Across Wind - at 90° to the wind direction;
Apparent Wind - combination of true wind and induced wind;
Back Loop - a windsurf trick in which the sailor launches the windsurf board off the wave lip and rotates backwards to land and sail away;
Balance Point - the point where the sail is drawn across the board and feels light;
Battens - stiff, flexible rods providing strength and shape to a sail;
Beach Start - a technique for start sailing away in low water levels, close to the beach;
Beam Reach - a direction approximately 90° away from the direction of the wind;
Bear Away - to steer the board away from where the wind is coming from;
Beaufort Scale - an international scale of wind speed described in numerical forces from 0 (calm) to 12 (a hurricane);
Blasting - moving quickly across the water;
Boom - the "handlebars" of a windsurfer;
Boom Head - the part of the boom where the mast is attached;
Booties - shoes designed especially for water activities;
Broad Reach - a direction approximately 135° away from the direction of the wind;
Buoyancy Aid - foam-filled jacket providing positive buoyancy when immersed;
Butterfly Rescue - a form of rescue where the sail is laid on the back of the board and the sailor paddles;
Buys Ballot's Law - a way to determine positions of high and low pressure systems;
Catapulted - being propelled forwards off the board by the sail;
Carve Gybe - high wind planing gybe;
Centre of Effort - a central point on the sail from where the drive comes from;
Centre of Lateral Resistance - a combination of the fin, dagger board and wetted area of the board that creates directional stability and resists sideways movement;
Centreline - imaginary line going through the centre of the board from nose to tail;
Cleat - a metal or plastic device with teeth located in the mast foot or boom end to prevent a line from slipping;
Clew - rear (lower) corner of sail, which attaches to the end of the boom;
Close Hauled - a direction approximately 45° away from the direction of the wind;
Counter Balance - to oppose the weight of the rig with our body - rig goes one way, body the other;
Cross-Shore - when the wind direction blows directly across the shore/land;
Daggerboard - large flat retractable plate providing the board with sideways resistance;
Deck Plate - fitting in board into which mast foot is secured;
Deck - top of the board;
Downhaul - a rope used to attach the tack of the sail to the mast foot;
Downwind - in a position further away from the wind then you are;
Duck Gybe - carve gybe achieved by "ducking" the sail;
Eye of the Wind - the exact direction of the true wind, that is twelve o'clock;
Fin - curved foil attached to underside and tail of board providing directional stability;
Flagging - a downwind rescue, the sailor, board and rig drift with the wind;
Gear Gazing - Looking at rig too much instead of where you are going;
Goal Point - a point chosen to aim for when sailing;
Groundswell - swell in sea which has travelled a long distance;
Gust - a short and temporary blast of wind;
Gybe - a turn that takes the nose of the board away from the wind;
Harness Lines - lines linking harness to rig;
Harness - equipment to attach the body to the rig;
Head Up - to steer the board closer to where the wind is coming from;
Hooking In - attaching harness to harness lines;
Horizontal Tide - the parallel or sideways motion of the tide along the coastline;
Hull - bottom of the board;
IMCS - Indexed Mast Curve System - international standard for measuring stiffness of mast;
Induced Wind - wind created by forward movement of board;
Isobars - lines of equal atmospheric pressure on weather maps;
Jury Rig - temporary repair to rig enabling self-rescue;
Knots - nautical miles per hour;
Laminar Flow - smooth airflow across sail providing lift;
Laydown Gybe: gybing tightly by "laying" the rig lower on the water;
Leech - trailing edge of sail;
Leeward - a place or side of a board/craft that is away or sheltered from the wind;
Lift - force acting on sail to power the board forward;
Luff Tube - tube in leading edge of sail into which mast is fitted;
Luffing - altering course towards wind;
Mast Extension - an adjustable version of a mast foot;
Mast Track - a recess on the top of the board to attach the rig;
Mast - long tapered pole used to hold the sail up;
mast foot - an attachment joining the board and rig together;
Miles Per Hour - a measurement of speed;
Neap Tide - smaller tide range caused by phase of Moon;
No-Go Zone - an area approximately 45° either side of the wind direction into which it is not possible to sail or windsurf;
Nose Over Toes - stance keeping head above feet;
Nose - front of the board;
NPCG - non-planing carve gybe;
Offshore - when the wind direction blows directly off the shore/land;
Onshore - when the wind direction blows directly on to the shore/land;
Outhaul Rope - used to attach clew of the sail to end of boom;
Outhaul - a rope used to attach the clew of the sail to the end of the boom;
Overfalls - inconsistencies and obstructions on seabed causing tidal flow to be uplifted;
Overpowered - when the sail that is too large for the actual wind conditions;
Planing - where board reaches sufficient speed to travel on the minimal of wetted area or surface of water;
Port Tack - a nautical term used to describe the direction to which we are sailing - left side of our body is furthest forward on the board/craft;
Port - a nautical term - the direction to the left of somebody facing the front of a board/craft;
Rail - edge of board;
Rash Vest - a T-shirt like garment worn either on its own or under a wetsuit to provide protection;
