Kitesurfing (or kiteboarding) is a surface water sport that combines wakeboarding, windsurfing, surfing, snowboarding and paragliding into one sport. It harnesses the power of the wind to pull a rider across the water on a board.
Boards range from twin tips and wakeboards to surfboards, snowboards, landboards, race boards and hydrofoils. The terms kiteboarding and kitesurfing are fairly interchangeable, though kiteboarding is used more commonly in the US while kitesurfing points more toward the surf style of the sport. Riding styles have evolved to suit riders and conditions: freeride, freestyle, wakestyle, wave riding, big air and foiling.
This glossary covers the terms you will hear on the beach and read on spec sheets, across kiteboarding, wing foiling, hydrofoiling and eFoiling. Jump to a letter below, or use your browser’s find function to search the page.
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A wing, kite, sail or hydrofoil wing shaped to generate lift as air or water flows over it.
The amount of time spent in the air during a jump. Also known as hangtime. Airtime is also the brand name of a company specializing in kite repair.
The angle at which the kite or foil wing meets the oncoming flow. Increasing AOA generally creates more lift, up to the point of stall.
The wind felt by the kite or rider as it moves through the air — the combination of true wind and the wind created by your own movement. Apparent wind shifts toward the direction of travel as speed increases, which is why a moving rider feels more power than a stationary one.
The ratio of a kite’s width (span) to its height (chord). Low aspect ratio kites generally fly slower, relaunch more easily and give a grunty downwind pull. High aspect ratio kites fly faster and further forward in the window, giving better upwind ability, higher jumps and a wider wind range. The same principle applies to foil wings.
A rigid or semi-rigid strip — usually carbon, plastic or metal — that adds stiffness or shape to a kite or sail.
Traveling perpendicular (90°) to the wind. Usually the fastest point of sail, sitting between a broad reach and a close reach.
To change direction to a more downwind heading. In kiteboarding this is accomplished by pointing the front foot further downwind and releasing the edge.
A scale of wind strength from 0 to 12, named after English Admiral Francis Beaufort. 0 is no wind; 12 is hurricane force.
A discipline focused purely on jump height and hangtime, typically ridden in strong wind on a high-depower kite. Judged on height, hangtime and the trick performed at the top.
The inflatable inner tube inside a kite’s leading edge or strut that gives the kite its shape and flotation. Bladders are inflated with a hand pump or mechanical inflator, and are a common replacement part.
A cord connecting rider to board so the board is not lost after a fall. Common on foil boards and strapless surfboards; generally discouraged on twin tips, where a recoiling board is a serious impact hazard.
Being pulled through the water by the kite without standing on the board, usually on your stomach. There are three main types: downwind, upwind, and upwind while holding the board. It is the core skill for recovering a lost board.
Another name for a control bar, retained from windsurfing and sailing. Also the rigid handle fitted to some wings in place of soft handles.
A flat, swept-back kite shape with a concave trailing edge and a bridle, giving a very wide wind range and near-total depower. Largely superseded by hybrid and delta shapes, but the design that made modern depower possible.
Lines attached to the trailing edge of a foil kite to slow it or reduce its pull in strong wind.
The web of lines between the kite and the flying lines that sets the kite’s shape and angle of attack. Also called shroud lines.
Traveling in a somewhat downwind direction — the point of sail between a beam reach and running straight downwind.
A three-wheeled, foot-steered vehicle pulled by a kite, usually ridden on hard-packed sand. Related to landboarding.
A kite with a deep, C-shaped arc and square wingtips, flown with four or five lines and usually no bridle. Less depower and a narrower wind range than a delta or hybrid, but the direct, predictable pull that unhooked freestyle and wakestyle riders want.
The curvature of a sail, kite or foil wing section, referring to its aerodynamic or hydrodynamic properties.
The main fabric of a kite or wing, between the leading edge and the trailing edge. Usually ripstop polyester.
A ribbed compartment in a foil kite or parafoil that fills with air to give the kite its shape.
The loop at the base of the control bar that hooks into the spreader bar on your harness, transferring the kite’s pull from your arms to your body. It connects to the center line running through the bar to the front kite lines, so sliding the bar up and down changes the kite’s angle of attack and adjusts power on the fly.
A nylon kite cloth.
