Hull – the bottom of the kayak. These can be flat (planing) or rounded (displacement) discussed in detail under specific boat headings.

Bow – this is the front of your kayak, where your feet go. The bow will range from thin, slicey ends for playboating to rounded, high-volume blunt ends used in creek boats.

Stern – the back of your boat. The stern will also range similar to the bow.

Cockpit – this is the area around where you sit. The cockpit has a “lip” where your sprayskirt will fit snugly over, creating a water-tight seal.

Rocker – This refers to the amount of curvature from bow to stern. A boat with a lot of rocker will spin more easily and a boat with less rocker will track (go in a straight line) better.

Chine – This is the amount of “sharpness” between a boat’s side wall and the hull. A hard “carving” chine will let you make dynamic carves while surfing waves. A soft chine will generally be more user-friendly for river-running.