Known definitions

• Angular speed
  This speed describes how long the kite needs to describe an angle in the wind window.
• Aspect-ratio
  Measurement of the wingspan divided by the width of the wing. A high aspect ratio looks like a banana and a low aspect ratio looks like an egg... Unfortunately, kite manufacture use different formulas ! On this web site we use the simplified one: ratio=wingspan/ maximum width
• Autorotation
  When the kites turns around it or an external axle in the wind window. Bad, very bad situation for the rider. Happens when you use the wrong or too short safety kite leash for instance.
• Back-loop
  Diagonal jump backside.
• Back-side/front-side
  back-side means that the wave is in your back.
  Front-side means that the wave is in your face ! (front, sorry)
• Bare-foot (ing)
  Dragged on the sand on your shoes
• Beach-start
  Start technique shallow water with one foot on the board and the other on the sand.
  Avoid during learning phase, it needs a good time with the kite movement to succeed.
• Cabo-Verde ( Islands)
  Volcanic islands west of Senegal direct flight from Paris, Boston, Munich, Bergamo... Very good spot for kitesurfers !
• Chicken-loop
  This term designates the lower part of the line going through the middle of the control bar and connected to the front lines. This loop enables to depower the kite when hooked to the harness spreader bar by pushing the bar away. Of course, it can only be used with a 4 lines kite. The Hawaiian kiteboarders were the first ones to use this name, most of them used to ride with 2 lines kites, and were considering that riding with the opportunity to depower the kite was for scared ones, or for "chickens".
  
  
• Choppy water
  The smaller waves created by the local wind. (30 à 70 cm)
  Has nothing to see with the swell coming from off-shore.
• Cory Roeseler
  Co-inventor of the Kiteski material
• Depower System (or sheeting system)
  System that allows you to depower your kite partially. Usually with 2 additionnal lines that go through the center of your bar. Those lines are hooked on your harness, you can then change the angle of your kite against the wind when you push or pull your bar. The depowering effect can be very different from one kite to the other.
• Directionnal (board)
  Board shaped like a surfboard with fins on its tail and a lifted nose. With this board shape, you need to learn how to jibe. It can be set with 3 or only 2 footstraps for mini-directionnals by instance.
• Extrados
  In foil kites, the upper part of the kite.
  The under part is called the extrados
• Fairlead
  Little device that you screw on your bar. The depower is going throuh the fairlead.
• FFCV
  Site web: ffcv.org
• FFVL
  French Federation that is hosting paragliding, hangliding and sports propelled by kites (kitesurf, buggy, kite-snow...° Web site: ffvl.fr
• Footstrap or strap
  Binding device composed of webbing, neoprene and velcro that helps you to stay on the board.
  You loose it easily in case of crash.
• G-10
  Fins made out of G-10 are shaped out of pre-soaked fiber glass.
  Bullet proof resistant to scratches.
  More expensive but durability is silly !
  In case of shock against some rocks, you can it or file-it and give your fin a second life
• Goofy
  If you prefer to ride left foot front, you are a goofy. You will need to learn regular abilities also for kitesurfing
• Grab
  Action of seizing the board by one hand during a jump.
• Grab (a) or to grab
  Like in snoowboard, skate-board, this is the same trick. You seize your board with one hand during a jump.
• Hybrid
  Mix of two different styles.
  
  An hybrid board mixes twin-tip style and directionnal style boards.
  
  An hybrid kite mixes two different kind of kites.
• Intrados
  In foil kites, the under part of the kite.
  The upper part is called the extrados.
• Jibe
  Turn technique going downwind. You need to move your feet on the board to change of position.
  We also use this term for twin-tip turn technic evne if it does not ressemble to a classic jibe.
• Kick-Out
  Jump technique to go out of the wave by the back of the wave.
  Often an emergency technique when things go wrong.
  
• Kiteski
  Package composed of water-skis developped for kiting, a special kite with a control bar. The control bar is equiped with a disc-brake to relaunch the kite.
  
  Also used to qualify the kitesnow on skis
• Laurent Ness
  One of the world's kitesurf pionneer.
  Founder of Axel'Air, kitesurfer since 1993, buggy pilot (french champion), federal kitesurf instructor.
• Leading edge
  Front part of the kite. The bigger strut on inflatable kites.
  
• Leash (board) or (kite)
  Attachment line between the board and the kitesurfer.
  
  The second meaning is the leash that holds the kite in case of emergency not to let it fly away.
• Legaignoux (Bruno and Dominique)
  The two french brothers designer of the Wipika marine wing and owner of their patents valid until 2005 according to Bruno.
• Luffing
  When the kite flies too high overhead and falls by its leading edge toward the ground.
• Manu Bertin
  Windsurfer champion. Specialist in speed records. Has developped kitesurfing in Hawaii from 94/95.
  Very focused in the wave possibilities in kitesurf.
• Monkey dick
  
  

  The monkey dick is a tube integrated in most of the 4 lines bars on the market. It is meant to lock the chicken loop on the harness hook, and to avoid any accidental unhooking.

