45 posts
Been struggling with light wing jibe wearing the Parawing. What is your go to light wind jibe? In strong wind, the basic jibe is fairly easy. In light wind it is anything but easy.
What should be the order of light wind progression?
Heineken
Handle Pass
Pulling on D-Line
Tack
896 posts
My recent lightwind gybe unlock was doing a Heineken or downloop gybe with my back hand (instead of my front). The front hand starting overhand and ending underhand is the typical maneuver, but I was finding the sail would sometimes get stuck at the bottom of the turn where my wrist got twisted underhanded or if my handoff wasn’t fast enough. Maybe my wrist flexibility isn’t good? Then I started doing them with my back hand starting underhanded and ending overhanded and it’s super easy. It’s a little more awkward to start with the back hand but you skip the hand switch and it comes around cleaner for me.
I’m goofy. Going heel side (right foot forward) hold the bar underhanded in my left hand, swing it through the Heineken or downloop and end overhanded. Opposite for toeside.
Might make more sense if you try them on the beach.
2 posts
Its all about line tension. I ride my code 1725s, PT skin 7.3m and a +25L midlength. Im 110kg wet. I can get going in around 8-10 knots.
I struggled for many sessions trying to gybe big Bertha (7.3m) and even talked to 777 about it. The best method so far is to go crosswind and aim slightly upwind to increase line tension. Then bring the parawing down low horizontally into the power zone and swap your hands, use your backhand to swipe down on the outer brake or c - line as your front hand lifts the parawing up, this rotates the parawing on its axis, then let the board carve around under the parawing. Do not forget to pump continuously. If you lose line tension its over. If it stalls you can recover if you are carrying enough speed from pumping to reinflate the para as you bear crosswind on the new tack.
NSW
499 posts
It depends on what people call light wind but on the very bottom end in 9 to 12 knots the only consistently successful method i have found is to gybe under the wing while its still flying to the edge of the window powered. Once you start flying inside the wing then you can pull on the top brake line while pushing the handle up and because you flew under and inside the wing the wing is now deep in the window when you spin it with the brake line. The method can be really graceful in the lightest of wind.
I sometimes still do the Heineken but so much can go wrong in super light wind and especially going from heels to toes. It feels cool when the wind is 12 to 15 but below that timing can be death and 5 minutes stuck in the water for me.
