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Gybing the Sputnik

by Marc Van Est

1. Sheet in hard before you bear away, then let the sail pull you over the balance point. It feels suicidal, but what happens is that it gives you the grunt to really power that rail in along its entire length, which you need to stop the board "corking" or popping out halfway through the gybe. The rails are actually your best friend if you can drive them in properly, they slice through the chop & stop that dreaded "bounce". The sail then suddenly depowers ( which is essential), but because you are over the balance point ( almost falling into the turn) you can continue the carve. Flip as soon as the power goes out of the sail.

2. Bend the knees radically, mentally try to drive your knees into the water, otherwise the sputnik will bounce in the chop like you will not believe. The pressure needs to be kept up all the way through the turn, stamp it on at the beginning and you will probably trip or spin out. Think "smooth", no sudden changes in foot pressure.

3. Try to look where you are going, not at your feet or the boom. This forces you to keep forward and keeps you over the centre point of the board.

Sheet out at any point and its all over . You get forced to break at the waist to hold the surge of power, the board stops carving or stalls, you cant get forward in time to correct the rig falling away from you, etc. etc.

Also, don't forget to slide the front hand up to the mast before the flip, otherwise the sail falls away during the flip.

(2.03.1999)

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