The measurement of a kite or foil wing from leading edge to trailing edge.
Traveling as far upwind as possible.
Traveling somewhat toward the wind but not close hauled — the point of sail between a beam reach and close hauled.
A foil kite with a limited number of air intakes and a valve system that keeps air in after a crash. Holding its structure makes relaunch far easier, which matters most on the water.
A measure of how hard a kite pulls relative to its projected size.
The bar used to steer the kite. The two rear (steering) lines connect to the bar ends; the front lines run to a center line through the middle of the bar down to the chicken loop. Bar length typically runs 45–55 cm, sized to the kite. See the full range of bars and lines.
The amount a line permanently lengthens under load, also called line stretch. Loosely braided line creeps a lot, tightly braided less, linear-core line least. Uneven creep between front and rear lines makes a kite fly sluggishly and is a common reason to re-trim or replace lines.
Holes cut between the cells of a parafoil to let air pass through and pressurize the whole kite.
A heavy, low-stretch polyester fabric used for a kite’s leading edge and struts, where stiffness matters more than weight.
Reducing the kite’s pull by decreasing its angle of attack, either by pushing the bar away or pulling the depower strap.
A board with a defined nose and tail, designed to be ridden in one direction — essentially a surfboard. Ridden with or without straps.
Steering the kite in a full circle through the bottom of the window. Used to generate power through a transition, to pull yourself downwind out of a bad position, or to add drive to a landing.
The direction the wind is blowing toward. The opposite of upwind.
Resistance to movement through air or water.
Sideways movement caused by the wind acting on the kite. Also used of a kite’s ability to hold position while flying downwind with you — a key quality in a wave kite.
A kite flown on two lines of equal length, steerable left and right but with a fixed amount of power. Most trainer kites are dual line.
To put pressure on the board’s rail to control power and speed and to steer. To go upwind you must edge hard. The same technique skiers and snowboarders use to carve.
The boundary of the area in which the kite can fly, perpendicular to the wind direction. A neutral position — the kite produces little or no pull when parked there.
A hydrofoil board with an electric motor and battery, controlled by a handheld wireless throttle. It flies without wind, waves or a kite. See the eFoil and foil assist range.
The direction the wind is blowing from.
The main lines between kite and rider, usually Spectra or Dyneema. Typically 20–27 m, and replaceable as a set.
Depending on context: one cell of an open-celled kite, or short for hydrofoil — the wing-and-mast assembly under a board. See hydrofoils.
A small electric motor and battery fitted to an existing foil setup to help you get up on foil and link waves or bumps that would otherwise be unrideable. Less powerful than a full eFoil, and retrofittable to gear you already own.
A soft kite made of cells that inflate with the wind, with no rigid structure or bladders. Foils usually carry a complex bridle. Light-wind and snowkiting favorites.
Straps that keep your feet attached to the board and on the foot pads. See pads and straps.
The carbon or fiberglass spars that form the skeleton of a rigid kite.
The all-round style most riders spend most of their time doing: cruising, carving, jumping and messing about, without committing to one discipline. Freeride gear is built for range and ease rather than specialization.
A riding style built around powered tricks — unhooked handle passes, rotations and board-offs — usually on flat water with a twin tip with boots or straps. Freestyle kites favor direct bar feel and solid low-end pop over wide depower.
The main lifting wing of a hydrofoil, mounted at the front of the fuselage. Larger wings lift earlier and fly slower; smaller wings are faster and more maneuverable. See wings, fuselages and masts.
The horizontal spine of a hydrofoil, joining the mast, front wing and stabilizer. Fuselage length changes the foil’s pitch stability — longer is more stable, shorter turns faster.
A storm or squall that may bring strong gusty winds or wind shifts.
The US National Weather Service defines a gale as 34–47 knots (39–54 mph) of sustained surface wind. Other sources use minimums as low as 28 knots.
Holding the board with your hand while performing a trick. The named grabs below are inherited from snowboarding and wakeboarding.
Types of grab
A long, pointed surfboard built for large waves.
A short-lived increase in wind speed above the average. The opposite of a lull. Gusty conditions call for a kite with more depower and a steadier hand on the bar.
To change direction by turning downwind and continuing the turn until you are heading the other way. The opposite of a tack, which turns upwind.
