Police: Airsoft Rifle Sniper Hits Woman, Baby In Bremerton (KIRO 7 Seattle-Tacoma)

A 29-year-old man is arrested and charged with second-degree assault after he allegedly shot a mom and her baby daughter with an airsoft rifle, said Sgt. Kevin Crane of the Bremerton Police Department.

Chine: The area between the bottom and the side of the boat. This area is considered the transition area.

Bulkheads: These walls form sealed compartments in the rear and front areas of a kayak.

Feathered paddle: This type of paddle is used in kayaking. It is designed with the blades set at an angle to each other and helps to present an edge to the wind which reduces air friction.

To avoid the uncomfortable feeling of the novice when shopping for your vessel, here are some helpful terms that you will be able to use with some understanding when talking to a shop clerk. Some of this vocabulary will also give you a heads-up when it's time to take your first lessons.

Coaming: The coaming is located around the edge of the cockpit of a kayak and is used to secure a spray skirt. It takes the form of a curved lip.

Beam: This is the width of a kayak or canoe measured at the widest point.

Of course, there are many other terms you will be using in your whitewater learning experience, however, these should be enough to get you started and to save you from some embarrassment. If you come across a term that you are not familiar with in the course of your lessons or while shopping for your boat, remember the Golden Rule: never be afraid to ask.

Ferry: A maneuver used across current with little or no downstream travel.

Skeg: A stabilizer located at the rear of the boat.

Keel: A strip along the bottom of a hull which prevents side slipping.

Tracking: The ability of a boat to hold a straight course because of its hull design.

Amidships: This term refers to the area in the center of a boat when measuring lengthwise.

Initial Stability: This term describes how resistant a boat is to tipping.

Portage: The act of carrying a boat around rapids which are too heavy to negotiate, or between bodies of water.

Stem: The piece at the end of a canoe or kayak, which connects the keel to the bow.

Cockpit: The opening in the kayak where the paddler sits.

Draw stroke: This stroke is used to move a boat in a sideways direction.

If you are new to the sport of paddling in whitewater, be it canoeing, kayaking, or rafting, it is essential that before you hit the water or even before you go shopping for a boat you learn some of the basic vocabulary.

Gunwales: These boards run along the top of the hull, which lend support to the boat. Strips along the inside of the boat are called inwales; strips along the outside are called outwales.

Whitewater Terminology for Beginners

Rocker: Upward curve of the keel line from the center towards the end of a boat. If you have a lot of rocker, it means you'll be able to make quick turns with ease.