Kayaking Glossary: 22 Terms Explained
The words that show up in kayaking specs, reviews and how-to guides, explained without jargon. Open any term for the full explanation and what to look for when buying.
- Bilge pump
- A hand-operated pump used to remove water that has collected inside a sit-inside kayak's cockpit or hull.
- Read more about bilge pumpRelated: Best Bilge Pumps for Kayaks
- Cold water shock
- The involuntary gasp, rapid breathing, and panic response triggered by sudden immersion in cold water.
- Read more about cold water shock
- Deck rigging
- Bungee cords, deck lines, and D-rings fitted to a kayak's deck for securing gear, a paddle, or a spare paddle.
- Read more about deck rigging
- Displacement vs planing hull
- Two basic kayak hull shapes: rounded displacement hulls that glide efficiently, and flatter planing hulls built to turn.
- Read more about displacement vs planing hull
- Dry bag
- A roll-top waterproof bag used to keep phones, clothing, food, and other gear dry inside or strapped to a kayak.
- Read more about dry bagRelated: Best Dry Bags for Kayaking
- Eddy
- A pocket of water flowing upstream or standing still behind an obstacle in a current, used by paddlers to rest or turn.
- Read more about eddy
- Feathered blades
- A paddle setup where the two blades sit at an angle to each other instead of lined up flat, to cut wind resistance.
- Read more about feathered blades
- Hull material
- The material a kayak's hull is built from, commonly rotomolded polyethylene, composite layup, or inflatable fabric.
- Read more about hull material
- Paddle float
- An inflatable or foam float that clips onto a paddle blade, turning the paddle into an outrigger for self-rescue.
- Read more about paddle floatRelated: Best Paddle Float and Rescue Kits
- Paddle length
- The overall length of a kayak paddle, sized mainly by your height and the width of the kayak you are paddling.
- Read more about paddle lengthRelated: Best Kayak Paddles
- PFD
- Personal flotation device, the life jacket every paddler should wear while on the water, not just carry in the boat.
- Read more about pfdRelated: Best Kayak Life Jackets
- Primary stability
- How steady a kayak feels sitting flat and level on calm water, the stability most new paddlers notice first.
- Read more about primary stability
- Rocker
- The upward curve of a kayak's hull from bow to stern, which trades straight-line tracking for easier turning.
- Read more about rocker
- Scupper holes
- Drain holes molded through a sit-on-top hull that let water on the deck flow out rather than pool around the paddler.
- Read more about scupper holesRelated: Best Scupper Plugs for Sit-On-Top Kayaks
- Secondary stability
- How stable a kayak feels once it is leaned onto its side, which matters most in waves, wind, and moving water.
- Read more about secondary stability
- Sit-inside kayak
- A kayak with an enclosed cockpit that keeps the paddler drier and warmer while tracking more efficiently than an open deck.
- Read more about sit-inside kayak
- Sit-on-top kayak
- A kayak with a sealed, molded deck you sit on top of instead of inside, drained by scupper holes and easy to climb back onto.
- Read more about sit-on-top kayakRelated: Best Sit-On-Top Kayaks
- Skeg and rudder
- Fixed or retractable fins used on some kayaks to help the hull track straight, especially in wind and crosscurrent.
- Read more about skeg and rudder
- Spray skirt
- A flexible cover that seals around a sit-inside cockpit and the paddler's waist to keep water out of the boat.
- Read more about spray skirt
- Tracking
- How well a kayak holds a straight line without constant correction, generally improved by a longer, narrower hull.
- Read more about tracking
- Weight capacity
- The maximum total load a kayak is rated to carry, including the paddler, gear, and any catch or cargo brought aboard.
- Read more about weight capacity
- Wet exit
- The maneuver of releasing the spray skirt and swimming clear of an upside-down sit-inside kayak after a capsize.
- Read more about wet exit