Step Gybing
By Dave Marshall

This is the ultimate gybe for light to moderate wind conditions. It allows you to keep the power in the sail and trim the board for optimum speed which is why it is used by all of the top pros. A step-gybe means you finish your footwork before you flip the sail. Step, then flip. As you become more accomplished, these motions blend together into one, creating a faster, more efficient gybe!

[a] initiation

Big Tip: Speed in equals speed out. A successful step-gybe starts with good planing speed. Keep the board running fast and flat.

To set-up for the turn look ahead for a clear path and switch to an over-hand grip on the boom. Slide your rear hand at least a foot back from the harness lines for better leverage and control of the rig. When you unhook from the harness, keep the rig sheeted in and balanced until you are ready to carve.

1.) After unhooking, maintain foot pressure in the straps to keep the board planing flat, smooth and fast.

2.) Without moving the rig, take your back foot out of the strap and place it shoulder width apart over the inside (downwind) rail, just behind the front footstrap. Apply immediate pressure on the inside rail to set the board on its carving edge.

3.) Really emphasize a "bow-and-arrow-like" action by extending your front arm into the turn and towards the nose while maintaining strong back hand pressure by bending your back arm. Rolling your shoulders into the turn at the same time (like throwing a punch) lets you position the sail using your entire upper body, not just your arm muscles. This will de-power the rig, making it light and easy to maneuver.

Rock forward and into the turn so that your upper body is over the balls of your feet. Look through the window of the sail at where you want to complete the turn. Think about looking below the booms to help you keep your knees bent. This is where you'll feel the G's, which helps keep the nose riding flat. To counteract the G-force you'll have to lean the rig into the turn.

[b] transition

Big Tip: Keep your shoulders square to the sail throughout the turn. This will help you to time when to pivot the heel of your front foot across the board into the "plie" position.

4.) Keep your hips angled and knees bent towards the inside of the turn. Maintain constant carving pressure throughout the whole turn!

5.) Once you have carved halfway through the turn it's time to STEP and flip. You'll feel your front foot wanting to twist out of the footstrap. Let it happen - twist your front foot so that the heel slides forward across the center line. It should almost be touching the big toe of your back foot (for those ballet experts, this is the plie!). The heel twist is one of the keys to the STEP gybe. It allows you keep pressure on the inside, carving edge (pressuring through the heel and by dropping your hips to the inside) while you STEP forward.

6.) It will feel uncomfortable in the "plie", heel-twist position, so take your back foot and "STEP" , forward asap, between the mast (in light winds) and the front footstrap (heavy winds). Make sure you STEP with your toes over the center line so as not to affect the board's carving trim, otherwise, you might stall or over rotate your turn.

Setting up for the sail-flip is easy if you've kept your shoulders square to the sail. Move your front hand up to the front of the boom just before you make the STEP. This will make it easier to keep the sail upright and close to your body throughout. The goal is to STEP and flip the sail simultaneously. Work up to this goal by stepping first, then flipping the sail immediately after. Merging the two actions together is easier if you can maintain good planing speed through the gybe (take maximum speed in and keep it with good body positioning - weight forward). The trick is to initaite the sail flip at the same time that you STEP forward, by pushing the boom around with your back hand.

[c] exiting the turn

You'll be sailing on your new tack at this point, but still finishing the turn. You should have stepped forward by now, so the sail flip should at least have been initiated or in mid-flip. (Except in the case where you've lost speed and stalled, in which case you're better to delay the sail flip and sail clew-first keeping power in the sail to finish the turn).

Big Tip: Treat catching the sail like coming out of a waterstart - stay low!

7.) As the sail flips around keep the mast close to your body by pulling in and forward with your lead rig hand (it can be either on the mast or boom). This will make it easy to grab the boom on the new tack without reaching for it. Pull the mast across your chest (forward toward the nose of the board) as you are exchanging hands. The further forward the rig is positioned at the end of the flip, the more it will help to drive the nose of the board down to boost your planing speed out of the gybe.

8.) Sheet in hard by hanging off the boom (drop your body low for better balance and leverage, especially in strong winds).