Umehluko phakathi kwe-kayak ne-canoe yindawo yokuhlala ye-paddle kanye nenani lama-blades ebhodini le-paddle. I-kayak iyisikebhe esifana ne-canoe esimanzi aphansi lapho umgwedli ehlala khona ebheke phambili nemilenze yakhe phambili, esebenzisa ama-paddle ukudonsa olunye uhlangothi phambili noma emuva, bese ejikeleza. Ama-kayak amaningi ane-deck evalekile, yize ama-kayak ahlala phansi futhi afuthwayo nawo ethola ukuthandwa.
Ama-kayak angahlukaniswa ngokwedizayini yawo nezinto zokwenziwa. Umklamo ngamunye unezinzuzo zawo ezithile, okuhlanganisa ukusebenza kahle, ukushelela, ukuzinza kanye nesitayela sokugwedla. Ama-kayak angenziwa ngensimbi, i-fiberglass, ukhuni, ipulasitiki, indwangu, kanye nezindwangu ezifuthwayo ezifana ne-PVC noma irabha, ezibiza kakhulu kulezi zinsuku, kodwa i-feather light carbon fiber. Izinto ngazinye nazo zinezinzuzo zazo ezithile, okuhlanganisa amandla, ukuqina, ukuphatheka kalula, ukuguquguquka, ukumelana ne-UV kanye nezidingo zokugcina. Isibonelo, ama-kayak okhuni angenziwa ngamakhithi noma akhiwe ngesandla. Ama-stitches kanye ne-glue, ama-kayak e-plywood angaba lula kunanoma iyiphi enye into, ngaphandle kohlaka olunamathela esikhumbeni. Ama-kayak afuthwayo enziwe ngezindwangu ezilula ayancipha, kulula ukuwathutha nokuyigcina, futhi abhekwa njengaqinile kakhulu futhi ahlala isikhathi eside kunezinye izikebhe eziqinile.