R

RS
Initials for the late Robert Strickland who was one of the more famous surfboard shapers throughout the '70s, '80s, and '90s in Cocoa Beach. RS was used frequently for some of the better shapes in Cocoa Beach and the Space Coast beaches.

Racy
Another term for a fast wave. A racy wave is makeable but really fast down the line so you need to have a lot of speed.

Radical
Used to describe dramatic and difficult maneuvers, situations, or conditions.

Radius of Maximum Winds
The distance from the center of a tropical cyclone to the area where the maximum winds are located. In strong hurricanes, the maximum winds are generally found at the eyewall immediately bordering the center of the hurricane.

Rag Dolled
To get drilled, rolled and tumbled by a breaking wave.

Raged
A really good surf party with wild tunes and good times.

Rail 50/50
Antiquated shape whereby rails are of equal proportions or dimensional characteristics, top and bottom of the surfboard. 

Rail
The edge of a surfboard where the deck wraps around to meet the bottom; usually used to describe the lower half of the edge.

Rail grab
Holding or grasping the rail of a surfboard to maintain control. Most commonly used in backside tuberiding (see "pigdog") but also used in aerial surfing.

Rail Sandwich
Event precipitated by going over the falls and having the surfboard find its way between the riders legs with impunity.
 

Rail Saver
The flat nylon strap that attaches the leash/leg rope to the surfboard. Helps prevent the tension from the leash causing damage to the tail of the surfboard and the rails.

Rail to Rail
To surf in an aggressive manner exhibited by sharp gouges and crisp turns and snaps.

Rail, Boxy
Full, thick or heavy rail. Clearly defined rounded corners with very little tapering. Design application best for smaller wave riding. Found today mostly on hybrid type boards or conventional boards shaped for taller heavier riders.

Rail, Full
Standard Shortboard Rail. Tapering from board center to the rail is more pronounced than the boxy rail, but reflects similar rounded corners.

Rail, Thin
Shape application for larger waves with a hollow shape. Well defined tapering to a narrow and thoroughly rounded edge. Well suited to the lean rider.

Rake
The distance between the back edge of the fin base and the tip of the fin, measured lengthwise down the surfboard.

Random Stander
Inexperienced surfer or someone who only surfs on weekends...or when their wife lets them. Please; get a pair. 

Rash Guard
Spandex shirt used in surfing to prevent a rash. 

Rattly
When someone is acting or generally exhibits wild, messy or crazy behavior. 

Real-time
The descriptive term for information gathered and distributed at close to the current time.

Reef break
Surf that breaks over a solid base, usually rock or coral, instead of sand. Some reef breaks can be a combination of rock and sand. Generally more dependable than a beach or pointbreak.

Re-entry
  A classic maneuver in which the surfer goes through and/or over the lip of the wave, almost to the point of pulling out, then drops back down into the wave. A re-entry is the base term for numerous move varieties, such as floaters and off the lips.

Rebound
When wave energy bounces off of a jetty or pier to form a really good slingshot type peak that pushes the wave in another direction. Known at many jetties to be the reason the waves are better there and well known in Sebastian Inlet, Florida. Also to ride a wave and rebound off of the whitewash when there is not much wave left. Consistently done in surfing contests to gain extra points.

Reflection
A surf condition in which a wave or swell bounces off a hard object like a seawall, jetty, or rock, and merges back into the original wave or swell. Reflected waves often create bowly, peaky waves, which are good shape for surfing. Reflected waves also include "backwash" when a wave is returned seaward after a wave impinges on a steep beach, barrier, or other reflecting surface.