can see the basic sequence of movements for the duck jibe in the video: push the wing diagonally forward, with your front hand gripping the rear of the boom and the other hand letting go. The wing swings around – guided over your head with one hand – and your other hand grips it again, stopping the wing's rotation.

Basics Duck Jibe Level ★★☆☆ Rider: Jürgen Schall Text: Jürgen Schall Photos/Videos: Jürgen Schall DE

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