Kiteboarding Dictionary / Kitesurfing Glossary/ Kiteboarding Terminology

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360:  A MOVE IN WHICH THE RIDERS BODY SPINS ON A VERTICAL AXIS 360 DEGREES. THE RIDER     FINISHES THE TRICK TRAVELING IN THE SAME DIRECTION AS AT THE START. TO ACCOMPLISH     THIS TRICK THE CONTROL BAR MUST BE PASSED BEING THE RIDERS BACK DURING THE TRICK.

A

AERIAL 360: A 360 COMPLETED ON THE WATER

Airfoil (aerofoil) - A shape that provides lift when air moves over it.

Airtime - The time spent in the air while jumping.

Anemometer - used to measure wind speed,  a wind gauge

Average scale - A modest way of describing wave heights (Below average, average, and above average.)

Agro - A short word for agressive.  As in, "That was so agro dude!

B

BACK 360:  A 360 IN WHICH THE RIDER INITIATES THE ROTATION BY TURNING HIS SHOULDERS IN THE     DIRECTION HE IS COMING FROM ( TURNING HIS BACK TO THE DIRECTION HE IS TRAVELING) THE     HEELSIDE EDGE IS LEADING THE BOARD THROUGH THE ROTATION, RIDER TURNS TOWARDS HIS     TRAILING SHOULDER

Back Loop - 1. Another name for a kite loop, meaning the kite loops away from the board's direction of movement when initiated. 2. A Backroll and a kite loop at the same time.

Back Roll - An inverted(more vertical) back 360, lifting the front of your board off the water first and continuing a spin in that direction.

BACK SPIN: 360, 540, +   SAME AS FRONTSPIN EXCEPT THE ROTATION IS INITIATED BY THE                 RIDER TURNING HIS SHOULDERS INTO THE DIRECTION HE IS HEADING, THE TOESIDE             EDGE OF THE BOARD LEADS THROUGH THE ROTATION, THE RIDER TURNS TOWARDS HIS             FRONT     HAND


Bar – The control bar that steers the kite and which the kite lines are attached to.

Batten - A stiff rod of fiberglass or carbon fiber that is used in some parts, of some kites, to provide rigidity or shape where needed.

Beaufort Scale - Measures wind speed in ranges, a 0-10 scale.

• 0 - Calm 0 knots
• 1 - Light Air  1-3 knots
• 2 - Light Breeze 4-6 knots, Foils kites will fly, maybe.
  
• 3 - Gentle Breeze 7-10 knots, Foil kites fly better, inflatable kites will fly maybe.
  
• 4 - Moderate Breeze 11-16 knots, best conditions for learning inflatable kites
  
• 5 -Fresh Breeze 17-21 knots, novice pilots only
  
• 6 - Strong Breeze 22-27 knots, intermediate only
  
• 7 - Moderate Gale 28-33 knots, advanced only
  
• 8 - Fresh Gale 34-40 knots, expert only
  
• 9 - Strong Gale 41-47 knots, extreme danger
  
• 10 - Whole Gale 48-55 knots, suicidal
  
• 11 - Storm 56-63 knots
• 12 - Hurricane 64+ knots
  

Bladder - The inflated part of the kite that holds air and that the valves are attached to.

Blasted - When you get pulled very hard by the kite and blasts of water obscure the kiteboarder from onlookers momentarily.

Blind - a term used to describe riding in a direction that does not allow you to see your kiteor where you are going easily.

Board Leash - A leash that connects a kiteboarder to their board and a bad idea.  If you can't drag back to your board you have no business trying to ride it.  Directional dragging back to the board is easy, if you can't do it yet, figure it out then work on riding the board.  Many people have been severely injured when the board leash shot the board back at their body at high speed.  A helmet is not enough protection, what about your face, eyes, and everything else!! 

Body Dragging / Body Surfing - Allowing the kite to pull you without using a board.

Bow Kite - A kite shape that Bruno and Dominique Legaignoux invented in 2002.  The name is based on the shape of the kite when inflated, which is a bow shape, as in bow and arrow.

