Jibe
A downwind turn — the board changes direction by passing through the wind from behind, while the rig sweeps around to the new side.
Also known as: gybe
A jibe (British: gybe) is the downwind turn. In windsurfing it’s the move every learner aims for after planing: carve the board onto its inside rail, throw the sail forward, switch your stance, and exit on the new tack still on the plane. Done right it’s seamless. Done wrong it dumps you in spectacular fashion.
In kitesurfing on a twin-tip, jibes are simple direction changes — kite goes to the other side of the window, you swap feet. On a directional kite/surf board, the jibe is a proper carving turn closer to its windsurf cousin.
In wing foil, the foil jibe is the trick everyone learns after riding upwind — keep the foil flying through the turn instead of falling off it.
Opposite turn is the tack — through the wind from the front.
Related terms
- Tack An upwind turn — the board changes direction by passing through the wind from the front. Also: which side of the wind you're currently sailing.
- Planing When a board rises out of the water and skims across the surface instead of pushing through it — the threshold that turns slogging into flying.