He is Rene Weissange (25), who had recently moved from Markranstadt to Lake Hawea where he was working as a chef.
Mr Weissange was last heard from on Monday when he began a kayaking and fishing trip on the lake.
The search was suspended again late yesterday afternoon and the situation will be reviewed this morning.
Grave concerns are held for Mr Weissange, who was reported missing to Wanaka police by friends at 9.30am on Wednesday.
His kayak was seen from a helicopter on Wednesday washed up on the beach near the Lake Hawea village. The paddle was spotted about 600m further east.
The man contacted a friend, using a mobile phone, from his kayak on Lake Hawea about 12.25pm on Monday and indicated he was going to paddle from Lake Hawea township to Timaru creek on the eastern shore of Lake Hawea. Lake conditions on Monday were believed to be good.
Yesterday, about 26 search and rescue volunteers completed a second day of searching the eastern and western shores of Lake Hawea on foot and in boats on the lake and in the Hawea River.
"We haven't uncovered any clues to assist the search in any way, but that can be a clue in itself," Wanaka police search and rescue member Constable Mike Johnston said.
"The areas that we've searched and the probability of detecting someone in those areas has been very, very high ... so we can't find this kayaker because he's not in a prominent position."
A debriefing was held last evening with volunteers and a review of the search process by a marine adviser is planned for this morning to determine what direction the search will take.
Const Johnston had no further information on why the man was not reported missing earlier. It is understood the alarm was raised on Wednesday morning after he failed to turn up for work on Tuesday night.
Police were carrying out inquiries with the man's friends, work colleagues and associates to build up a better picture of him - such as his characteristics and behaviours - to assist with the search, Const Johnston said.
The man is believed to have lived in the district for about two months. His name has not been released because police have not had confirmation the family has been notified.
Searchers suspect the man was not wearing a life jacket as he did not take the one which came with the boat.