Bridle - Lines of the kite that distribute pressure evenly across the canopy.  The bridle lines come together at the pig tails, and the kite lines attach to the pig tails.  Foil kites use many bridle lines, inflatable kites use less.  Shown in the photo on the right as the blue lines attached to the green kite.

Butter . . . Smooth water

C

Chicken bone - What you call your donkey dick when you are in a family or professional situation.  Shown in the Picture on right as the straight, black tube going through, and below the circular loop.

 
Chicken Loop - The loop at the end of the depower strap that hooks under your spreader bar hook. Also called a Trim Loop, this loop got its name when 4-line kites were first released, indicating the rider was "chicken" of the kite's full power.  Primarily, it's used to depower the kite while the kite is flying, but it serves several other purposes. It's the circular black loop in photo, above right.

Chord - The width of the kite at it's widest point; usually the center strut length.

Close to the Wind - Near the maximum angle that you can ride into the wind.

Cock Block - When a rider isn't following the right away rules and forces other riders avoid him or her.

Control Bar - The bar that the pilot uses to steer the kite. 

D

Dacron - Proprietary fabric that is used in the leading edge, struts and wing tips of inflatable kites.

Deadman - An aerial maneuver where the kiteboarder lets go of the bar, swings their feet above their head, and their arms toward the ground.  DEADMAN:  1) A CLASSIC KITEBOARDING MOVE:  JUMP AS HIGH WITH YOUR KITE AS POSSIBLE WHILE     REMAINING HOOKED IN TO THE HARNESS LOOP.  AT THE APEX OF THE JUMP OR SLIGHTLY     BEFORE LET GO OF THE CONTROL BAR, LEAN BACK, LIFT YOUR FEET OVER YOUR HEAD AND     HANG YOUR ARMS DOWN TOWARDS THE WATER BELOW, IMITATING THE POSITION FOR A BACK-    DIVE.
        2) A LOG OR OTHER OBSTACLE DRIFTING ALONG THE SURFACE OF THE WATER, WHICH IS     PROBABLY HARD TO SEE AND WOULD BE BAD TO RUN INTO

Depower - To change the pitch angle of the kite so the kite doesn't have as much lift and provides less power.  DE-POWER: THE ABILITY TO REDUCE THE POWER IN A KITE.  WORKS BY LENGTHENING THE BACK     (OUTSIDE) LINES OF THE KITE IN RELATION TO THE FRONT INSIDE LINES, THEREBY ALLOWING     MORE WIND TO SPILL MORE EASILY OUT OF THE TRAILING EADGE (BACK) OF THE KITE     RESULTING IN LESS PULL FROM THE KITE.  DEPOWERING CAN BE DONE BOTH ‘ON THE FLY’     WHILE RIDING BY SLIDING THE CONTROL BAR UP THE SHEETING LINE AND AWAY FROM YOUR     BODY THEREBY LENGTHENING YOUR OUTSIDE LINES, OR BY USING THE TRIM STRAP ON THE     SHEETING LINE TO ADJUST THE LENGTH OF THE INSIDE LINES.

Directional Board - A kiteboard that is designed to be ridden in one direction. Foot placement must be changed to turn and tack back and forth.

Donkey Dick: The plastic tubing that keeps your chicken loop fixed to your harness hook.

Down Loop -  A MOVE MADE WITH KITE IN WHICH THE DIRECTION OF THE KITE IS REVERSED.  THE     TURN IS INITIATED BY STEERING THE KITE DOWN (TOWARDS THE WATER) AND CONTINUING     THE TURN UNTIL THE KITE IS HEADING BACK IN THE NEW DIRECTION.  THE DOWNLOOP CAN     ALSO BE A COMPLETE LOOP WITH THE KITE IN WHICH THE KITE ENDS UP TRAVELLING IN THE     ORIGINAL DIRECTION

Downwind DOWNWIND: 1) A TERM USED TO DESCRIBE THE LOCATION THE LOCATION IS A DISTANCE AWAY, IN THE     DIRECTION THE WIND IS BLOWING
    2) A DIRECTION OF TRAVEL; IN THE DIRECTION THE WIND IS BLOWING

DOWNWINDER:  A FUN KITING TRIP IN WHICH RIDERS TRAVEL FROM A STARTING POINT DOWNWIND TO     AN ENDING POINT, AS APPOSED TO RIDING BACK TO WHERE THEY STARTED.