Curved handles used in place of a control bar on some four-line foil kites. The top of each handle carries a power line and the bottom a brake line, allowing the kite to be stalled or braked. A link line between the handles lets a harness take the load. More precise and more sensitive than a bar, but twitchier and less self-correcting. Not used with inflatable kites.
See airtime.
The rounder a board’s edge, the softer the rail. Harder, sharper rails grip better and improve upwind performance; softer rails are more forgiving in chop.
Worn around the waist or hips to transfer the kite’s pull from your arms to your body. The chicken loop hooks into the spreader bar on the front. Waist harnesses sit higher and allow more freedom; seat harnesses sit lower and suit beginners and riders with back issues. Browse harnesses.
The edge of the board on the heel side, opposite toeside. Riding heelside is the normal stance.
Connected to the harness via the chicken loop and spreader bar.
A wing assembly mounted below a board on a vertical mast. Once moving fast enough, the wing generates enough lift to raise the board clear of the water, so the rider flies above the chop almost silently. Used in kiteboarding, wing foiling, surfing, downwinding and eFoiling. See the full hydrofoil range.
A padded vest that softens hard landings and offers some flotation. Standard kit for foiling, wakestyle and anyone learning to jump. See impact vests and flotation.
A leading-edge inflatable kite, pumped up before flying. Bladders in the leading edge and struts give the kite its shape, rigidity and the flotation that makes water relaunch possible. Deflates into a backpack-sized bag. The dominant kite type on the water — see inflatable kites.
See gybe.
A very strong fiber occasionally used for kite lines, with characteristics that make it less desirable than Spectra.
Using a kite to pull you across the water on a board. Also called kite sailing or flysurfing. Kitesurfing is specific to water; kiteboarding is the broader term, covering water, landboarding and snowkiting.
One nautical mile per hour — 1.852 km/h or 1.15 mph. The standard unit for reporting wind speed.
Beach slang for someone who rides or rigs without regard for the people around them. Earned by behavior rather than ability.
The knot used to attach flying lines to the kite’s pigtails.
An imaginary line along which you can sail directly to your target without tacking.
Short, thicker lines between the control bar and the flying lines, which keep your fingers away from the thin flying lines.
The windward, forward side of the kite that the wind hits first. On an inflatable kite this is the large inflated tube; on a foil kite it is the side with the cell openings.
The direction away from the wind. The opposite of windward.
The upward force a kite or foil wing generates, like an aircraft wing. Lift rises with the square of apparent wind velocity, which is why small increases in speed produce large increases in power.
A measure of a kite’s efficiency. A high L/D means a higher top speed and a greater flying angle to the wind, giving better upwind performance and faster board speeds. Kites rarely exceed 4.0, against about 10 for a good yacht sail and over 50 for a glider.
When airflow over the kite collapses and the kite falls out of the sky, usually from flying too far forward in the window or from riding faster than the kite can keep up with.
A short-lived drop in wind speed below the average. The opposite of a gust.
The vertical strut connecting a hydrofoil board to the fuselage and wings. Longer masts give more clearance above chop and more room to ride swell; shorter masts are more forgiving to learn on. See masts.
A full kite loop performed at the top of a big jump, sending the rider downwind at speed. A strong-wind big air move, and one of the highest-consequence tricks in the sport.
Something in the water you might hit while riding — a manatee, a crab trap, a sandbar.
A very strong polyester film. Mylar tape is sometimes used to repair kite canopies.
A kiteboarding brand based in Hawaii. Robby Naish is a legendary windsurfer and early kitesurfer.
1,852 meters, 6,076 feet, or 1.15 statute miles. Speed at sea is measured in knots — nautical miles per hour.
Very strong wind, the kind that calls for your smallest kite. “It’s nuking out there.”
Traveling with the wind coming from behind.
Wind blowing from the shore out toward the water. Dangerous for kiteboarding — a failure leaves you being carried out to sea — unless there is shallow water, boat support and no obstructions upwind.
A system of hoses linking a kite’s struts to the leading edge so the whole kite inflates from a single valve. Standard on modern inflatables.
Wind blowing from the water toward the shore. Safer than offshore, but it pushes you onto the beach; cross-shore is the ideal.
A bridle adjustment that moves the tow point toward the wingtip or the center, changing the kite’s turning speed.
