- Wing
- Inflatable hand-held sail (typically 3–7 m²) that generates power without lines attached to a board.
- Foil
- Hydrofoil assembly: mast, fuselage and front/rear wings that lift the board above water at speed.
- Front wing
- Primary lifting surface under the board; larger wings lift earlier at lower speed.
- Stabilizer
- Smaller rear wing that balances pitch and prevents porpoising.
- Mast
- Vertical strut connecting board to foil; typical wingfoil masts are 60–90 cm.
- Fuselage
- Horizontal connector between mast, front wing and stabilizer.
- Board
- Volume board (60–120 L) with foil track; beginners use higher volume for stability.
- Foil track
- T-slot on board bottom for sliding and adjusting foil position fore/aft.
- Pump
- Technique to generate speed on the water surface before the foil generates lift.
- Take-off
- Moment when foil lift exceeds board weight and rider rises above the water.
- Glide
- Sustained riding with board clear of the water on the foil.
- Porpoising
- Unstable up-down oscillation caused by excessive speed or rear-heavy foil setup.
- Breaching
- Front wing breaking the surface, causing sudden loss of lift and a crash.
- Ventilation
- Air sucked to the wing surface, reducing lift — common when foil is too close to surface.
- Jibe
- Turning maneuver changing tack while maintaining foil flight.
- Tack
- Turn through the wind, switching the wing to the opposite hand.
- Upwind
- Riding at an angle toward the wind source; requires efficient foil and wing trim.
- Downwind
- Riding with the wind; easiest direction for early progression.
- Neutral position
- Wing held with minimal power, sheeted out, for balance and transitions.
- Power stroke
- Pulling the wing inward and sheeting in to accelerate.
- Depower
- Sheeting out or raising the wing to reduce pull in gusts.
- Sheet in
- Pulling the back hand to increase wing angle of attack and power.
- Sheet out
- Releasing the back hand to reduce power.
- Switch stance
- Changing feet position on the board without stopping.
- Goofy
- Riding with right foot forward.
- Regular
- Riding with left foot forward.
- One pump
- Single coordinated pump motion to reach foil take-off speed.
- Touch and go
- Brief foil lift followed by settling back on the surface while learning.
- Foil taxi
- Being pulled by boat or instructor to experience foil lift before independent riding.
- Leash
- Safety cord attaching wing to wrist or harness so it cannot blow away.
- Wing leash
- Typically wrist-to-wing leash; mandatory in most schools including Essaouira.
- Helmet
- Impact protection recommended for foil sports due to mast height and falls.
- Impact vest
- Buoyancy and torso protection worn over or under wetsuit.
- Wetsuit
- Thermal suit; 3/2 mm full suit standard in Essaouira November–April.
- Trade wind
- Persistent NNE wind (Alizé) in Essaouira, 15–35 knots afternoons in summer.
- Flat water
- Sheltered, low-chop areas ideal for wingfoil learning — Essaouira bay inside the harbour wall.
- Chop
- Short-period waves from wind; manageable in bay but affects foil stability.
- Gust
- Sudden increase in wind speed; wingfoilers depower or edge upwind in response.
- Lull
- Temporary drop in wind; may require pumping to stay on foil.
- Wind window
- Three-dimensional zone where the wing can generate power relative to the rider.
- Apparent wind
- Wind felt while moving; combines true wind and rider speed — critical for foil efficiency.
- Board start
- Getting on the board from water with wing powered; wingfoil equivalent of water start.
- Water start
- Starting from deep water with wing and board; intermediate skill.
- Superseded by wingfoil
- Wingfoil often learned after windsurf or kitesurf but no prerequisite at Essaouira Surf Camp School.
- Radio coaching
- BBTalkin headset link between instructor and student for real-time foil guidance.
- Progression session
- Structured 2-hour lesson block with defined skills: wing handling, pump, first flights.
- Foil size
- Front wing area in cm²; 1500–2000 cm² typical for learners; smaller for advanced speed.
- Wing size
- Area in m²; lighter riders and stronger wind use smaller wings (3–4 m²).
- Essaouira bay
- Semi-enclosed beach break and lagoon area protected by Mogador Island — primary wingfoil teaching zone.
- IKO
- International Kitesurfing Organization; Essaouira Surf Camp School is IKO-certified for kitesurf and related foil coaching.