Dyneema -A synthetic fiber with qualities: light weight, strong, low stretch.  Used for bridle inserts, leader lines and chicken loop lines in kiteboarding.

E

Edge of the Wind Window - Shown in Blue in the picture below.  Area of the wind window with the lowest power.

F

Fifth Line - five line kite -  AN ADDITIONAL LINE TO THE 4 STANDARD FLYING LINES ON A KITE CONTROL BAR.  THE     FIFTH LINE GENERALLY RUNS FROM THE CENTER OF THE CONTROL BAR ALL THE WAY TO THE     KITE, ATTACHING AT THE CENTER OF THE KITES LEADING EDGE.  THE FIFTH LINE IS A RE-    RIDABLE, KITE DISABLEING, KITE-LEASH ATTACHMENT POINT, AND CAN ALSO BE USED TO TRIM     THE KITE FOR SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS.


Fin -  AN ADDITION TO YOUR KITE BOARD THAT PROVIDES LATERAL GRIP AS WELL AS LIFT.  FINS COME     IN MANY SHAPES AND SIZES, AND CAN BE CONSTRUCTED FROM PLASTIC OR FIBERGLASS OR A     COMBINATION OF THE TWO.

Fixed Loop -  ALSO KNOWN AS A HARD LINE, A FIXED LOOP IS A LINE ON THE KITE CONTROL BAR THAT     CAN BE HOOKED INTO WITH THE WAIST HARNESS.  THE FIXED LOOP DOES NOT MOVE, THEREBY     TAKING ALL THE PRESSURE OFF A RIDERS ARMS, ALTHOUGH OFFERING NO SHEETING OR     DEPOWER ABILITIES 

Flex - Short word for flexible or flexibility

Fly Lines - OR FLYING LINE;  THE LINES THAT RUN FROM THE CONTROL BAR TO THE KITE.  FLY LINES     ARE THIN AND STRONG, USUALLY CONSTRUCTED FROM A SPECTRA MATERIAL AND ARE     BETWEEN 4 AND 6 HUNDRED POUND TEST OR MORE.

Foil - A type of kite. Usually foils are two-skin kites held in shape by a bridle with air vents on the leading edge. As the air passes into the kite, the kite fills with air and expands to its full shape. Much like a flying air mattress, though mattresses would be more comfy than taking a nap on your kite.

Foot Strap - FOOTSTRAP:  A STRAP ON A BOARD THAT GOES OVER THE TOP OF YOUR FOOT TO HOLD YOUR FOOT ON     THE BOARD. ON A ‘SANDAL STYLE’ KITEBOARD BINDING IT IS THE PART THAT GOES OVER THE     TOP OF YOUR FOOT, AND CAN BE USED WITH OR WITHOUT A FOOT-PAD.
FOOT PAD:  THE PART OF ANY KITEBOARD BINDING SYSTEM THAT GOES UNDER YOUR FOOT,     PROVIDING CUSHIONING.  CAN RANGE FROM VERY THICK FOR MAXIMUM CUSHIONING TO VERY     THIN FOR A MORE DIRECT FEEL OF THE BOARD.  The back strap attached to the white pad, on the grey kiteboard pictured right.

