Kayak Nomenclature
The front or forward end of the kayak
What is the Bow?
Used for two-way communication between vessels and to obtain current weather conditions and forecasts
What is a VHF (Very-High Frequency) Radio?
A paddle stroke used to move the kayak sideways.
What is a Draw Stroke?
The concave side of the blade that should be facing towards you when you are seated in your kayak.
What is the Power Face?
A visual way to signify to participants that you want them to group up around your current location.
What is hold the paddle straight up in the air, perpendicular to the surface of the water?
The garment worn around the paddler’s waist that attaches to the cockpit coaming to keep water from entering the kayak.
What is a Spray Skirt?
Exiting a capsized kayak when rolling is not an option.
What is a Wet Exit?
A strong, supportive stroke used when storm waves or surf threatens to capsize a kayak.
What is a High Brace?
The four components of a gear bundle.
What is a PFD, a Spray Skirt, a Paddle, and a Bilge Pump?
The three locations on a kayak used for swimmer recovery.
What is the bow, stern and rear deck?
A small fin mounted on the stern keel that provides increased tracking in windy conditions on rudderless kayaks.
What is a Skeg?
Appropriate venues for the on-water Instructor assessments include lakes, rivers and other inland waterways with conditions that do not exceed these two conditions.
What is 15 knot winds and 2 knots of current?
A stroke used to turn a sea kayak.
What is a sweep stroke?
Neoprene shoes that fit tightly so that they can easily and comfortably fit in a kayak to protect the paddlers’ feet.
What are Booties?
The three knots instructors are expected to know.
What is the Bowline, Trucker’s Hitch and Marlinspike Hitch?
Paddle blades oriented at different angles to minimize drag created by head winds.
What is a Feather?
The four types of water filtration/purification.
What is mechanical, chemical, thermal and ultraviolet?
A stroke in the form of a figure eight that draws the kayak sideways through the water.
What is a Sculling Draw?
The difference in length between a 165 and 170 kayak.
What is 6 inches (1/2 foot)?
The back-to-front, front-to-back tilt of your boat. An important aspect to consider while packing a kayak.
What is trim?
A watertight wall that separates storage compartments and the cockpit.
What is a bulkhead?
The three types of tows ORGT Instructors are expected to know.
What is a short tow, in-line long tow, and rafted tow?
A turning technique that generally works best when you are already moving forward, so that your forward momentum can help to push you into the turn.
The three main signaling tools available for Sea Kayaking staff
What is a whistle, paddle, and emergency lights?
The three key fundamental components of good paddling strokes.
What is posture, paddle box and torso rotation?