Duck Jibe

Advanced Duck Jibe

A slow-motion video of the duck jibe - mirrored to show the maneuver in both directions.

The variation of the duck jibe shown here is also referred to as “advanced” because the wing - held with just one hand - flies downwind and is then caught again during the rotation. A pretty cool move.

In contrast, in the “basic” version, the wing is rotated in a controlled manner with both hands, also with the leading edge pointing down toward the new direction of travel (e.g., as seen here).

The “advanced” variation begins with a turn to leeward. This reduces the power in the wing, allowing it to swing relatively controlled toward leeward.

You can practice how the wing reacts during this maneuver and the different ways to control the wing - held with one hand at the back of the boom - (lifting, lowering, pulling or pushing your arm) during dry runs on land. Try this out first in light winds on a grassy field - then you’ll pick it up faster on the water later.

You can clearly follow the sequence of movements for the duck jibe in the time-lapse section of this video.