Boating activities are as varied as the boats and boaters who participate, and new ways of enjoying the water are constantly being discovered. Broad categories include the following:

Paddlesports include both flatwater (lakes), swiftwater (rivers), and ocean types. Canoes are popular on lakes due to their carrying capacity and efficiency on the water. Kayaks can be found on calm inland waters, whitewater rivers, and along the coasts in the oceans. Known for their maneuverability and seaworthiness, kayaks take many shapes depending on their disired use.

Rafting covers a wide range of activities. There are wild water rafting trips or raft races down a quiet river. Or you can use a raft as a bathing platform or for aquatic games. Above all they can provide a group of friends hours of fun.

Rowing craft are also popular for relaxing, as a tender to a larger vessel, or as a competitive sport. Rowing shells are extremely long and narrow, and are intended to convert as much of the rower's muscle power as possible into speed.