SurfSpeak - F

face   n   The unbroken wall, surface, or vertical front of a wave. 

face plant   n   Wipeout - crossover term from skateboarding

fade   n   1) Maneuver similar to a stall when a surfer slows down to get deeper in a  tube,
                     or to avoid a collision.
                 2) Riding toward the curl before turning and riding  across the face

falling tide   When the tide is dropping  (high  to low)

fan spray   n   When a surfer carves a  sharp turn and creates  a spray of water.

farmer john   n   A sleeveless wetsuit with legs

fat   adj.   1) Thick, as in a fat wave
                 2) Great, as in "That's fat"  

faucet nose   n.   A sometimes embarrassing phenomenon that happens when you come 
                               in after surfing and you drain what seems like the whole ocean out of
                               your nose.    nasal drip, nasodrain

feather   v.  Describes the motion of a wave just before it breaks.

fiberglass, fiberglass cloth   n  A woven glass fabric used to make surfboards.  The outer
                                                       coating of a surfboard made hard when covered with a 
                                                       resin.

fiberglass dust   n   Tiny, almost microscopic bits of dried cloth with resin produced when
                                    sanding a board. They are very itchy and irritating when they get onto
                                    your skin and should not be inhaled.

fin   n   The vertical projection on the bottom of a board that acts as a rudder to enhance
              stability and drive. Boards have one, two, three, or more. 

fin box   n   A box glassed in the board bottom that holds removable fins.

fin canter   n   The angle of the fin leaned away from the stringer.

fin height - n  The distance from the bottom of the board to the top of the fin.

finned   v.  To be run over by someones fin 

fin placement   n   The distance between the rear edge of a fin and the tip of the tail.

fin rake   n   The degree that the leading edge of a fin is swept back.
                      More rake = a more drawn out turning radius
                      Less rake = a more pivotal, shorter turning radius

fin setup   n    The configuration of fins on the bottom of a board.

fin toe in   n   The angle of the fin leaning toward the stringer.

fire, firing     v.  going off   Describes good surf.

fish  n.  A short board that is thicker and wider for better wave catching ability in small 
              surf.


flail  adj.   When a surfer makes wild, strange arm and body movements when surfing.
                  To surf awkwardly.


flat  adj.    1) A waveless ocean, conditions with no surf
                  2) Section of a wave with no energy
                  3) Characteristic of some board bottom contours


flat deck   n.  The shape of some decks, top, of boards that turns down quickly at the rail.


flat spell  n  A long period of time without surf.


flatten out  v. What a wave does as it passes over deeper water.


flex  n.  A measurement of the flexibility, or rigidity, of a board.


flip-flops  n.  Rubber sandles.


flippers  n.  Swim fins.


floater reentry   n.   When the surfer turns into and surfs over the breaking lip through 
                                    a closed out section and continues riding the wave.


floaties  n.  Shit, feces floating in the water. 


floatation  n.  The buoyancy of  a board. How well it floats the surfer.


foam  n.  1. The polyurethane plastic structure that is shaped into a surfboard. The "blank",
                     or core of a board.
                 2. The foamy, frothy white part of a broken wave.


foil  n.   The distribution, thickness of the foam of a board when viewed from the side,
               along the length of the board.


freak set   n. A large set of waves that catches surfers off  guard.


freeboarding  n.  Riding a surfboard while being pulled by a boat.


freight trains  n.   1. Describes perfect, fast breaking waves.
                                2. Large, powerful swells


frontside   adj.  When a surfer rides with his/her body facing the wave. A right for a 
                             regular-foot and a left for a goofy-foot.


frozen wave  n.  A snow-covered mountain or ski slope for snowboarding.


full rails  n.   Thick rails on a board designed for increased floatation.


funboard  n.  A board that has characteristics of both long and short boards.


fun surf, fun waves   n.  S,all to medium sized waves that are easy to takeoff on and ride.