Best tip I can think of is LOOK WHERE YOU'RE GOING. So as you start your gybe, look back towards your eventual new direction. Your body will follow your head and automatically keep the nose down, board carving,etc. and voila you won't even notice the chop. It takes real effort at first because you just want to look down & ahead and see what the board/feet are doing. But resist that urge and look back out of the turn.

Get the board carving a nice steady arc, then the rig will almost take care of itself. Try to keep the board fairly flat (don't put your weight over the tail, but keep leaning forward to keep the board flat and maintain mastfoot pressure. The way I learnt was to set up for the gybe by:

1. Changing my grip so that both hands have an overhand grip on the boom and I move my backhand down the boom.
2. stepping out of the back footstrap.

Once set up I then just initiated the turn by sheeting in, bending my knees and leaning forwards and into the turn. I then just counted to 2 and let go...somehow as if by magic it all started working when I did that. I stopped thinking about the rig flip, just counted to 2 and let go, then grabbed the boom on the other side.... It might work for you, just give it a go... the worst that can happen is you'll get wet!!

Why Can't I Plane Out of My Gybes?

It could be any number of things. If you think your turns are too sharp, it may be that you are pivoting the board more so than carving it. In that case, you're probably leaning back as you enter the turn, which cuts your speed. Are you really fighting the sail as go into the turn? That's a clue. It's true that you really need to sheet in hard with the back hand, but you need to do it from a forward-leaning stance, not from a backward-leaning stance. And even though it seems scary, it's actually easier.You could be turning too far, that is, you're exiting the jibe with the board going across or even upwind, rather than downwind. When you change your feet, you might be keeping the board on the rail, rather than flattening it out to keep it planing. After flipping the sail, you might be trying to sheet in all at once, which tends to make you dig in your back foot, cutting your speed. You might be stiffening up your knees when you switch your feet, so the board can't ride easy on the water. You might be letting the rig get away from you when you flip, so that you drag it up on the new tack, rather than spinning it on its axis. (That way the board stays flat, the power transfer from one tack to the other is fast and snappy and you stay on a plane.) I make all these mistakes, especially when it's blowing 20+ knots and it all needs to happen so fast.

Power Jibe - Safaga Style

Speedy - Before you can hope to make a power jibe you have to be sailing fast preferably hooked in and in the straps.

Cowboy - Bear away and unhook keeping the same sailing position (still hiked out with arms straight, keeping the sail sheeted in). Put the back foot onto the leeward rail just in front of the back strap and now take up the 'cowboy' position i.e. move back hand 12-18" back and front arm further forward. Bring your body inboard and forwards to take up a crouching position with bent knees. Lower your head close to your front arm and look ahead to where you will exit the jibe. Pull the sail into your shoulder with the backhand. Your weight should be over the leeward rail with your hips forward.

Boxer - Keep this position until you are pointing downwind and now do the 'boxer'. Step forward with the backfoot, release the other foot from the strap and punch the boom with the backhand (hence the boxer). As you make this aggressive movement rotate your body so that your leading hip is thrust forward. This will prevent you from being pulled over by the power of the sail. Catch the boom after the sail has spun on its axis and hike out with bent knees and straight arms and sail away.

Jibing Like a Pro

By Dean Karnazes
GreatOutdoors.com Windsurfing Guide

Ever wonder how the pros jibe so smoothly? Robby Naish, for instance, seems to come out of his jibes faster than he goes into them. Even in rough water, the pros can maintain incredible board speed, jibe after flawless jibe. Yet, to many sailors the carving jibe remains elusive and frustrating. Even after many years on the water, most jibe with a noticeable lack of fluidity and pizazz. I intend to change that.

The problem with most sailors is that they try to make their jibes. So what's wrong with that? Let me explain. The problem with making your jibes it that you're not pushing hard enough. You're focused on hand-work, concentrating on when to flip the sail and fixated on the right moment to switch your feet. The net result is that you get a well executed jibe that looks, well, sanitary. It looks like a jibe that you're trying really hard to make.

What I'm recommending is that you blow some jibes. Just go out and fall flat on your face. But really push it. I mean go into that jibe as fast as you can and turn as hard as you can. Lay your board out in a sweeping arc with no intention of making the jibe. What you'll experience may be startling. For the first time you may realize just how well your board turns. And, for the first time, you may get a feeling for how the pros jibe so smoothly.

Learning to carve your jibes means putting more of your weight on the rail and leaning out over the water further. The first few times you try this technique you may think it impossible to ever recover. That's OK. Don't focus on recovering, focus on cranking you board around as powerfully as possible. Eventually you'll start to see that by making slight adjustments in the attitude of the sail, recovery is possible.

Most people learn to jibe by concentrating on not falling. Consequently their jibes evolve into a survival tactic. They get the job done, but it's not very glamorous. You, on the other hand, are like a wild animal. You're carving huge gashes, spray is flying everywhere, and you're displacing major amounts of water. You may not be making all of your jibes, but it's better to die on your feet than to live on your knees. And in time you'll silence the naysayers with perfectly carved jibes.