A Whitewater Racing Kayak is an enclosed craft in which a single paddler is seated and which is propelled by a double bladed paddle. The kayak must be no greater than 4.5m in length, have a minimum width of 0.6m and a minimum weight of 11kg. Whitewater racing kayaks have evolved to be a long diamond shape, tapering to a widest point just behind the paddlers seat, mainly to satisfy the width and length requirements without compromising the forward speed of the kayak. The widest point of the kayak (sometimes referred to as the wings) help provide stability and maneouvreability. Whitewater racing kayaks are steered by leaning away from the turn onto one of the wings. For conventional kayak paddlers, used to leaning into a turn, this can be very disconcerting although most paddlers soon get used to it and once this technique is perfected a whitewater racing kayak can be turned surprisingly quickly, especially on moving water. A whitewater racing kayak is usually manufactured from composite fabrics (such as kevlar & carbon fibre) bonded by an epoxy resin. This provides a lightweight and durable structure, which in the hands of an experienced paddler, will last for 2 to 3 years. Beginners may prefer to purchase a roto-moulded polyethylene kayak which is heavier but has greater overall strength and durability.

A Whitewater Racing Canoe is an enclosed craft in which a single paddler kneels up and is propelled by a single bladed paddle. The Canoe must be no greater than 4.3m in length, have a minimum width of 0.7m and a minimum weight of 12kg. The vast majority of paddle strokes are undertaken on a single side of the canoe. Normally, this would cause the canoe to veer to the opposite side so most forward strokes are J-strokes that include a slight steering action at the end of the stroke. This helps to keep the canoe running in a straight line. On moving water this requires great skill, and whitewater racing in a C1, is technically one of the most challenging paddlesport disciplines, especially when you consider that the paddler is strapped into their canoe to prevent them falling out when capsized. A C1 paddler is usually classed as a 'righty' or a 'lefty' depending on which side they paddle. Like kayaks, a whitewater racing canoe is usually manufactured from composite fabrics (such as kevlar & carbon fibre) bonded by an epoxy resin.

A Whitewater Racing C2 is an enclosed craft in which two paddler kneel up and is propelled by two single bladed paddles, one on either side of the canoe. The Canoe must be no greater than 5.0m in length, have a minimum width of 0.8m and a minimum weight of 18kg. The skill of a C2 crew is to work together, simultaneously transferring the maximum power from a combined stroke into the forward motion of the canoe. The rear paddler generally has responsibility for steering and route choice with the forward paddler usually being the most powerful, responsible for maintaining the speed of the C2. Teamwork is essential in this discipline and both paddlers muct be aware of their racing line prior to approaching a rapid.