Windsurf_Lexicon

Lexicon

  • Wind Technicals
    Beam Reach: A course sailed toward 3 or 9 o'clock.
    Bear-Off: To turn downwind. A synonym for head-off.
    Bear-Up: To turn upwind. A synonym for head-up.
    Broad Reach: A sailing course of 7:30 or 4:30.
    Eye-of-the-wind: The exact direction of the true wind: 12 o'clock.
    Apparent Wind: The actual wind felt by the windsurfer which is a combination of the 'true' wind and 'induced' wind created by the board's motion. The apparent wind increases as you sail faster and closer into the eye of the true wind.
    (CE): Center of Effort - The balance point in the sail where the wind's power appears to be concentrated."
    (CLR): Center of Lateral Resistance - The balance point of a board about which it turns. On a long board the CLR is around the dagger board - on a short board the CLR is usually around the fin.
    IMCS: Indexed Mast Check System. An internationally recognized method of calibrating the stiffness and curve characteristics of windsurfing masts, based around the standard length 465cm mast. Sail manufacturers will provide a recommended IMCS number which lets you know exactly what stiffness and curve of mast best suits a particular sail.
    Induced Wind: The wind caused by the board moving through the air. A board moving at 10kts is creating a 10k induced wind onto the nose.
    True Wind: The wind you feel when standing still.
    Port: Left. Sailing port tack means that the wind is blowing over the left side of the board (and your left hand is forward).
    Starboard: Right when looking forward. Sailing on starboard tack means that the wind is blowing over the right side of the board, and your right hand is forward (nearest the mast on the boom).
  • Wave Sailing
    Backside Riding: Riding the wave upwind, with your back to the wave.
    Bottom Turn: The maneuver a sailor makes during wave sailing that involves carving the board in front of the wave face. This involves a technique of leaning forward on the inside rail and laying the sail forward and flat to the water so everything is set up to ride back up the wave face and into the lip.
    Cutback: A maneuver a sailor makes during wave sailing that involves heading back down from the top of a wave.
    Drop-In: A mistake in wave riding where a rider gets on a wave and cuts off another sailor who rightfully owns the wave.
    Groundswell: Ocean swell caused by a distant earthquake or storm.
    Inside: Usually in the context 'inside the break' , and can either refer to sailing on the calmer flat water inside a reef break, or the far less desirable context of being 'caught inside' and in the path of a large set about to break on you.
    Frontside Riding: Riding the wave downwind, with your front to the wave.
    Off the Lip: A wave sailing maneuver off the breaking lip of a wave.
    Lip: The lip of a wave is the crest where it's breaking.
    Over the Falls: Being thrown over the lip of a breaking wave. The bigger the wave, the longer you get held down, and really gnarly waves can take you over the falls more than once (known as 'going through the rinse cycle').
  • Jargon
    Beach Start: A term used for any launch where the windsurfer steps onto the board from a solid platform, like a beach or a rock.
    HI-HO: Hook In and Hang On.
    Going Off: Someone sailing well.
    Tweaked: Adding the extra detail to a move so as to highlight the move.
    Fat: Really Big maneuver.
    Radical: As dangerous as you can get.
    Ripping: Making many maneuvers on the wave.
    Shred: Like cutting strips of paper, but in water.
    Stick: Your windsurf board.
    Stoked: The euphoric feeling when you're sailing great.
    kook: An idiot on the water.
    Sick: A maneuver done exceptionally well.
  • Freestyle Terms
    Aerial: A move in the air including airtime during wave sailing.
    Backwinded: To have the wind switch sides of the sail.
    Boost: To launch a really big jump or aerial.
    Bow & Arrow: The Bow & Arrow Position (BAP) is when your front arm is straight, pointing forward; back arm bent and close to body as if drawing an arrow back for a shot.
    Bump & Jump: Windsurf conditions where there are bumps and chop in the water so the sailor can jump.
    Centerline: The imaginary line dividing your board in half along the longitutinal line.
    Clew-1st: Sailing with the sail reversed and the clew pointing forward
    Combination Move: One or more moves strung together in a seamless succession so the moves are compressed together and identified as a single move.
    Freestyle: A style of windsurfing that is free form and choreographs tricks and maneuers to make windsurfing an art form.
    Free Position: Unhooked and out of the foot straps.   This is the position for change and action in windsurfing.
    Helicopter: Freestyle trick involving turning the sail through 360 degrees.
    Jibing: Altering course through 180 degrees so the tail of the board passes through the eye of the wind.
    Kit: Mainly a european term your entire rig. Board & Sail.
    Oversheet: Sheeting in the sail across the back of the board.
    Poser: (1) Someone who habitually claims skills they really do not have; or exaggerates skills beyond the allowable sugar-coating.   (2) A person who shamelessly does anything to get a photo.
    Sail Throw: Throwing the sail by releasing both hands from the boom.
    Slog: Not enough wind to get on a plane.
    Switch Stance: Sailing with the feet in the leeward foot straps.
    Transition: Generic term used for all the different methods of changing from one tack to another.