The Duck Jibe

Photo by: burstmode

The duck jibe is not only a stylish sight to behold, but it's a foundational skill for some freestyle tricks. Learning to duck jibe will boost your confidence and enhance your carving skill. Not to mention, you'll realise how easy it was. In fact, some say it's easier than the usual carve jibe.

• Enter in as you would a normal jibe.
• Drop the rig forward by releasing your front hand from the boom and then, by going over your back arm, grabbing as far back on the boom as you can. The saviour of the duck jibe is that this happens earlier than the sail flip on a normal jibe.
• Pull the sail over and past your head while slightly ducking under it.
• Do this while you keep carving and do not shift your feet. 
• Reach around to grab the new side of the boom with your old back hand and pull the rig across your body with your other hand.

Try to grab far forward on the boom (in front of the lines), if you don't make it you can double shift down the boom (as in the picture above). Ideally it should be one whole sweeping motion.

Now all you need to do is sheet in and then adjust your feet back into normal sailing position. Remember to enter with speed and duck the sail a little early! It also sometimes helps to glance down at the mast foot to keep your body in the right position.