Turning directional kitesurfing boards - such as those used in the surf and raceboards - is achieved by doing a jibe (or gybe) turn. This is necessary because, unlike a twintip board, a directional board only travels in one direction, and must therefore be turned 180 degrees when changing to an opposite tack. Jibe turn with directional board - note change of feet position When a directional board is turned to the opposite tack, your feet will be reversed and you will then have two choices:
There are two ways to do a jibe turn for directional boards:
An average kitesurfer should be able to do their first jibe on a directional after 5 to 10 hours of practice. However, more practice may be required to make 80 to 90 percent of your jibes, and to do them equally well in both directions. Learning jibe turns for kitesurfing is much easier compared to learning them for windsurfing. Once mastered, jibe turns are fun and effective. The sequence for the windsurfing jibe is:
Photo sequence: Pre-jibe (or Front-jibe)The sequence for a pre-jibe is:
When I'm going from starboard to port - goofy to regular - I stay in the goofy stance all the way through my turn until I'm fully going in the other direction, then I switch my feet. In the (photo) sequence, I'm going from port to starboard or regular to goofy foot. I want to get onto my favored stance as soon as possible, so I slowly bring the kite up from the reaching position to the overhead position. Right before it gets to the neutral position, I take my back foot out of the strap and bring it forward so that it's basically about to go into the other front strap. So there's a point just before the kite gets overhead where I pretty much have both my feet in/near the front foot straps. There's a split second where you're in a fairly awkward position and that's why you don't really stick your feet in the straps. As you transition your one foot forward, you start to slide your old front foot out of the straps. So, you have the kite slowly going up, your body is going up and you're releasing rail pressure and straightening out the board for a second. Then you switch your feet as the kite swings from the neutral position over toward the other side; that's where you take what was your front foot, step back around, put it in the back strap, load the opposite rail and crank the board around for the turn. So what I'm trying to do whenever I'm loading the rail and loading the kite in the middle of the turn - regardless of which side I'm turning on - is to stay on my positive side, which for me is goofy foot. I stay on my goofy foot foot as long as possible in the front side position and I get to goofy foot again as soon as possible in the back side position. Videos
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