Boat design and hull shapes

Bailing

Also: bailing out, bailing

Bailing means getting water out of the boat. In packrafts without self-bailing you tip the boat out on land or soak it up with a sponge.

For kayaks, Wikibooks describes draining via a drain plug at the stern. With packrafts it's usually enough to land, lift the boat and tip it out. A sponge helps with residual water.

Sources and further reading

• Wikibooks: Kajak/Wildwasser (German)
• Paddleways: Whitewater Glossary

Research as of 13 Nov 2026. We have marked manufacturer information as such.