Parts of a Kayak: Understanding Kayak Design & Anatomy 101

Are you new to kayaking? Understanding the parts and design will help you learn the lingo and cut through the confusion of being new to the lifestyle. What do they mean if someone asks you to secure the dock line to the bow?

Don’t worry. We’ll unpack everything you need to know about kayak design in this post.

History of Kayak Design

The Inuit people of the Northern Americas carved out the first kayak over 4,000-years ago. However, they wouldn’t arrive in Europe until the 1800s. Kayaking became popular after the introduction of canoeing to the 1936 Olympics and the foundation of the ICF Canoe Sprint World Championship in 1938.

Over the next 80-years, kayaking grew in popularity. We saw manufacturing brands introducing new materials to kayak design and several unique shapes. Today, kayaking is a highly popular pastime around the globe.

From kayak camping on the lake systems to playboating in the rapids, there are plenty of ways to enjoy a kayaking experience.

The Types of Kayaks and Construction Materials

There are different kayak designs, and each category relies on specific materials for building boats. Here are the most common kayak categories and the materials used in each.

Hard-Shell Kayaks

These kayak models come with a hard hull and sides. Manufacturing brands will construct hard-shell kayaks with various materials, from ABS plastic, fiberglass, or carbon fiber. Hard-shell models provide the best strength and resistance to impact.

The hard shell also provides a lower riding position in the water. You get better glide from hard hulls and better maneuverability but less stability. Hard-shell kayaks are more expensive than inflatables, but they last a lifetime with the right care and maintenance.

Inflatable Kayaks

Inflatable kayaks are a great choice for beginners. They are affordable and easy to use. Inflatables feature a multi-chamber inflation design, reducing sinking risk. They are also very inexpensive and ideal for recreational users.

You get a higher riding height on the water and excellent stability from the inflatable. However, you can expect less maneuverability and speed thanks to the drag of the flat-bottom hull. Inflatables use PVC and nylon materials, and they aren’t as durable as hard-shell models.

Whitewater Kayaks

Whitewater kayaks come in the widest range of construction materials. Playboats and creekboats are popular in carbon fiber and ABS plastic materials. Carbon fiber is light and strong but the most expensive option. ABS plastic provides plenty of strength, but it’s heavier than carbon fiber.

Whitewater inflatables often feature design and construction with thick, durable synthetic materials, like Hypalon. They are more durable than the recreational inflatable and ideal for use in rapids. Many come with hard-shell plastic hulls and large pontoons.

Types of Kayak Designs

• Recreational – 9 to 12-foot length, user-friendly operation, designed for occasional use.
• Fishing – Fishing-dedicated design, 9 to 15-feet in length. Integrated fishing-specific accessories.
• Touring – 11 to 18-feet in length, V-hull shape design, easy paddling, and good for distances.
• Racing – 14 to 128-feet in length, slimline bodies, hard-shell hulls, and less maneuverability/ stability.
• Whitewater – six to eight feet in length, plenty o0f rocker, and wide bodies with lots of volume.

Each of these designs has a specific role. For instance, you can’t send a racing kayak down a whitewater rapid, or the river will break it apart. Similarly, you can’t use a playboat for long distances because it has less stability and more drag, thanks to its wider hull design.

Understanding Basic Kayak Design Features

While kayak design has changed tremendously over the last forty years, the basics of the boat remain the same. Let’s run through the technical jargon you need to know surrounding the basic features of your kayak design.

Stern

The rear of your kayak. The stern can vary in shape, with a pointed or squash-tail design. Typically, pointed sterns reduce drag and improve glide, while squash stern designs improve stability and buoyancy.

Bow

The front of your kayak. The bow will feature a pointed or rounded design, cutting through the water. The rounder the bow, the slower and less responsive the kayak becomes. Racing kayaks have a slimline design and a sharp stern design to cut through the water. Fishing kayaks have a wider bow design to provide stability to the boat.

Hull

The hull is the bottom of the kayak sitting below the waterline. Kayaks are available in two primary hull designs, displacement, and planing.

Displacement hulls feature a rounded, streamlined profile with a V-shape, allowing efficient movement through the water and better tracking.

Planing hulls feature a flat bottom with sharp-angled sides. They offer better stability and improved maneuverability over a displacement hull.

Keel

The center line runs along the hull from stern to bow. The keel can have a V-shape, rounded, or flat design.

Rocker

The curvature in the keel and hull. Kayaks with lots of rocker will have a “banana-like” look to them from the side profile. Kayaks with no rocker will have a flat bottom. The more rocker, the easier it is to maneuver the kayak. It’s ideal for “fitting” the hull into a wave when playboat surfing.

However, more rocker means less stability. So, racing kayaks will have next to no rocker to improve stability and tracking when racing long distances. Maneuverability isn’t important in these conditions, but straight-line speed is crucial.

Chine

The chine is where the hull meets the kayak’s sides. Chines are soft or hard, meaning the transition from hull to sides is either rounded (soft) or boxy (hard). Kayaks can have one or multiple chines on each side.

Cockpit

Kayaks are available in “sit-in” and “sit-on” designs. Sit-in models have sidewalls around the cockpit, with “coaming” around the cockpit area, allowing for the attachment of a spray skirt.

Sit-on kayak models have the rider positioned on the deck, with no coaming around the rider area. Cockpit sizes can vary depending on the manufacturing brand and model.

