Parts of a Kayak – 14 Parts Labeled, Bow to Skeg

All 14 parts on the diagram

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Start here: 6 main parts 6

Bow The front of the kayak.
Stern The rear of the kayak.
Deck The top side of the kayak. It covers the boat round the cockpit.
Hull The bottom side of the kayak, the part in the water.
Cockpit The opening where the paddler sits. Smaller cockpits fit more snugly; larger ones are easier to get in and out of.
Seat Where the paddler sits. A low back band or a taller backrest supports the back.

Deck fittings and inside: 8 8

Coaming (cockpit rim) The raised rim round the cockpit. A spray skirt fits here to keep water out.
Hatches Openings in the deck, with covers, into the dry storage compartments.
Deck lines Ropes rigged round the edge of the deck. You hold on to them during a rescue.
Deck elastics (bungees) Thin bungee cords on the deck. They hold a map, a water bottle or other gear.
End toggles Handles on short cords at each end. They are for holding on to in the water or carrying the kayak.
Bulkheads Walls inside the kayak that seal off the cockpit. They make dry storage and add buoyancy.
Foot braces Foot rests or pegs to push against. They help you sit upright and pass power from the paddle to the boat.
Skeg A fin that drops from a slot under the stern. It helps the kayak run straight.

How this list was compiled: Read 2026-09-26. (1) Paddling Magazine, Parts of a kayak, https://paddlingmag.com/boats/kayaks/parts-of-a-kayak/ : bow, stern, deck, hull, chine, keel, rocker, deck fittings, carry handles, deck elastics, seat and backrests, foot rests (foot braces, foot pegs), cockpit, cockpit coaming (rim, for a sprayskirt), bulkhead foot brace, hip pads, end toggles, deck lines (for rescues), retractable skeg (a fin in a slot under the stern), skeg slider, rudder, backband, bulkheads (buoyancy and dry storage), hatches (access to the dry compartments). (2) Wikipedia, Kayak, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kayak : an enclosed deck with one or more cockpits; a spray deck over the cockpit; the coaming rim; bulkheads in modern sea kayaks; thigh braces. (3) Wikipedia, Sea kayak, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_kayak : rudders or skegs; skegs as retractable blades dropping from a well in the stern. Licence: own work

The drawing: Drawn for this site by script, 2026-09-26. Own work, nothing traced. Licence: own work

How it works

The parts of a kayak on one sit-inside sea kayak: from above, and from the side with the near side cut away so you can see inside. Start with the 6 main parts, then the deck fittings and what is inside.

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From above

The bow is the front and the stern the back. You sit in the cockpit, inside the raised coaming a spray skirt fits over. Hatches in the deck open into dry storage. Deck lines run round the edge, deck elastics hold gear, and an end toggle hangs at each tip.

From the side

The deck is the top side and the hull the bottom. Inside, bulkheads wall off the cockpit and make the storage dry and buoyant. The seat sits on the hull floor, with foot braces ahead of it to push against. A skeg drops from under the stern.

A kayak differs from a canoe by its closed deck: you sit inside a cockpit, not on a seat in an open boat.

Questions and answers

What is the rim around a kayak cockpit called?

The coaming, or cockpit rim. It is raised so a spray skirt can fit over it and keep water out.

What is the difference between a skeg and a rudder?

A skeg is a fin that drops from a slot under the stern to help the kayak run straight. A rudder also turns: the paddler steers it with the foot braces.

What are bulkheads in a kayak for?

They are walls inside that seal off the cockpit. They make dry storage behind the hatches, add buoyancy, and stop water sloshing from end to end during a rescue.

What are the handles on the ends of a kayak called?

End toggles, on short cords at the bow and stern. They give you a safe hold in the water, and can be used to carry the kayak.