What is this actually about? It's about the fun of surfing and the fun of learning new manoeuvres - whether it's a planing manoeuvre or a two-metre high Kono. It's about a sense of achievement, which is an important motivating factor - the kick is the same for everyone in the end. So before you grit your teeth on your supposed dream manoeuvre, try practising a classic like the backwind jibe. This provides variety and brings more diversity and flow to your surfing routine. We hope that the following riding technique will motivate you to try something new, er, old.
What is the Backwindjibe anyway?
The backwind jibe is a classic jibe in which you switch to the leeward side with your body around the mast in full planing on a space wind course. At the apex of the jibe, you surf standing back - hence the name "backwind jibe". The manoeuvre can then be executed in the new direction of travel without the need to shift sails. On the following pages you will find the most important sticking points and error analyses for this jibe variant. Have fun with it!
Ideal conditions for the first Backwindjibe
Driving skills
A safe Sliding drive is a basic requirement for the Backwindjibe. It doesn't hurt to have a good feeling for the backwind position. In light winds, upwind 360s and Heli Tack serve as a nice preliminary exercise.
Suitable material
The backwind jibe is generally easiest to master on wide boards that turn well. Freemove, freestyle or wide wave boards in combination with manoeuvre-oriented, camberless sails are ideal.
Spot & Wind
The smoother the water, the easier the backwind jibe. Offshore freestyle or speed spots, where choppy waves are blocked by sand or piers, literally invite you to dance around the mast. In choppy bump & jump conditions, the backwind jibe quickly turns into a wobble. You shouldn't be completely overpowered at the beginning either. But from a constant planing speed, with good pressure in the sail, the Backwindjibe often feels safer than from a semi-planing position. A little counter-pressure for support gives more stability at the start when changing foot. Four to five wind forces - not overpowered and not underpowered - on smooth water are ideal conditions.
The Backwindjibe explained step by step
The most common mistakes with the Backwindjibe
Focus: Foot and hand changes
For a moment, you glide along the backwind jibe with your back facing the direction of travel, standing freely on the deck (1). A crazy and perhaps unsafe feeling for some at the beginning. The descents are often spectacular, but mostly harmless. In order to avoid any drops, make sure you stay above the centre of the board and keep your headwind course. The aim should be to immediately take a step backwards again when changing sides - if you stay in front of the mast for a long time, you will lose speed and be thrown backwards. While the new, rear hand is looking for the boom, the feet are already travelling further around the mast. Those who master the fast tack blindly have a big advantage here. Foot and hand changes are quite similar in the fast tack and the backwind jibe.
Taming back pressure with sail control
One of the most common problems with the Backwindjibe is being pushed backwards off the board during the backwind phase. This can have two possible causes:
Too little speed: So that you can change the side of the sail without counter-pressure and ride standing back, the airstream and the wind actually blowing must cancel each other out. This is only the case with sufficient board speed (2). The slower you are, the higher the back pressure in the sail in this phase. Therefore, our tip: pick up maximum speed before initiating and change sides as quickly as possible. It is also important not to put too much pressure on the bow. With short freestyle boards in particular, the bow sinks in quickly, which slows the board down abruptly and increases the back pressure in the sail.
Incorrect sail control: To prevent the back pressure from increasing, the sail must remain open during the backstroke. Therefore, lead the sail through the wind with the mast arm fully extended far in front of you. The back hand (sail hand) holds the sail open (2). Pushing into the sail with your back hand increases the back pressure. Maintain this position, which is characteristic of the backwind jib, until the tail is pointing into the wind. The sail is open so that the lower leech can easily touch the rear shin. With the mast arm extended, the sail cannot (as shown in the picture 3-4) to the rear.
Technology beats power
When trying to control the back pressure during the backstroke, many learners lean very heavily over the sail and try to push the sail away with physical force. This can result in a fall onto the sail (5-6). But it is important to know: You don't prevent the sail from simply pushing you away by shifting your weight onto the sail, but mainly by steering the sail and using the right technique. (See "Taming back pressure with sail steering"). So instead of pushing against the sail with your weight, focus on the following key points: The outstretched mast arm keeps the mast at a distance to windward. The back hand ("sail hand") lies loosely on the boom and allows the sail to open and let off steam.
Focus: Rejection
As the outhaul turns in the wind, the rear arm slowly stretches to catch the wind. The body weight remains behind - lean into the turn!