Deck

The top of the kayak. Sit-in kayak designs will feature a cockpit, and all the space around the cockpit is the deck. Sit-on kayaks feature the cockpit molded into the deck.

Skeg

A skeg attaches to a flat-bottom hull to improve the tracking of a boat. It looks like a big fin, and it’s useful for improving the direction and positioning of the kayak in faster-moving waters with strong currents.

Rudder

Racing and ocean kayaks typically feature a foot-operated rudder on the stern. You have two pedals in the cockpit, allowing you to turn the rudder from starboard (right) to port (left).

On-Board Kayak Design Components

Tank-Well

The open area storage space on the deck of a sit-on kayak. It is typically located in the stern, but you might find it in the bow on some smaller kayak models. They provide dry storage for dry bags, coolers, tackle boxes, and larger items. Some models may come with bungee cords for securing gear in the tank well.

Deck Hatches

This opening in the deck accesses the dry storage compartment in the bulkhead below the deck. They are useful for carrying things you want to keep dry. They are also useful for sea fishing kayaks. Pack your rods and gear in the compartment while you battle over the surf. If you capsize trying to launch, you won’t lose your equipment.

Rigging

You might find ropes, lines, and bungee cords strategically positioned on the deck and around the bow and stern. You can use rigging for attaching things like dock lines.

Sit-On-Top Kayak Design – Specific Parts

Scupper Plug

The scupper hole runs from the deck to the hull. It’s a feature of the sit-on kayak’s self-bailing design. The scupper hole drains excess water splashing onto the deck.

Footwells / Footpegs

Sit-on kayaks feature rotomolded design with the cockpit integrated into the deck. The seat and the deck feature integrated seating and footwells.

The footwells serve the same function as footpegs on sit-in kayaks. They give your feet a dedicated place to fit in the boat and something to brace against while paddling.

Compass Recess

Some sit-on kayaks feature built-in compass recesses. However, they are less common in modern designs due to the invention of the handheld GPS.

Sit-In Kayak – Specific Parts

Bulkhead

The bulkhead is the storage area in the bow. It adds volume to the bow and ends just before your feet. The bulkhead also features construction with panels that divide it into independent waterproof compartments.

Hip Pads and Thigh Braces

Effective paddling requires you to brace your hips, thighs, and feet against the kayak. This posture allows you to brace your core and upper back during your stroke. The hip pads sit on either side of you, allowing the effective bracing in your seat.

You’ll find the thigh braces near the rim. These braces act as contoured brackets allowing the paddler to lock their thighs in position. They are vital for executing rolls and other maneuvers in whitewater conditions.

Cockpit Coaming

The coaming is the raised lip around the cockpit on sit-in kayak designs. The coaming has a curved tip, allowing for the fitment of the spray skirt. The spray skirt keeps water out of the kayak, which is important for whitewater rafting, where you’re diving in and out of the water.

Kayak Accessories and Secondary Design Features

Accessory Mounts

Some kayaks come with specific mounting points for your accessories like your GoPro, GPS, and fish finder. These features are more common in fishing and touring kayaks.

Gear Track

A gear track is a long piece of plastic allowing for the mounting of accessories. They are similar to accessory mounts but run along the sides of your cockpit or the length of the bow and stern. They are more useful for attaching a vast array of accessories using universal attachments.

Rod Holders

Fishing kayaks usually come with a sit-on design. They have rotomolded bodies featuring integrated rod holders. Or they have gear rails allowing for the attachment of rod holders.

Cup Holders

Enjoy a cold beverage on the water without wondering where you’re going to hold it when you snap that fish. Cup holders can come integrated into the deck design or as a feature inside the cockpit on sit-in models.

Adjustable Seats

Sit-in kayaks feature adjustable seats and footpegs. You can set up your seat using the adjustment straps or buckles. Most standard seats are terrible, and you’ll have to look at getting a high-back aftermarket seat. However, inflatable models come with plush, comfortable inflatable seats, including full adjustment of the riding position.

Trolling Motor Mounts

Some fishing kayaks may come with a mount on the stern, allowing the attachment of a trolling motor. These motors are ideal for fishing the flats in lakes and estuaries. You get hands-free paddling, allowing you to focus on your rod.

Pedal Drive

Some ocean-going kayaks feature a pedal drive system for users with bad shoulders. You lift and press the paddles to activate a propeller system under the hull.

Kayak Paddle Design

There’s more to kayak paddle design than you think. Kayaks paddles

Collapsing Paddles

Most kayak paddles collapse into two, three, or five sections. Collapsing paddles also allow for a custom paddle setup to suit a right-handed, left-handed, or neutral paddling grip. Collapsing paddles come included with your purchase of recreational or inflatable kayak models.

Fixed Paddles

The fixed paddle design is suitable for racing kayaks and some ocean-based kayaking designs. These paddles come in neutral and off-set designs (feathered or unfeathered blades), but you can’t adjust the blade position. They usually feature design and construction with carbon fiber or fiberglass materials. They are lightweight and strong, but they come with expensive price tags.

Understanding Kayak Design – Key Takeaways

• Choose the right kayak design for what you want to do on the water.
• Consider an inflatable model if you’re thinking about occasional recreational use.
• Think about the advantages of sit-in and sit-on models and how it relates to your intended kayaking experience.
• Invest in hard-shell kayaks if you think you’ll get utility from the kayak.
• Understand the terminology around kayak design and apply it to how you talk about your experience.
• Know how each element of kayak design changes its performance.