Mike Parzack, age 10, of Springfield, I11., for his question:

WHO INVENTED THE KAYAK?

A kayak is a light, narrow boat that looks a bit like a canoe but has an enclosed deck. The deck has from one to four small openings, called cockpits, in which the kayakers sit.

Eskimos built the first kayaks thousands of years ago and used them for fishing and hunting. These early kayaks consisted of caribou skins or seal skins stretched over a wooden frame.

Today most kayaks are used for recreation or for racing, including events in the Olympic Games. One type of kayak race, called the white water slalom race, is held in rivers that have rapids. The kayakers maneuver their boats over a course marked by poles called gates. The gates hang from wires strung above the water.

Kayaks today measure from 13 to 17 feet 18ng and from 24 to 34 inches wide. They weigh from 32 to 65 pounds. The shape and weight of a kayak make it easy to maneuver. Most kayaks now are made of fiberglass. Others, called folding kayaks, are made of a rubberized material and have a collapsible frame.

Kayaks ride low in the water and so they have a waterproof plastic or nylon flap attached to the cockpit. The flap fits tightly around the kayaker and keeps the cockpit dry.