| Canoe | A human-powered watercraft for flatwater (calm water) or whitewater (rapids and rough water.) Can be open or decked. The operator, or paddler, kneels or sits and uses a single bladed paddle to propel the boat. |
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| Crew | The term applied to the sport of rowing (e.g. ' I crew'; not: 'I row'). It is also the term used to describe the team or group of persons rowing in a multi-person boat. |
| Coxswain | The commander in a sweep rowing boat who directs the rowing members of the crew members. The coxswain faces in the direction of motion and operates the rudder to steer the shell. The coxswain's direction is important as the rowing members of the crew face away from the direction of motion. The coxswain also sets the pace of the crew. |
| Kayak | A small, maneuverable, human powered, water craft of Eskimo origin. The operator or paddler sits with legs outstretched and uses a double bladed paddle to propel the boat. The boat is narrow with an oval cockpit typically covered by a sprayskirt; though there are open deck models with self-bailing outlets to release water from the boat's surface. |
| Paddling | Refers to both canoeing and kayaking; where each person has a single paddle, though canoesits will have a single-bladed paddle which may be moved from side-to-side of the boat and kayakers will have a paddle with a blade on each side of the boat. |
| Sculling | Rowing where each person rows with two oars (one in each hand) simultaneously. Oars work both the port and starboard sides of the boat using leverage from the rigging and the motion of the rower's seat. |
| Shell | Describes the boats that people row. Each type of boat has its own title: sculling boats are called "singles", "doubles", "quads", and occasionally "octuples" (for 1, 2, 4, or 8 scullers), while sweep boats are called "pairs", "fours", and "eights" (for 2, 4, or 8 rowers). Sweep boats may or may not have coxswains (eights always do). Sculling boats generally do not accommodate a coxswain. |
| Sweep Rowing | Rowing where each person rows with one oar (held in both hands), on either the port side or starboard side. |
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