Access Point - a location at the side of a lake or river that you can put your kayak in and out of the water.

Aft - near the back of the boat.

Aground - when a kayak accidentally gets stuck on land or a sandbar.

Astern - describes the back of another kayak.

Backpaddle - paddling backwards to change the direction of the kayak or to slow it down.

Bail - getting water out of your kayak.

Beam - a measurement of kayak width taken at the widest point on a kayak.

Bladder - an inflatable bag put inside a kayak to increase buoyancy when capsized.

Blade - the flat or curved end of a kayak paddle.

Bow - near the front of the boat.

Bulkhead - storage space in the front or back of a kayak (or both).

Capsize - the act of a kayak flipping-over becomming inverted in the water.

Cockpit - the opening in the kayak where the paddler sits.

Deck - the top of the kayak.

Drag - anything preventing the kayak from moving forward.

Face - the part of the kayak blade which pushes the water.

Flatwater - calm water.

Footbrace - a footrest commonly found in sea kayaks.

Hull - the body of a kayak.

Hung Up - when a kayak gets stuck on something like a rock or tree limb.

K1 - a one-person kayak.

K2 - a two-person kayak.

Launch - the act of putting your kayak in the water from shore.

Leeward - moving the opposite direction as the wind.

PFD - a lifejacket is sometimes called a Personal Flotation Device.

Powerface - the part of a kayak paddle that pushes against the water.

Pry Stroke - moving the kayak sideways away from the paddle.

Shaft - the portion of the kayak paddle between the blades, the paddle handle.

Starboard - the right side of the kayak.

Stern - the back of the kayak.

Throat - the portion of a kayak paddle where the shaft and blade meet.

Waterline - the location on the hull of a kayak that water goes up to.

Wet Exit - getting out of a capsized kayak, often when you cannot simply roll out.

Windward - the direction of the wind.