​Bio - Eric L. Mihelbergel is an intermediate/advanced windsurfer, kiteboarder, and foiler living in the Great Lakes Region of New York State who enjoys sharing about windsports and fitness.

Wind Foil Jibe - Flagging Technique
(Written May 2021)

The foil jibe can be tricky. It took me about 15-18 sessions to learn it, but I didn't start working on it until after 40 sessions as a beginner windfoiler. Before session #40 there were specific drills I did that led up to the jibe. Below is what worked for me. We all learn differently, so take whatever you want from my experience and leave whatever you don't want. Good luck!

1. Gear
   1. Modified SUP foil board
   2. Strapless
   3. Big front foil wing (2000sq. cm.)
   4. Small sails (2.9m-4.7m)
2. Assumptions
   1. This outline assumes you are coming from a windsurfing background and can jibe at an intermediate level regular windsurfing.
   2. Assumes you are learning windsurf wave foiling with large front foil wing at beginner level. Not racing or advanced freeride.
   3. This jibe training is designed to specifically translate into wave riding. This jibing technique directly translates into wave cutbacks in switch stance.
3. General technique – This technique requires flagging the sail out during the jibe and not switching the feet until going in the new direction. Flagging is NOT the same as sheeting-out. Flagging means you have one hand on each side of the boom (right next to the mast) with the clew of the sail pointing directly downwind.
4. Foil jibe technique
   1. Take a small step forward with the front foot, and put the back foot across the board. Get a little speed, head off the wind, and begin to sheet out as you go into a long, drawn-out, slow arc.
   2. Flag the sail out by moving both hands quickly up the boom next to the mast. Keep both hands on the boom. Bend the knees a lot. Control lift by weighting and unweighting the front and back leg.
   3. Let the sail be. Try not to disturb it. Allow the sail to naturally come around as the board turns. As you go more downwind GET ONE HAND ON EACH SIDE OF THE BOOM NEAR THE MAST WITH THE SAIL FLAGGED. Then gradually move the other hand around the mast to the new side of the boom as the sail comes around more so that both hands are now on the new side of the boom. Bend the knees a lot.
   4. BIG 3
      1. During the first third of the turn tip mast slightly to the inside of the turn while it is flagged out.
      2. When the board is halfway through the turn (pointed directly downwind), start to tip the mast slightly to the outside of the turn. As a beginner/intermediate, THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART TO KEEP YOU FROM FALLING IN.
      3. As the sail comes around the other side and you are near switch stance, tip the mast slightly toward the rear of board (closer to your chest) while it is still tipped to the outside of the turn. At this point it is extremely important to pressure the heel of the front foot for control. This helps to counter-balance the pressure from the foil, and prevents you from falling in to the inside of the turn. It makes a huge difference in control. The half of the foil wing on the outside of the turn is travelling faster than the half of the foil wing on the inside of the turn because is has to travel a greater distance in the same amount of time. So, since the outside half of the foil wing is travelling faster it will generate more lift than the inside half of the foil wing. So give the heel of that front foot a little pressure to counter the extra lift. And, as always, bend the knees a lot.
   5. When in switch stance, your instinct may be to sheet in with the back hand, but DON’T. Instead try to push the back hand away. This really, really stabilizes the board. BEND THE BACK LEG!!! Bending the back leg allows you much more flexibility and control.
   6. Use both rear foot and front foot to control turning angle of board. Control lift by weighting and unweighting front leg and back leg.
   7. When switching feet place feet slightly upwind of centerline. Use a double-double step if necessary as the initial placement of your feet will likely not be in the correct spot. The extra steps will balance the board.
   8. Looking down at your feet occasionally during the foot change can help until you build solid muscle memory.
5. “Put it Down” training technique (do this on the wave and flatwater)
   1. Setting the board on the water is a great tool when learning to jibe on foil. It prevents you from falling in the water while giving you the opportunity to learn one part of the jibe at a time. Here is how to do it.
   2. Jibe halfway through the turn (90 degrees), then put the board down on the water. In this part of the drill, you will be able to think about tipping the mast to the inside during this first part of the turn as described above. Be sure to get one hand on each side of the boom with the sail flagged out before you set the board down. Do this on the wave regularly before attempting any full jibes on the wave.
   3. After a few sessions then jibe two-thirds of the way through the turn and put the board down on the water. In this phase you will be able to think about tipping the sail to the outside of the turn, when near 90 degrees, as described above. Tipping the mast to the outside is the MOST IMPORTANT part of this entire jibe. It prevents you from being thrown off the board. Do this on the wave regularly before attempting and full jibes on the wave.
   4. Then, after another few sessions, jibe until you are in full switch-stance and put the board down on the water. Here you will be able to think about tipping the mast slightly toward the back of the board  and pushing the new back hand away from you, as described above. Remember to pressure the heel of the front foot for control. This part of the training will also prepare you for frontside wave riding in switch stance. Do this on the wave regularly and then all you have to do for a full jibe is switch your feet.
   5. This “put it down” drill training will help you to learn the jibe faster. It will prevent you from falling in the water as much so that you don’t get as tired and so you have more time on the board instead of swimming and uphauling. You will learn the jibe faster.
6. Important Considerations
   1. Rotation of the sail exerts forces on the board. Think of regular windsurfing where strong sail rotation creates a counter force that helps to turn the board more quickly during the jibe.
   2. These forces created by sail rotation also rock the board side-to-side. You don’t feel it much when regular windsurfing because the board is on the water and supported side-to-side, but when on the foil these forces will knock you right off the board as a beginner. Be aware of this and use the sail tipping techniques (above) to counter these forces. Try not to disturb the sail. Flag the sail out right at the beginning of the jibe and let it naturally rotate. The more you interrupt the sails natural rotation, by pulling/pushing on the boom, the more the board will buck and push back.
7. When to start learning the jibe. Pre-jibe training. (very important)
   1. Forget about the jibe in the very beginning phase of wind foiling. I started focusing on the jibe after session #40.
   2. Before session #40, focus on wave riding and/or flagging the sail while going down wind. Focus on fun little sharp turns off the wind, then back across the wind. Practice getting both hands right up to the boom, and then one hand on each side of the boom, as you carve hard off the wind. This really helps to develop the skills needed to begin the jibe. This is your pre-jibe training. Get good at moving both of those hands right up the boom next to the mast, and on each side of the mast, as you carve off the wind. Practice the "Put It Down" training on the wave as much as possible.
   3. If you try to jibe before session #40 in the beginner phase of foiling it may ultimately take you longer to learn the jibe because you will constantly be falling in the water, getting tired, and getting frustrated. The basic down-wind skills have not been learned yet. Practice those down-wind carving skills coupled with the hand movement before starting jibes.
   4. Do these drills on the wave as much as possible. Doing this drill on the wave is what helped me the most by far. Flatwater is ok, but you don't get much time to practice with the sail flagged before you run out of speed. The wave helps you maintain speed and it better prepares you for full jibes. Get in the waves, ride the waves, and practice the carving and hand movements. Get one hand on each side of the boom around the mast while riding the wave. This will develop your jibe skills. And jibe skills will develop your wave skills.
   5. Remember, wave skills will develop your jibe skills, and jibe skills will develop your wave skills. They go together.