Invented by parachute designer Domina Jalbert in 1963: a kite based on the aerofoil wing shape that needs no rigid frame. Also called ram-air, wing, ram-jet or paraglide.
A lightweight, frameless soft wing flown on short lines, packable small enough to stuff into a pocket while you ride. A fast-growing alternative to an inflatable wing for downwinders. See parawings.
A New Zealand kite manufacturer, maker of the ARC and other Twinskin kites.
Personal flotation device — a lifejacket. See flotation and impact vests.
When the board is moving fast enough to skip across the surface of the water rather than push through it.
Your direction of travel relative to the wind: close hauled, close reach, beam reach or broad reach.
Traveling as far upwind as possible. A board that points well holds a tighter angle to the wind than others.
The left side, looking forward. The opposite of starboard.
Riding with the wind coming from your left side.
The lower, downwind center of the wind window where the kite pulls hardest. Where you send the kite for power, and where you do not want it by accident.
The side-on cross-section of a kite or foil wing.
The area a kite actually presents to the wind while flying, as opposed to its flat area measured on the ground. The number that really determines pull.
The hand pump used to inflate a kite or wing. Also a verb in foiling: pumping the board rhythmically to generate and sustain lift without wind or waves. See pumps.
A kite flown on four lines. As well as steering left and right like a dual line, four lines let you adjust the angle of attack and therefore the power.
The safety mechanism on the chicken loop that releases the kite’s power in one pull, leaving it flagged out on a single line. The most important piece of hardware on your bar — check it before every session and service or replace it when it stiffens.
The edge of the board. A rounded edge is a soft rail; a sharp edge is a hard rail.
A foil kite with no rigid structure, whose shape forms in flight. Closest to an aircraft wing and therefore the most aerodynamically efficient kites. Closed-cell versions use one-way valves to hold air in after a crash.
Traveling across the wind. Directly across is a beam reach; more into the wind is a close reach; more downwind is a broad reach.
A combined winding reel and control bar, used to wind up the flying lines.
Getting the kite flying again after it has gone down. Easy water relaunch is one of the most important qualities in a kite for a learner.
Precedence over others on conflicting courses. On the water, starboard tack has right of way over port tack; the upwind rider keeps their kite high and the downwind rider keeps theirs low.
A kite such as a speedwing or delta whose shape is held by a rigid frame, so it needs no complex bridle. Most rigid kites are not water relaunchable.
Fabric woven with a grid of reinforcing fibers, so a tear stops at the next fiber rather than running.
The curve along the bottom of the board — how much the nose and tail turn up. More rocker is softer through chop; less rocker is faster and better upwind.
Letting the kite drag you along the beach on your feet. A controlled version is a useful self-rescue skill; an uncontrolled one is how people get hurt.
A board maker — someone who designs and builds boards.
Sheeting out pushes the bar away, reducing tension on the rear lines, lowering the angle of attack and depowering the kite. Sheeting in does the opposite. Not possible on a two-line kite.
See bridle.
Wind blowing parallel to the shoreline. The ideal direction for kitesurfing — you can ride out and back without being pushed onto the beach or out to sea.
Flying the kite up and down in an S pattern near the edge of the window to generate apparent wind and therefore more power. Also called working the kite. Essential in light wind.
A short protective sleeve over the end of a line, preserving strength and preventing wear.
Moving slowly with the board not fully planing — underpowered but still riding.
A metal shackle opened by pulling a release mechanism.
The width of a kite or wing, measured at right angles to the wind.
A stick forming part of a kite’s frame. A batten is a spar.
Known as Dyneema in Europe, and the standard material for flying lines. Slippery enough to allow multiple line wraps without losing kite control, with very low stretch.
When the board’s fins — or a foil’s wing — lose grip on the water and the tail slides sideways.
A smooth join between two lines made by interlacing them or running one through the core of the other, without a knot.
The metal bar across the front of a harness, usually carrying a hook or a sliding rope for the chicken loop. See spreader bars and accessories.
The small wing at the back of a hydrofoil fuselage that controls pitch stability. A larger stabilizer is more forgiving; a smaller one is looser and faster.
When airflow detaches from the surface it is flowing over, so the kite loses lift and falls. A back-stall happens when the rear lines are too tight and the kite flies backwards out of the sky — a very common beginner mistake, and usually a trim problem rather than a flying one.