Foot Pad -

front 3, front 360 FRONT 360:  A 360 IN WHICH THE RIDER INITIATES THE ROTATION BY TURNING HIS SHOULDERS IN THE     DIRECTION HE IS TRAVELING, OR TOWARDS HIS TOESIDE EDGE, THE TOESIDE EDGE OF THE     BOARD IS LEADING THE BOARD THROUGH THE ROTATION, RIDER TURN TOWARDS HIS LEADING     SHOULDER

 FRONTSIDE:  RIDING TOESIDE,  APPROACHING AN OBSTACTLE (RAIL, KICKER) WHILE RIDING TOESIDE,     OR INITIATING A TRICK FROM TOESIDE.

 FRONT SPIN: 360, 540, +  DIFFERING FROM A 360, THE ROTATION IN A FRONT SPIN IS INTIATED             BY THE RIDER TURNING HIS SHOULDERS IN THE DIRECTION HE IS COMING FROM                 (TURNING HIS     BACK TO THE DIRECTION HE IS HEADED), THE HEELSIDE EDGE OF THE             BOARD LEADS THROUGH THE ROTATION, THE RIDER TURNS TOWARDS HIS TRAILING             HAND 

G

Grab - A jump that includes the kiteboarder grabbing a portion of the board while in the air.

Grab handle - Handle usually mounted in the center of a kiteboard used to carry the board.

Grommet/Grom - A kiteboarder under the age of 18.  Generally groms have an attitude characterized by their age.

Grunt - The amount of pull generated by a kite when the kite is moving at low speed.

H

Handle Pass -  Transferring the control bar from one hand to the other  behind your back

Hang Time -  The amount of time you spend in the air

Harness - Takes some the the load or pull of the kite off the arms if the pilot is hooked into the chicken loop.  See below for various styles.

Heelside -  1) Edge of a board that runs from tip to tail behind your heels
    2) Riding on the heelside edge of the board

Hook Knife -

Hooked In -  Being attached to the harness loop on the control bar by the harness bar on the harness

Hindenburg - When an inflatable kite stalls, and falls out of the sky leading edge first.  To relaunch a kite once it's Hindenburged, usually requires extra effort and skill.

I

IKO - The International Kiteboarding Organization based in Cabrete, Dominican Republic.

Indy -

Inflatable Kite - A kite that gets its shape from inflated struts and an inflated leading edge.

J

Jellyfishing -  When a kite's wingtips move in and out like a jellyfish.  Usually, a structural design "flaw."

Jibe (Gybe) - Another name for tacking in kiteboarding.  Technically, all tacks in kiteboarding are jibes.

K

Kite - 

Kiteboard - a device usually strapped to one's feet, or the roof of a car. Experienced device owners can use said kiteboard to boost big air and tricks impressing the women sunning themselves on the beach. Inexperienced kiteboard owners should wear foot protection against inadvertent ankle-stubbing.

Kite Leash - Another name for a safety leash.  A secondary attachment running from the control bar to the harness or to the wrist.  Used in self rescue, self landing and emergencies when the safety realease on the chicken loop is pulled.

Kitemare - A scary incident that has occured during kiteboarding.  A scary kiteboarding story where a kiteboarder, could have or did get injured or killed, while kiteboarding. 

L

Landboard -  

Larks Head - The knot used to connect the kite lines to the pig tails.  This knot is the the most commonly used knot in kiteboarding.

Leading Edge - The front edge of a kite. The part of a kite that hits the wind first. On inflatable kites, this edge is defined by a large inflatable tube. For foil kites, there is usually a series of vents or openings defining this edge.

Leader Lines - The thicker lines that connect the control bar to the kite lines.

Leak - A hole in a kite bladder.

Leeward - The downwind side.

Lift - A metric used to describe how efficient a kite is in getting you into the air and keeping you there.

Lit - Short for "lit on fire."  At the edge of comprehensible control.

Lofted - When a kite lifts you off the ground unexpectedly.

M

N

Nose Bone

O

Off Shore -  1) a location in a body of water, not attached to land
    2) a wind direction.  The wind is blowing away from the shore, towards a body of water, at a 90 degree angle to the shoreline

Ollie

On Shore -  1) a location on land
    2) a wind direction.  The wind is blowing towards shore, from a body of water, at a 90 degree angle to the shoreline

P

PKRA

Pig Tail -  A short line extension that can be attached to the kite, or the end of the fly line.

