I have been learning to gybe turn on the plane most weeks for about 15 months. I have looked at DVDs (Guy Cribb) and tried so many variations of the step gybe. Some days can get up to 50% success, but that's rare. Lately it has been 0 to 10% success rate. All my sailing is on Port Phillip Bay. I have decided I need help. Someone to watch me and tell me what I can't see: i.e what I am doing wrong.
I am happy to pay for a professional instructor. Who is the best person to go to in Melbourne? Anyone have a success story out there after seeking help? Hope to have some lessons over Dec/Jan period. Who is the Melbourne version of Guy Cribb?
Have someone in mind but I am after other people's opinions.

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baywavebill said...
Who is the Melbourne version of Guy Cribb?

That would have to be Luke.

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baywavebill said...

I have been learning to gybe turn on the plane most weeks for about 15 months. I have looked at DVDs (Guy Cribb) and tried so many variations of the step gybe. Some days can get up to 50% success, but that's rare. Lately it has been 0 to 10% success rate. All my sailing is on Port Phillip Bay. I have decided I need help. Someone to watch me and tell me what I can't see: i.e what I am doing wrong.
I am happy to pay for a professional instructor. Who is the best person to go to in Melbourne? Anyone have a success story out there after seeking help? Hope to have some lessons over Dec/Jan period. Who is the Melbourne version of Guy Cribb?
Have someone in mind but I am after other people's opinions.

Bill come down to Inverloch on one of our" Mentor Days" and we,ll sort you out. Lots of flat water to practice on. Check the Inverloch windsurfing club web site for details. Meanwhile try this. 1 remove foot and place on inside rail. 2 oversheet sail, look backwards and turn. 4 Flip early and step at the same time.5 Continue turn and grab sail. 6 Blast away

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That would have to be Luke.

Does Luke take lessons? Happy to book him if that's the case.

Inveloch looks tempting but what happens when you get back on the bay chop?
Am I better off have lessons in the conditions I usually sail in? I am ok with about 50% of gybes on flat water. Or am I better off getting 90%+ on flat water then transferring my improved skill onto bay chop?

Luke has been doing gybing lessons for years you can speak to him at shq.
Otherwise Windsurfing Victoria will be holding learn to windsurf on the bay in a couple weeks. Stay tune for details.

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baywavebill said...



That would have to be Luke.

Does Luke take lessons? Happy to book him if that's the case.

Inveloch looks tempting but what happens when you get back on the bay chop?
Am I better off have lessons in the conditions I usually sail in? I am ok with about 50% of gybes on flat water. Or am I better off getting 90%+ on flat water then transferring my improved skill onto bay chop?

We can put in the chop too if you like

Yep Wavesailbill. I could give you a lecture on chop at Invy. It might be known for its flat water but when the tide is flowing it runs 5 - 8 kts. It flows in with a swell and with the wind blowing the opposite way we get a diamond shaped chop and visa versa I have seen it as high as 600mm on a 20 kt day. I have also see Kato disappear in the stratisphere doing some chop hopping one day - showoff

But back to your question. I believe(and I will have a few people disagree with me) that it is best to learn on flat water and hone your skills then step up to choppier conditions. Then I will state the opposite that I have heard other windsurfers say that it is good to have a bit of chop to help you turn the board?? Do what you feel is right and if it does not happen for you try the other way

Lessons are always a good thing and I am sure RPS, SHQ and the Zu will help you out. The other thing is to hook up with a few of the Invy crew when we are heading out on a 15 - 20 kt day. We have some good gybers in the crew but not me I have perfected the STEP gybe. Step off the board, turn it around and get back on

Only problem with your step gybe Doug is... You need a sandbar at the other end to turn around.

Your right though, people who think Inverloch is all flat water are surely mistaken. Good place to learn to gybe.

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ejmack said...

Only problem with your step gybe Doug is... You need a sandbar at the other end to turn around.

That is when you get to practise your water starts

Hi Bill, this is Luke From SHQ. I'll be at Inverloch on January 7/8 for the ''Learn to Windsurf series'' and will be happy to give you some free coaching then. There's also a chance I may be available from December 27 to Jan 3rd. I'm looking at running a couple of full day gybing clinics at Inverloch or Sandy Point during this time.

I've often found that it's 1 or 2 of the ''core skills'' that need working on eg; the ''boom Shaka or ''The twist''. I've had students go from 1 or 2 out of 10, to 6 or 7 out of 10, by getting 1 of these movements right. However, you need as much time as you can get on the flattest water you can find. Far better getting your gybing 90% right on flat water, using the ''Intuition'' coaching system, then transferring to the bay, as leaning to carve gybe on the bay is extremely difficult and often too frustrating for most people.

If you'd like to talk further, please give me a call at SHQ.

Cheers,
Luke

Luke name the place and time and I'll be there!

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jermaldan said...

