re-sized kitesurfing for jargon article

Kite surfing jargon

Like any sport kite surfing has its jargon – here’s a taster!

  • air time: the amount of time spent in the air while jumping. This can be remarkably long; the current record is probably Erik Eck’s 39-second kitemare. Five to ten seconds is not unusual.
  • apparent wind: the kite’s speed relative to the surrounding air. When kitesurfing in a straight line, the kite’s apparent wind is a combination of the wind speed and the speed of the kite and rider over the surface, but since the kite is highly steerable apparent wind can vary widely depending on how the kite is being flown. Most ways of increasing power from the kite involve giving it a higher apparent wind somehow, i.e. diving the kite, riding faster, or riding at a greater angle into the wind. Any of these raises the kite’s apparent wind speed.
  • boost: to suddenly become airborne
  • chicken bone/chicken finger: a hard rubber “tongue” attached to the chicken loop which the rider feeds through the spreader bar hook to prevent the rider from becoming “unhooked”.
  • de-power: to reduce the kite’s power (pull), generally by adjusting the angle of attack of the kite. Most kites and control bars now allow a rider to rig a kite for a number of different power levels before launching, in addition to powering the kite up and down “on the fly” by moving the bar up and down. Depowerability (!) makes a kite safer and easier to handle. Some new kite models, especially “bow” kites, can be de-powered to practically zero power, giving them an enormous wind range.
  • DP: Dawn patrol; a very early morning session.
  • donkey dick: same as “chicken bone”.
  • downwinder: a kitesurfing “trip” (could actually be as short as a few minutes) where the rider starts at one point and ends up at another point downwind of their original position.
  • heel side: the side of a board on the edge where a riders heels are (opposite of toeside). “Riding heelside” is riding with heels down. Heelside is the normal and most comfortable riding position.
  • kitemare: a kiteboardsurfing accident or dangerous mishap. Kitemares can be deadly.
  • mobe: This term has two meanings. It can either be used to describe a class of wakestyle tricks: any invert with a 360 degree spin is considered a “mobe.” Also, this term can denote a specific trick: a back roll with a frontside 360 handlepass (while keeping the kite below 45 degrees); this specific trick is also known as “the mobe.” The term “mobe” (as a class of tricks) is historically rooted in the fact that the mobe (the specific trick) was the first type of mobe to ever be landed. Other types of mobes include: mobe 540, mobe 720, slim chance, KGB, crow mobe, moby dick, Pete Rose, blind pete, crow mobe 540, etc.
  • power up: when the kite’s power increases (suddenly), because of wind gusts or the kite’s movement.
  • send it: To move the kite aggressively up through the power zone.
  • Shit Hot: The art of stylish smooth moves.
  • spreader bar: A stainless steel bar that attaches to the rider’s harness. It has a hook that holds the “chicken loop” when riding hooked in.
  • toe side: the side of a board on the edge where a riders toes are (opposite of heel side). “Riding toe side” is riding with toes down.
  • unhooked: is a term used to describe when a kitesurfer is riding while the chicken loop is not attached to the rider’s harness.
  • wind window: is the 120-180 degree arc of the sky downwind of the rider in which the kite can be flown. Roughly one fourth of a sphere’s surface. If the rider is facing downwind on a flat surface, like the ocean, the wind window consists of roughly all the area the rider can see, from the rider’s peripheral vision on one side, along the horizon to the other side, and then directly overhead back to the first side. If the rider somehow puts the kite out of the window — for example, by riding downwind very quickly and sending the kite directly overhead and behind — the kite will stall and frequently fall out of the sky.
  • zenith: the location in the wind window directly over the kiter’s head. This is the neutral position where kitesurfers can place the kite to stop moving or prior to movement. This places the kite in a more vulnerable “Hindenburgs” position than any other.

So there you have it, it may seem like double dutch if you are new to the kite surfing world but it will be a useful reference to check up on what your instructor has said something in class which you did not understand. On the point of instruction it is a must – get yourself along to a qualified and certified instructor before taking to the oceans and causing either yourself or someone else some mischief.

My thanks again to Adventure Escapades for this insight into the world of kite surfing jargon.

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