Planing - when a board or object partially rises out of the water and glides along the surface of the water.

Port - A small, circular window. To the left. The left side of a nautical vessel. The color defining port is red. For kitesurfing, this is left-hand-forward riding. Left-hand-forward kitesurfers do not have right of way over starboard riders or vessels. Right does not mean red, guys!

Powerstroke -  a move made with the kite in order to generate more power or pull from the kite.  The kite is steered  up or down , remaining on the same side of the wind window.  The length and angle of a power stroke can be varied to create more or less power.  The strongest power strokes are created when the kite is steered straight up and straight down.

Power Zone

Pressure Gauge -

Profile

Projected Area

Pump Leash -  a line attached to a kite pump, which can be hooked to a kite during inflation to secure the kite so it wont blow     away while its being inflated.

Pull the Trigger -  a phrase used to describe steering the kite aggressively, usually to initiate a jump with the kite.

Pump - To inject. A device used to insert air, or another medium, into an object. An exercise kitesurfers ritually perform to "warm up" prior to getting wet.

Q

Quad -

Quick Release -  a mechanism designed to detach or separate a rider from his equipment as quickly and easily as possible.  Quick releases are usually built into kite control bars at the harness loop and at the kite leash, and sometimes on the kite harness.

R

Rail -  1)  the edge of a board
    2) a narrow obstacle designed to be slid across, resembling a hand rail along a stairway or walkway

Railey - or Raley:  an aerial move in which the rider extends his body horizontally in mid air, traveling head first with his feet     behind, the riders feet are at a height even with or slightly above head height.  The rider must be unhooked from the harness loop throughout the trick.

reDonkulous: A ridiculous with a donkey in the middle.  Often used to describe over built things, over sized, huge air.

Right of Way - The system defined to maintain order and prevent chaos out there!  Right-hand-forward riders typically have right of way rights. All other riders and vessels should yield. But don't expect some weekender with a cooler of beer in his cigarette boat to know this. Steer clear of Crockett and Tubbs, and any other dangers.

Roast Beef

ROLL:  AN AERIAL MOVE.  AN INVERTED SPIN IN WHICH THE RIDERS BOARD IS AT LEAST AS HIGH AS HIS     HEAD DURING THE ROTATION

Rocker - the curvature of a kiteboard running from nose to tail, describing the height of the nose and tail in relation to the center of the kiteboard when the kiteboard is laying flat on the ground.  Rockers can be continuous or constant, meaning the nose and tail are equally more high than the center of the board and the curvature is modeled after a portion of the circumference of a single circle (arc), or multi-stage in which the curvature is greater in some areas and less in others, meaning multiple arcs were used in the shaping of the kiteboard.  In the picture to the right the front ktieboard has little or no rocker while the rear white kiteboard has noticably more rocker.

Rollers - Large waves out to sea that do not form an apex and crash. Nice for popping airs in the open water.

S

Self Rescue - A self rescue is any procedure that gets the rider from a position of flying a powered kite at the control bar, to a position where the rider’s kite is disabled, the rider is out of the water, and safe from kiteboarding related harm.

Send the Kite - Changing the kite's direction abruptly to generate a sudden rise in power to boost big. "I sent it back hard, and the next thing I knew, I was superman!"

Surge -  

Shackle

Sheeting Strap (Trim Strap) -  Used to adjust the power of the kite.

Sheeting In - Refers to pulling on the depower tab of the trim strap or sheeting strap, the effect is the kite has less power.  See video below.

Sheeting Out - Refers to pulling on the power tab of the trim strap or sheeting strap, the effect is the kite has more power.  See video above.

