Batten: characterizes either the inflatable batten of the wing on which the handles are located, or fiberglass battens. Both are used to fix the profile in its ideal shape.
Bladders: these are the bladders housed in the batten and the leading edge of the wings to give them their inflatable structure.
Box: grooved box into which the adjustable foil attachment system is slid.
Canopy: refers to the body of the wing, also called spinnaker because it is made of the same material as the boat spinnakers.
Chute: also called trailing edge, it is the very rear part of the profile through which the flow escapes.
Course: the navigational trajectory.
Extrado: outer face of a profile. Used to describe the back of the wing or the wing of the foil.
Footstrap: foot strap used to wedge one’s feet and control the board. Screws into the inserts.
Fuselage: As in an airplane, the fuselage is the part of the foil that connects and supports the two wings (the front wing and the stab).
Front wing: the front wing of the foil. It provides most of the lift. Its size and volume will have to be adjusted to the user’s height. Its shape will have to be adjusted to the user’s program.
Going upwind: action of going upwind.
Inserts: solid plastic part glued into the board into which the footstraps are screwed.
Intrado: inner side of a profile. Used to describe the face of the wing or the wings of the foil.
Leash: safety link that connects the user to the wing. It is essential to have a second one that connects the user to the board. They prevent the loss of the board and the wing, which are quickly blown away by the wind when they are released. These two elements must be changed every year and allow you not to wear a lifejacket in France, as long as you wear a sufficient thickness of neoprene to float.
Leading edge (LE): The part of the wing that meets the wind first. Same for foil wings.
Mast: vertical portion of the foil that connects the “plane” to the board with the fuselage at the bottom and the plate or adapter at the top.
Pad or grip: a structured EVA foam surface that is bonded to the deck of the board to provide good non-slip for the rider without using abrasive solutions. The softness of this foam also helps with comfort.
Pad: female support fixed under the board in the boxes that holds the foil mast.
Pump: the wing pumps are either kite pumps or SUP pumps. They inflate the structure of the wing to give it its shape and rigidity.
Rail: lateral part of the board that joins the deck and the hull.
Sandwich: sandwich technology is when the layers of fibers on the skin of the board are spaced apart by a material that creates a beam effect. The principle is that of IPN beams under construction. By spacing the layers with a high-density material, the strength of the skins is increased, and the weight and strength elements can be transferred from the centre of the board to the skins which are the most stressed areas. Thus, we can do without the central lath and use a very light loaf that only serves as a link between the skins.
Stab: diminutive of stabilizer. Back wing of the foil that stabilizes the natural tendency to oscillate. It also compensates for a nose-down force from the front wing to generate an overall balance. You can ride without a stab, but it is up to the rider to make all the stabilization efforts. This stab is often set with an incidence that will give the foil its character, making it more or less ardent.
Trailing edge: also called the trailing edge, it is the very rear part of the profile through which the flow escapes.
Valve: Inflation/deflation system of the wing. Can be of different standards and requires the right tip.
Windward: refers to what is between yourself and the origin of the wind.
Key points:
- The wing is a mix of navigation, foil and surfing, taking up a lot of terms from these worlds.
