Add some spice to your high wind sailing by learning to windsurf switch stance! This tech tip we'll cover reasons to windsurf switch stance, equipment setup for windsurfing switch stance and two strategies for getting into switch stance,
Luc Browne sails switch stance at Rufus Photo by Bob Stawicki / iwasphotographed.
Why windsurf switch? The skills you learn stepping into switch stance and windsurfing switch stance will improve your agility on the board, swell riding, wave sailing, and will open up doors to variations of windsurfing maneuvers. Some accessible & easy ways to use switch stance are:
Switch Jibe: Jibe out of switch by carving on your heals.
Wave riding: Start a wave ride by heading at the wave in switch stance, turn off the top heel side as you flip the sail and begin your wave ride.
Connect swell rides: Riding a swell carve through a bottom turn and flip your sail to continue to ride switch stance, traversing the wave in the opposite direction. Use this to extend your swell rides.
Duck Tack
Switch duck jibe
Bruce Peterson using his switch stance skills to smoothly foil jibe at the Hood River Event Site Photo by Bob Stawicki
Equipment setup for switch stance - Ideally you need a board set up with inboard front foot straps and a single center rear foot strap. You need your foot straps to be large enough so you can carve the toe side rail with both feet in the straps. Most wave, freestyle wave, or freestyle boards below 115L will work well.
Jibing into switch stance- Wedge your feet as deep as you can into your foot straps. Initiate a planning jibe as you normally would, but keep both your feet in the foot straps. As you pass dead downwind on your jibe ease the rail and start flattening out the board using weight through your front foot. Your goal is to exit with good speed going 45 degrees off the wind. Flip your sail, and when you grab the new side of the boom keep your elbows down to put pressure on the board through the mast base as you lightly continue carving toe side. Sheet in, power up your sail and board, and keep sailing switch stance!
Stepping into switch stance - Sailing on a reach make sure you have good board speed. Gently slide your front foot to near the outside edge of the foot strap and angle it so your toes are pointing towards the nose of the board. Keep sheeted in and hanging off the boom to keep the board steady. Remove your back foot from the back foot strap, and while keeping the sail powered up place it deep into the front foot strap on the switch stance side of the board. Avoid bearing off and putting weight on the leeward rail. Stay low using your ankles and knees. Drive the board with your new front foot and keep your weight hanging off the boom and down through the mast base to keep the board flat as you take your old front foot, and place it deep into the rear foot strap. Placing your feet deep into the foot straps is key as it allows you to get good leverage over the windward rail.
Sailing switch stance - From either jibing into switch or stepping into switch you now need to sustain your speed. Keep your board tracking on the windward rail, keep the board flat using front foot pressure and mast base pressure. Keep your weight hanging off the boom and keep the sail sheeted in. Don't bear off the wind too much as this will decrease the power in your sail and you will fall off a plane.
