Welcome to Kayaking
The word "kayak" originates in the Inuit and Aleut languages spoken by the indigenous peoples of the Arctic regions. The word Kayak has been adopted into English from the Inuit language.
The Inuit and Aleut people traditionally used these small, narrow kayak’s for hunting and carrying equipment in these icy waters. The original Inuit word, "qajaq" or "qayaq," referred to a hunting boat, specifically a type of one-person or two-person boat covered with a waterproof skin or other material. These traditional kayaks were constructed by making a wooden frame and covering with sealskin.
The design and construction of kayaks were well-suited to the Arctic regions; kayaks allowed the indigenous people to navigate icy waters and hunt sea mammals such as seals. Over time, as kayaking gained popularity globally, the term "kayak" became widely adopted in English and other languages to describe these versatile watercraft.