Rig - sail, mast and boom assembly;
Rig Rotator - specific movement of the rig in gybes;
Rotational Sails - sails where battens provide aerofoil shape by being set (rotating) around mast;
Rule of Twelves - rule relating to variation in water flow as tide rises/falls;
Run - a direction approximately 180° away from the direction of the wind;
Sail Quiver - set of different-sized sails;
Sail - the 'engine' of the windsurfer - delivering power to the windsurfer;
Sailing Position - the position we adopt to go windsurfing;
Sea-Breeze - thermal wind generated by temperature difference between land and sea;
Secure Position - a stationary positioning of the board where the sail has no power and the board is directly across the wind;
Sheeting In - pulling the boom in, back and down;
Shifting and Switching - specific footwork movement during a transition;
Spinning Out - board slides sideways after loss of grip;
Spring Tide - larger tide range caused by phase of Moon;
Stance - body position while sailing;
Starboard Tack - a nautical term used to describe the direction to which we are sailing - right side of the body is furthest forward on the board/craft;
Starboard - a nautical term - the direction to the right of somebody facing the front of a board/craft;
Steer - to turn upwind or downwind;
Survival Gybe: gybe used in strong winds using an upwind approach;
Tack - a turn that takes the nose of the board through the wind;
Tail - back of the board;
Tidal Range - vertical movement of water;
Tidal Stream - movement of water parallel to coastline;
Towing Eye - a small hole in the nose of the board used to attached a rope to enable towing;
Trade Winds - prevailing winds in tropics close to equator;
Transit - position judged by lining up two objects;
Transitions - tacking and gybing;
True Wind - prevailing wind when standing still;
Tuning - adjustment of rig to find most efficient set-up;
Turbulent Flow - disturbed airflow over sail;
Turtle Rescue - a form of rescue where the sailor detaches the sail, lays it on the board, climbs inside it and paddles;
Twin-Cam Sails - sails with larger luff tubes accommodating device to hold the batten against the mast;
Universal Joint (UJ) - part of mast foot, allowing flexible movement of the rig;
Uphaul - combined rope and elastic attached to the boom enabling the rig to be pulled out of the water;
Upwind - in a position closer to the wind than you;
Vertical Tide - the effect of tidal rise or fall on the land;
Windswell - wave formation and height caused by direction and strength of wind;
Windward - a place or side of a board/craft that is closer to the wind;
The glossary of windsurfing is available in the books "RYA Start Windsurfing" and "RYA Intermediate Windsurfing" published by the Royal Yachting Association.
Apparent Wind - combination of true wind and induced wind;
Back Loop - a windsurf trick in which the sailor launches the windsurf board off the wave lip and rotates backwards to land and sail away;
Balance Point - the point where the sail is drawn across the board and feels light;
Battens - stiff, flexible rods providing strength and shape to a sail;
Beach Start - a technique for start sailing away in low water levels, close to the beach;
Beam Reach - a direction approximately 90° away from the direction of the wind;
Bear Away - to steer the board away from where the wind is coming from;
Beaufort Scale - an international scale of wind speed described in numerical forces from 0 (calm) to 12 (a hurricane);
Blasting - moving quickly across the water;
Boom - the "handlebars" of a windsurfer;
Boom Head - the part of the boom where the mast is attached;
Booties - shoes designed especially for water activities;
Broad Reach - a direction approximately 135° away from the direction of the wind;
Buoyancy Aid - foam-filled jacket providing positive buoyancy when immersed;
Butterfly Rescue - a form of rescue where the sail is laid on the back of the board and the sailor paddles;
Buys Ballot's Law - a way to determine positions of high and low pressure systems;
Catapulted - being propelled forwards off the board by the sail;
Carve Gybe - high wind planing gybe;
Centre of Effort - a central point on the sail from where the drive comes from;
Centre of Lateral Resistance - a combination of the fin, dagger board and wetted area of the board that creates directional stability and resists sideways movement;
Centreline - imaginary line going through the centre of the board from nose to tail;
Cleat - a metal or plastic device with teeth located in the mast foot or boom end to prevent a line from slipping;
Clew - rear (lower) corner of sail, which attaches to the end of the boom;
Close Hauled - a direction approximately 45° away from the direction of the wind;
Counter Balance - to oppose the weight of the rig with our body - rig goes one way, body the other;
Cross-Shore - when the wind direction blows directly across the shore/land;
Daggerboard - large flat retractable plate providing the board with sideways resistance;
Deck Plate - fitting in board into which mast foot is secured;
Deck - top of the board;
Downhaul - a rope used to attach the tack of the sail to the mast foot;
Downwind - in a position further away from the wind then you are;
Duck Gybe - carve gybe achieved by "ducking" the sail;
Eye of the Wind - the exact direction of the true wind, that is twelve o'clock;
Fin - curved foil attached to underside and tail of board providing directional stability;
Flagging - a downwind rescue, the sailor, board and rig drift with the wind;