Luke name the place and time and I'll be there!

Book me in as well!

I'll chime in too with "find some flat water"... there are too many parts to get right when first learning, that is made much easier in flat water.

In particular, choppy water will frequently bounce you off the board -> using flat water allows you to focus on hand and/or feet movements.

As a bonus flat water allows you to wobble the last bit of the gybe, without the chop making it harder.

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ejmack said...

jermaldan said...

Luke name the place and time and I'll be there!

Book me in as well!

+ me too

We are of course all assuming that the wind turns up so lets keep an eye out on the wind and it will be Lukes call as to when.

Luke - controller is in your hands. You make the call when the conditions are good for it, already a class size of 3.

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SHQ said...

Hi Bill, this is Luke From SHQ. I'll be at Inverloch on January 7/8 for the ''Learn to Windsurf series'' and will be happy to give you some free coaching then. There's also a chance I may be available from December 27 to Jan 3rd. I'm looking at running a couple of full day gybing clinics at Inverloch or Sandy Point during this time.

I've often found that it's 1 or 2 of the ''core skills'' that need working on eg; the ''boom Shaka or ''The twist''. I've had students go from 1 or 2 out of 10, to 6 or 7 out of 10, by getting 1 of these movements right. However, you need as much time as you can get on the flattest water you can find. Far better getting your gybing 90% right on flat water, using the ''Intuition'' coaching system, then transferring to the bay, as leaning to carve gybe on the bay is extremely difficult and often too frustrating for most people.

If you'd like to talk further, please give me a call at SHQ.

Cheers,
Luke

Thanks Luke. I will drop in for a chat.

Hey Bill, I was watching your technique the other day. Just take your left hand off your dick and hang on to the boom instead

Bill may be doing that to protect his family assetts from a groin mast colision, but Bill has like 10 kids or something, so if it was me... id be painting a neil pryde target in my nuts for accuracy!

Sorry mate! Can't help it. It just keeps getting in the way. Probably why I've got 10 kids

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purplehaze said...

Hey Bill, I was watching your technique the other day. Just take your left hand off your dick and hang on to the boom instead

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baywavebill said...

Sorry mate! Can't help it. It just keeps getting in the way. Probably why I've got 10 kids.

Obviously a stallion! Seriously though I'm in the same boat (with my gybes) but recently I worked out the best bay tactic is to cut back on a wave and surf into the gybe which is really easy.

You should get someone to video your gybes so you can see for yourself what you are doing wrong. It will be blindingly obvious.

FWIW Gybing on wave makes the whole process much easier. It forces you to surf the board, and gives you the momentum to plane through it and flip the sail in a leisurely manner. The only problem is you usually get waves on the same tack all the time so you get good going in one direction and not so good in the other.

While I'm on a roll, wobbling gybes don't count. If you're wobbling then you're not planing and if you're not planing then you're not gybing. You're just falling off slowly.

Step gybes don't count either for the same reason. You're supposed to carve through on the rail and stepping at the critical moment releases the rail and causes you to skip out and stall.

Wobbling and stepping is fine when you're just sailing, and the alternative is falling. They're not fine when you're trying to perfect your gybes.

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Gorgo said...

You should get someone to video your gybes so you can see for yourself what you are doing wrong. It will be blindingly obvious.

FWIW Gybing on wave makes the whole process much easier. It forces you to surf the board, and gives you the momentum to plane through it and flip the sail in a leisurely manner. The only problem is you usually get waves on the same tack all the time so you get good going in one direction and not so good in the other.

While I'm on a roll, wobbling gybes don't count. If you're wobbling then you're not planing and if you're not planing then you're not gybing. You're just falling off slowly.

Step gybes don't count either for the same reason. You're supposed to carve through on the rail and stepping at the critical moment releases the rail and causes you to skip out and stall.

Wobbling and stepping is fine when you're just sailing, and the alternative is falling. They're not fine when you're trying to perfect your gybes.

O.K my success rate is now back to 0% Got a video camera last birthday. Will bring my 10 kids down to film me.

Just thought I'd mention that Adrian, our RPS resident windsurfing instructor, has years of experience and is RYA certified. [ Just like Guy Cribb].

He's able to structure a gybe clinic that will get your bay gybe strike rate firing.

Give the Pasty Pom a call at the store and pick his brains for a lesson or 2.

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Gorgo said...
While I'm on a roll, wobbling gybes don't count. If you're wobbling then you're not planing and if you're not planing then you're not gybing. You're just falling off slowly.

Step gybes don't count either for the same reason. You're supposed to carve through on the rail and stepping at the critical moment releases the rail and causes you to skip out and stall.

Wobbling and stepping is fine when you're just sailing, and the alternative is falling. They're not fine when you're trying to perfect your gybes.

Complete utter elitist rubbish. You're the kind of guy that is always one better than the next bloke.