The right side, looking forward. The opposite of port.
Riding with the wind coming from your right side. Starboard tack has right of way.
Riding a directional board with no footstraps, as in surfing. The dominant style in kite surfing waves.
The amount a line momentarily lengthens under load, as opposed to creep, which is permanent. Spectra has very low stretch, Kevlar slightly more, nylon a great deal.
The inflatable battens running from the leading edge to the trailing edge of an inflatable kite. Modern kites carry between one and five; fewer struts means lighter and more drifty, more struts means more rigid.
A jumping move where the rider hangs more or less upside down with the board held flat above them, like a table top. Also a type of slider with a flat top section.
The direction you are riding — port tack or starboard tack. Also a verb: to change direction by turning upwind, as opposed to a gybe, which turns downwind. Tacking loses less ground, which is why upwind riders favor it.
Repeatedly falling back into the water in light or gusty wind, like a teabag being dipped.
Wind created by the pressure difference between cool air over the ocean and warm air over the land. The reason many coastal spots fill in reliably each afternoon.
Riding on the toe edge of the board, opposite heelside. The same technique as in snowboarding.
A kite large enough to pull a rider or vehicle on land, snow, ice or water.
The back edge of the kite, running between the wingtips. Also called the leech, and often reinforced with a leech line.
On a four-line inflatable kite, the line running from the front lines to an adjuster above the bar. Shortening or lengthening it changes the kite’s resting angle of attack, setting how much power the kite holds before you touch the bar.
See chicken loop.
The wind as felt by something that is not moving. Compare apparent wind.
A symmetrical board that rides equally well in either direction, so you never need to turn it around. Typically 125–150 cm, and the board almost everyone learns on. See twin tips.
Riding with the chicken loop disconnected from the harness, so your arms bear the kite’s full pull. The basis of freestyle handle-pass tricks.
The direction the wind is coming from, opposite downwind. Riding upwind — returning to where you launched rather than walking back along the beach — is the milestone that marks the end of learning.
Second-hand equipment. Buying used is a common route into the sport, but kite canopies, bladders and lines age whether or not they are ridden — check line age and leading-edge condition before you buy. See our used equipment.
Variable Angle of Attack System — an adjustment system for foil kites.
A kite company named after kite designer Martin Vari.
A short, wide symmetrical board originally designed to be towed behind a boat, ridden with bindings. Kiteboarding’s twin tip evolved directly from it, and wakestyle riders still use wakeboard-style boards with boots.
Starting in deep water by lying on your back and letting the kite pull you up onto the board. The first real milestone after body dragging.
A neoprene suit that traps a thin layer of water against the skin for insulation. Thickness is given as two numbers — a 3/2 is 3 mm on the torso and 2 mm on the limbs. See wetsuits.
To bind the strands of a line with a small cord.
The span of wind strengths a kite flies well in, usually given in knots. A wider range means fewer kites needed to cover your conditions.
The quarter-sphere of air in which the kite can fly — roughly everything you can see facing straight downwind: 90° left, 90° right and overhead. The kite pulls hardest at the center bottom and least at the edges and zenith.
Toward the wind. The opposite of leeward.
A handheld inflatable wing, held by handles or a boom with no lines or bar, used to power a foil board. Wing foiling is quicker to learn than kiteboarding, needs far less space to launch and packs down small. See inflatable wings.
The widest measurement of a kite or foil wing, taken wingtip to wingtip.
The French manufacturer of the original inflatable bladder kite, developed by kiteboarding pioneers Dominique and Bruno Legaignoux.
Flying the kite in figure eights or sine patterns to build apparent wind and generate more power. See sine wave.
An obsolete safety leash attached to the wrist, intended to flag the kite onto one line if the bar is ripped from your hands. Now considered dangerous — it can be impossible to release if the opposite arm is incapacitated and the kite fails to depower. Modern kite leashes attach to the harness with a releasable connection instead.
A sudden, hard pull from the kite.
The point directly overhead — the top center edge of the wind window, and the kite’s neutral parking position.
Still have a question about a piece of gear? We run a shop in Cocoa Beach, Florida and ship nationwide — browse kiteboarding gear, wing foiling gear, hydrofoils and complete packages, or get in touch and we will talk it through.