Gear Gazing - Looking at rig too much instead of where you are going;
Goal Point - a point chosen to aim for when sailing;
Groundswell - swell in sea which has travelled a long distance;
Gust - a short and temporary blast of wind;
Gybe - a turn that takes the nose of the board away from the wind;
Harness Lines - lines linking harness to rig;
Harness - equipment to attach the body to the rig;
Head Up - to steer the board closer to where the wind is coming from;
Hooking In - attaching harness to harness lines;
Horizontal Tide - the parallel or sideways motion of the tide along the coastline;
Hull - bottom of the board;
IMCS - Indexed Mast Curve System - international standard for measuring stiffness of mast;
Induced Wind - wind created by forward movement of board;
Isobars - lines of equal atmospheric pressure on weather maps;
Jury Rig - temporary repair to rig enabling self-rescue;
Knots - nautical miles per hour;
Laminar Flow - smooth airflow across sail providing lift;
Laydown Gybe: gybing tightly by "laying" the rig lower on the water;
Leech - trailing edge of sail;
Leeward - a place or side of a board/craft that is away or sheltered from the wind;
Lift - force acting on sail to power the board forward;
Luff Tube - tube in leading edge of sail into which mast is fitted;
Luffing - altering course towards wind;
Mast Extension - an adjustable version of a mast foot;
Mast Track - a recess on the top of the board to attach the rig;
Mast - long tapered pole used to hold the sail up;
mast foot - an attachment joining the board and rig together;
Miles Per Hour - a measurement of speed;
Neap Tide - smaller tide range caused by phase of Moon;
No-Go Zone - an area approximately 45° either side of the wind direction into which it is not possible to sail or windsurf;
Nose Over Toes - stance keeping head above feet;
Nose - front of the board;
NPCG - non-planing carve gybe;
Offshore - when the wind direction blows directly off the shore/land;
Onshore - when the wind direction blows directly on to the shore/land;
Outhaul Rope - used to attach clew of the sail to end of boom;
Outhaul - a rope used to attach the clew of the sail to the end of the boom;
Overfalls - inconsistencies and obstructions on seabed causing tidal flow to be uplifted;
Overpowered - when the sail that is too large for the actual wind conditions;
Planing - where board reaches sufficient speed to travel on the minimal of wetted area or surface of water;
Port Tack - a nautical term used to describe the direction to which we are sailing - left side of our body is furthest forward on the board/craft;
Port - a nautical term - the direction to the left of somebody facing the front of a board/craft;
Rail - edge of board;
Rash Vest - a T-shirt like garment worn either on its own or under a wetsuit to provide protection;
Rig - sail, mast and boom assembly;
Rig Rotator - specific movement of the rig in gybes;
Rotational Sails - sails where battens provide aerofoil shape by being set (rotating) around mast;
Rule of Twelves - rule relating to variation in water flow as tide rises/falls;
Run - a direction approximately 180° away from the direction of the wind;
Sail Quiver - set of different-sized sails;
Sail - the 'engine' of the windsurfer - delivering power to the windsurfer;
Sailing Position - the position we adopt to go windsurfing;
Sea-Breeze - thermal wind generated by temperature difference between land and sea;
Secure Position - a stationary positioning of the board where the sail has no power and the board is directly across the wind;
Sheeting In - pulling the boom in, back and down;
Shifting and Switching - specific footwork movement during a transition;
Spinning Out - board slides sideways after loss of grip;
Spring Tide - larger tide range caused by phase of Moon;
Stance - body position while sailing;
Starboard Tack - a nautical term used to describe the direction to which we are sailing - right side of the body is furthest forward on the board/craft;
Starboard - a nautical term - the direction to the right of somebody facing the front of a board/craft;
Steer - to turn upwind or downwind;
Survival Gybe: gybe used in strong winds using an upwind approach;
Tack - a turn that takes the nose of the board through the wind;
Tail - back of the board;
Tidal Range - vertical movement of water;
Tidal Stream - movement of water parallel to coastline;
Towing Eye - a small hole in the nose of the board used to attached a rope to enable towing;
Trade Winds - prevailing winds in tropics close to equator;
Transit - position judged by lining up two objects;
Transitions - tacking and gybing;
True Wind - prevailing wind when standing still;
Tuning - adjustment of rig to find most efficient set-up;
Turbulent Flow - disturbed airflow over sail;
Turtle Rescue - a form of rescue where the sailor detaches the sail, lays it on the board, climbs inside it and paddles;
Twin-Cam Sails - sails with larger luff tubes accommodating device to hold the batten against the mast;
Universal Joint (UJ) - part of mast foot, allowing flexible movement of the rig;
Uphaul - combined rope and elastic attached to the boom enabling the rig to be pulled out of the water;
Upwind - in a position closer to the wind than you;
Vertical Tide - the effect of tidal rise or fall on the land;
Windswell - wave formation and height caused by direction and strength of wind;
Windward - a place or side of a board/craft that is closer to the wind;
The glossary of windsurfing is available in the books "RYA Start Windsurfing" and "RYA Intermediate Windsurfing" published by the Royal Yachting Association.