Side Shore -  a wind direction.  The wind is blowing at an angle parallel to the shoreline

Side On - or Side On Shore:  a wind direction blowing on shore at an angle other than 90 degrees to the shoreline

Side Off - or Side Off Shore:  a wind direction.  When the wind is blowing off shore at a 45 degree angle to the shoreline

Sine the Kite - A technique used to generate apparent wind at the kite to deliver more grunt. To sine the kite, the rider steers the kite up and down as he rides to trace a mathematical "sine" wave through the air. "Today wasn't fun, I had to sine the kite all day." var. making a figure-8 flying pattern when on land.

Skunked - Being sprayed by a skunk, resulting in a lonely immediate future. Showing up at the beach to see flags hugging poles. "Everytime he shows up, we get skunked!"

Slogging -  a term used to describe sub-planing riding which happens when the power in the kite is not sufficient to get your     board up on top of the water.  Originally a windsurfing term.

SnowKiting -  Kiting across snow covered terrain.  Snowkiters may ride skis, snowboards, or any other snow-riding apparatus.

Span

Spectra - very similar to dyneema, high strenth low weight line.  susceptable to UV degradation.

SPIN:  A MOVE IN WHICH THE RIDER ROTATES IN A VERTICAL OR NEARLY VERTICAL AXIS BUT DOES     NOT PASS THE CONTROL BAR BEHIND HIS BACK.  CAN BE INITIATED FROM HEELSIDE OR     TOESIDE.  HEELSIDE FRONT / BACK SPIN, TOESIDE FRONT / BACK SPIN

Spinout

Spaghetti - Lines that are so tangled up they resemble spaghetti. 

 
Spreader Bar - The stainless steel hook on the front of a kiteboarding harness used to attach the chicken loop to the harness.

Stall -  a phenomenon in which your kite loses lift, and may even fall backwards out of the sky.  A stall is caused   by a lack of airflow through the canopy of the kite, frequently caused by too much back line tension in relation to the strength of the wind, not allowing air to pass through the canopy and spill out the trailing edge of the kite.

Starboard - A nautical term indicating the right of a vessel. Right-hand-forward riders are riding starboard in kitesuring and usually have the right of way. Riders should always be alert and give up right-of-way in the pursuit of safety.

Static Loop - Same as fixed loop. 

Stopper Ball - 1.  A small ball with a hole in the middle often used in the rigging on control bars.  See photo right. 

- 2.  A device that prevents the kite from de-powering, even when the kiteboarder's hands are not on the bar.  See video below.

Strut - An inflated batten used to give an inflatable kite part of it's shape.  Shown inflated in photo on right.

 SURFACE 360:  A 360 COMPLETED with out leaving the water or jumping

T

Table-Top - Being inverted under the kite in the air and straightening your body with the bottom of the board making the top of a table.

Tacking - To ride in a zig-zag pattern upwind at 45 degree angles.

Tea Bagged - When a rider is flopping behind his kite face-down, being pulled without control and trying to recover. It looks like a tea-bag.

Thermal

Thruster - a configuration of fins at the back of a directional board.

Toeside

Trailing Edge - The rear, or back of the kite.

True wind

Twin tip

U

Unhooked -  being detached from the harness loop on the control bar of the kite.

Upwind -  1) a term used to describe a location.  The location is a distance away, in the direction the wind is coming from.  2) a direction of travel; in the direction the wind is coming from.

V

 Valve -

W

Wakestyle

Walk of Shame - The unfortunately long distance you must walk to get back to your stuff when still learning to stay upwind. Depending on rider skill...cab, train or plane rides may be required.

Wind - Air in motion moving around you. A kitesurfer needs typically 8-10 kts of wind to kitesurf.

Wind Meter -

Wind Range

Windward

Windmill - When your kitelines get tangled on the kite, or the bar, or some object (another kite) and begins spinning out of control while powered up. You don't want to personally experience this.

Wind Window - The 1/4 sphere that defines the useable wind from a rider's perspective. This window can be determined by standing with your back to the wind and extending your arms outward. The window is defined by the space forward of your arms and straight above you.

Walk of Shame -

Wrist Leash - 

X

Y

Yard Sale -

Z

Zenith: the highest point in the sky directly overhead, Twelve O'Clock

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