Tracking

Tracking describes how well a kayak holds a straight course as you paddle forward, rather than wandering off to one side with every stroke. A kayak with good tracking lets you paddle several strokes on one side before needing a correction, while a boat with poor tracking may turn noticeably after almost every stroke, forcing constant steering corrections that waste energy over a long paddle.

Hull length and shape are the biggest factors: longer, narrower hulls with a straighter keel line generally track better, which is why touring and sea kayaks are built long and lean, while short, wide, highly rockered recreational and whitewater boats are built to turn easily instead, at the cost of tracking. Wind and current also affect tracking, since a crosswind or side current can push the bow or stern off line regardless of hull shape.

Some kayaks add a retractable skeg or a rudder specifically to improve tracking, especially in wind, without permanently reducing the boat's ability to turn. If a kayak will not hold a line no matter how you correct your stroke, the cause is often loading the boat unevenly, front to back, rather than the hull design itself, so checking gear placement is worth doing before assuming the boat is simply built to turn.