Tandem Kayaking: Sharing the Adventure
This post contains links to purchase items, and we may qualify for a commission if you use that affiliate link.
When kayaking originally became a popular water activity, the kayaks were made to only accommodate one person. This obviously presented a problem in a few different areas. First, it didn’t allow for much conversation. If someone wanted to talk about their surroundings or nearby sights, they either had to shout to the closest kayak or just not talk at all. Second, if conditions became less than favorable for a kayaking excursion, there was no one to share the physical challenge with. So over time, the concept of developing a kayak for two people became reality. This is what we know today as tandem kayaking.
Tandem kayaking has become a major convenience among families. Prior to the development of tandem kayaks, kayaking wasn’t an activity cut out for families with small children. It was difficult to keep entire families together and communication was even more complicated. Now, families can take advantage of the tandem kayaking system; the multiple seats allow children to stay together and adults have an easier time providing supervision. Smaller children should be placed in the lap of an adult while tandem kayaking; larger children can sit in their own seats, typically the in the middle between the two adults. Additionally, tandem kayaking helps ease the minds of novice kayakers. Even if you’ve never been out on the water, you can still enjoy the thrills of kayaking by exploring the waters with an experienced kayaker.
It’s a misconception that tandem kayaks are expensive. Like regular, single user kayaks, tandem variations range quite a bit in price. From this inflatable 2-person kayak by Intex, all the way to this 12 foot kayak from Vibe that can actually fit up to 3 people!
However, it should be noted that convenience isn’t the only reason to experience tandem kayaking. If you are a novice kayaker, then seize the opportunity to gain experience by taking control of your tandem kayak. This often leads to the dilemma of where to sit in a tandem kayak, and that all depends on a number of factors. You definitely want to distribute the weight evenly in a tandem kayak while trying to accommodate experience and preference. For example, you would most likely place the person with the most experience in the back seat. This is because the rear of the kayak handles the majority of the steering and paddling.
However, when conditions are favorable, allow the novice kayaker to sit in the rear and try their hand at steering and guiding. After all, this is the only way to gain experience in tandem kayaking. You still want to keep in mind that the rear of a tandem kayak should have the most weight. Some tandem kayaks are not built to accommodate large people in the front. If for any reason you have to paddle the kayak alone, remember to sit in the middle seat and distribute the weight. You may need to place a cooler, luggage, or some other heavy object in the front and rear to help control the kayak.
If gaining experience isn’t a priority to you in tandem kayaking, then there are several reasons to take full advantage of sitting in the front. You can enjoy your surroundings by taking pictures or looking through binoculars, or perhaps you want to try out fishing from a kayak. Whatever your reason may be, tandem kayaking is an enjoyable way of exploring the water.
