Windsurfing
Windsurfing is a water sport in which a rider balances on a board and uses a movable sail to propel and steer across water.
Windsurfing rig: The sail, mast, boom, and connecting hardware used to propel and control a windsurf board. Its adjustable parts let the rider trim the sail and steer.
Wind: The movement of air relative to Earth’s surface, driven chiefly by differences in atmospheric pressure. Its speed and direction supply the force that moves the sail.
Windsurfing board: A buoyant board designed to carry a rider and support a windsurfing rig. Board volume, shape, and fins affect stability, speed, and handling.
Newman Darby: An American inventor who developed an early handheld-sail board in the 1960s. His design preceded the modern windsurfing rig and helped establish the idea.
Kitesurfing: A water sport in which a rider uses a controllable kite to pull a board across the water. Unlike windsurfing, its power source flies on lines rather than standing on a mast.
Sail trim: The adjustment of a sail’s angle and shape to control its power and efficiency. Changing sail angle lets windsurfers balance drive against control.
Sailing: The use of wind to propel a vessel across water with sails. Windsurfing applies sailing principles on a board controlled directly by its rider.
Windsurfing sail: A sail designed for windsurfing, typically supported by a mast and controlled with a boom. Its size and design are matched to wind strength and riding style.
Jim Drake: An American aeronautical engineer who co-developed and patented a modern windsurfing design with Hoyle Schweitzer. His engineering shaped the sport’s early rig and board concept.
Wing foiling: A water sport in which a rider holds an inflatable wing while riding a board, often on a hydrofoil. The handheld wing separates propulsion from the board’s mast-mounted rig.