Equipment: kite, bar, harness
- Twin-tip — the symmetrical board, the most common, with a tip at each end.
- Kite — the sail, defined by its size in square metres (7, 9, 12 m) and type (C-kite, bow, hybrid).
- Bar — the control bar with its lines, inflation pump and release system.
- Chicken loop — the central ring of the bar the harness clips to, transmitting the pull.
- Harness — the waist or seat harness that spreads the force across your body.
- Lines — the four or five lines connecting bar to kite, checked before every session.
- Quick-release — the emergency release clipped to your harness.
Navigation basics
- De-power — reducing the kite's power by pushing the bar away: a safety and control mechanism.
- Waterstart — getting up on the board through kite power, the first big milestone.
- Body drag — being dragged through the water without a board, a key exercise to feel the kite.
- Upwind — riding back upwind: the skill that lets you return to your launch point.
- Downwind — riding downwind, easier but riskier to manage.
- Gust — a sudden wind spike to anticipate.
Manoeuvres and tricks
- Tack — turning through the wind (a tack).
- Jibe — turning downwind (a gybe).
- Pop — the leg decompression that sends you off the water.
- Jump — the basic jump, foundation of everything else.
- Backroll / Frontroll — backward / forward rotations around your body axis.
- Kiteloop — looping the kite during a jump, an advanced, spectacular move.
Wind and weather
- Varatraza — the south-east trade wind of Sakalava Bay (20-35 knots, April to October).
- Knot (kt) — wind speed unit: 1 knot ≈ 1.85 km/h.
- Wind window — the zone where the kite can fly, on either side of the rider.
- Lagoon — a calm, shallow stretch of water, typical of Sakalava.
Safety
- Launch / Land — launching and landing the kite, always assisted, never alone.
- Right of way — collision rules: the rider coming from the right and slower must give way.
- Surf-buddy — the mate who watches your back, essential on any spot.
- Radio helmet — the helmet with microphone used in coaching for real-time corrections.
Beyond: useful trip terms
- Pack — discounted rates, e.g. 10h of lessons at 400€ instead of 45€ an hour.
- Off-season — the period outside the trade winds (November to March): variable wind, empty spot.
- Foil — a hydrofoil board, gliding with no drag.
If you are starting out, remember these first: twin-tip, bar, chicken loop, de-power and waterstart. These five words are enough to understand your first hours on the water — and for the rest, your IKO instructor translates every term exactly when you need it.
10 terms you need for your first lesson
You do not need the full 30-term glossary to start — ten words are enough to understand the entire briefing of a first session at Sakalava. Here they are, in the order your instructor will actually use them on the beach:
- Kite — the sail above you. Its size in square metres (7, 9, 12...) is matched to your body weight and to the day's wind.
- Bar — the control bar in your hands, with its lines, its depower strap and its safety release. "Keep the bar in the neutral zone" means do not steer yet.
- Chicken loop — the ring your harness clips into. It transmits the kite's pull, and it is the attachment point of the quick-release safety.
- Harness — the seat or waist belt that carries the kite's force for you, sparing your arms and letting you session for hours.
- Wind window — the flyable arc in front of you. "Park the kite at the edge of the window" means bring it to the side, where it pulls the least.
- De-power — the move that reduces the kite's pull instantly, by pushing the bar away or trimming the strap. It is both a safety reflex and a control tool.
- Body drag — being pulled through the water by the kite without a board. This exercise teaches you to feel the kite before you ever get up.
- Upwind / downwind — riding towards the wind versus away from it. Upwind is the skill that lets you return to your launch point.
- Waterstart — getting from the water onto the board using the kite's pull. It is the first big milestone, usually reached between 6 and 10 hours of lessons.
- Twin-tip — the symmetrical board you ride in both directions, the ideal tool to learn and progress on flat water.
Before your first day on the water, read our guide to what your first kitesurf lesson looks like so the whole session feels familiar, and check how to choose a well-run kitesurf school to make sure your instructor teaches with a certified, structured method.
Forum abbreviations decoded
Reading kitesurfing forums, WhatsApp groups and Instagram captions is a bit like learning a second language — and the locals at Sakalava use exactly the same shorthand. Here are the abbreviations and slang you will see most often:
- kt / kts — knots, the wind speed unit used everywhere in kitesurfing (1 knot ≈ 1.85 km/h). No one says "kilometres per hour" on a forum.
- G15 / G25 — gusts: "18 kts G25" means an 18-knot average with gusts reaching 25. Big gaps warn you to downsize.
- SE / SSE — wind directions. The Varatraza of Sakalava blows from the south-east, which is why you will read it everywhere.
- Depower — used as both a noun and a verb: "max depower" means the kite is trimmed to pull as little as possible, the standard setting for a first lesson.
- Big air / boosting — going for maximum height and hangtime instead of rotations. A completely different game from freestyle.
- Kiteloop — sending the kite in a full circle during a jump. Usually carries a "advanced" warning on forums, and rightly so.
- Transition — changing direction without touching the water; what most riders call a jibe or a tack depending on the direction.
- Strapless — riding a surfboard without foot straps, a growing discipline on windier spots.
- PWA / GKA — the two professional kitesurfing tour circuits. "PWA style" is used as a compliment for clean, powerful riding.
- IKO / VDWS — the two main certification bodies in the sport. A school that openly displays an IKO accreditation, like the one at Sakalava, follows a structured and safe teaching progression.
When a message about northern Madagascar says "the wind is up", it usually means the Varatraza has kicked in — drop everything and rig. And when someone describes the lagoon as "glass", they are talking about flat water with no chop at all, the exact condition every beginner hopes to find on the first day. Your IKO instructor at Samb Kite uses this same international vocabulary in English or French, so nothing gets lost in translation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly is de-power? It is the ability to reduce the kite's power by steering the bar away from the body (or with the trim strap). It is the most important safety move: it keeps you in control in gusts.
What is a twin-tip? A symmetrical kitesurf board, identical at both ends, ridden either way. It is the recommended board to learn and progress on.
What does riding upwind mean? Sailing towards the wind, i.e. returning to your launch point. A rider who masters upwind always finds the launch again and never ends up stuck downwind.
What does a pack of lessons mean? A discounted bundle, usually sold in blocks: for example 10 hours of lessons at 400€ instead of 45€ an hour. A pack makes longer courses genuinely more affordable.
Do I need to learn the glossary before my first lesson? No. An IKO instructor introduces the words at the water's edge, exactly when you need them. Knowing the basics simply means you understand the briefing faster and arrive at the spot relaxed.
To plan your stay, compare accommodation near Sakalava Bay, book your kitesurf coaching and reach out via the contact form.
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IKO-certified private coaching at Sakalava Bay. Gear included, guaranteed wind from April to October.