   
• Off-shore (wind)
  Wind blowing out, perpendicular to the shore.
  
  On shore wind = wind blowing in, perpendicular to the shore.
  Side-shore winds= wind blowing along the beach
  
  Composition give side-on or side-off
• Off-the-lip
  Turn on the lip of the wave.
• On-shore (wind)
  Wind blowing in, perpendicular to the shore.
  
  Dangerous wind for kitesurfing, brings you back on the obstacles of the shore in case of problem.
  
• P-tex
  Scratch résistant board's bottom treatment.
  The graphics are under the P-Tex and thus are highly protected.
  You can fix it like a snowboard in case of scratch.
  P-tex is a commercial brand that has other equivalent with other manufacturers like Wipika and their Hydroglide finish.
• Pad
  Foam pad on the board, confortable and anti-slipping foam. Has an important role in shock absorbing when landing after jumps.
  
• Planning (to plane)
  When the boards glides on surface of the water.
  
• Ponta Preta
  A wonderful wave in Cabo Verde Sal Island. Quite secure conditions, the wind blows side /off-shore. But do not fall in the rocks !
  
  Some pictures on Cabo Verde Surf-trip site.
• pop
  A board with good pop means that the board can make nice jumps on the chop or the small waves without using the kite lift.
• Quiver
  The quiver equals the different kites used by a rider
• Regular (opposite goofy)
  Most of riders are regular. They ride better with their left front foot.
  Kitesiurfing needs you to developp both sides abilities.
• Scoop (or scoop line)
  Bottom line when you look at the profile of the board that is going from one tip to the other.
  
  On directionnal boards, the nose, is called "nose rocker" and the back is called " lift" or "tail rocker".
• Segmented (leading edge)
  A segmented leading edge is built with straight segments that give its general segmented aspect. Segments measure between 70 and 90 cm.
• Shape
  The design of the board.
• Shaped
  Designed or built.
• Sheeting system /depower system
  System that allows you to depower your kite partially. Usually with 2 additionnal lines that go through the center of your bar. Those lines are hooked on your harness, you can then change the angle of your kite against the wind when you push or pull your bar. The depowering effect can be very different from one kite to the other.
• Shore-break
  The first wave that brakes on the beach. A dangerous wave when it is big and fat !
  
• Side-shore (wind)
  Wind blowing along the shore.
  The best and secure wind for kitesurfing is side-on shore.
• Single skin
  Category of sails built with one layer of cloth only (extrados but no intrados). The foil kites are on the contrary double-skins built with two layers of cloth connected by cells. (intrados and extrados).
• Sinusoids (sinusoidal)
  The curves described by the kite when you move it up and down. Making sinusoids increase both relative and apparent wind witch enhance the power of the kite.
  This steering method allows you to kitesurf in underpowered situations.
  Note that none all of the kites create more power with that steering technique. Some use untolerant profile or shape to that sinusoidal movement.
• Slide
  The board slides sideways.
  I can be a fre-style move or the beginning of a crash on your back !
• Sliding mode (kite leash)
  This attachment mode allows the bar to escape alone on a line.
  Take attention because the bar must slide at least the length that equal the kite wingspan. Otherwise you risk to enter your kite in auto-rotation. Danger !
  Better add some stopper on the line so the bar is not flying to far from you.
  Airush introduced this principle and North and Slingshot followed heir step fro 2001.
• Spin-out
  The board suddenly slides like if the fins where taken off. This happens because some air get stucks along the fins profiles. The only solution is too transfer more pressure on the edge of the board so your fins will be operating again.
• Switch (ride)
  Riding switch means that your legs are crossed and your kite is in your back.
• Tack the wind (to go upwind)
  Sailing angle under 90° to the wind that allows you to come back above the point where you started.
• Top-Sheet
  External last layer. Perfect shiny finish aspect. Graphics are integrated by sublimation method and therefore resist better than painted graphics to scratches.
  But it can get hurt anyway if you slide on the beach ...
• Trailing edge
  back part of the kite. Part of the kite where the air from up and under the wing meet again.
• Twin-tip
  Board designed to go in both direction without the need to jibe. Both ends look similar. Some boards can be assymetric in the other axis also.With one rail different from the other.
  
• Unhooked
  Riding unhooked means that your chicken loop in not attached to your harness spreader bar anymore. It is a ponctual way of riding, which means you will unhook for a specific trick (Handle Pass, S-Bend), and rehook right after.
  It is definitly an expert
• Wake-board
  Water sport. The wake-boarder is pulled by a boat on a small board (140 cm long), this board is very thin with no volume.
  
  Your feet are fixed in high wrap bindings (fixed soft shoes).
  
  Term also use to describe the smaller kite boards that take they origin in the boat wake-boards.
• Waterstart
  Start technique laying in the water on the back.