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Article: Kayak
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- How Products Are Made
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CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1996 Gale Research Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Kayak
Background
Kayaks have become an increasingly popular means of enjoying sporting and leisure boating activities. Kayaks resemble canoes in that both are long, narrow, lightweight paddle boats which are pointed at both ends. Like canoes, kayaks have a hull, which is the hollow bottom shell of the boat. However, several features distinguish kayaks from canoes. Kayaks are water displacement vessels, which means they float just below the surface, forcing the water to be pushed aside as they move. Canoes, on the other hand, float on the water's surface. Because the kayak sits lower in the water, it requires a deck. The deck is the semienclosed covering on the kayak's top. The purpose of ...