Tandem Kayaking
Saturday, May 31st, 2008Kayaking is an adventure sport growing in popularity. Originally, the kayak was designed as a one-man boat. But now you can kayak with a buddy in tandem. Travel together through whitewater, blue seas or mirror glass lakes and discover secret waterways all from the same kayak.
A tandem kayak is also referred to as a double obviously because it can accommodate two people. This style of kayak is perfect for beginners that are reluctant about going it alone on the water. Grab a buddy and travel together in a tandem kayak.
There aren’t any regulations about who can be in a tandem kayak. In fact, kayakers take children, parents, friends and even family pets in the tandem kayak. One of the interesting things about a double is that the second passenger doesn’t have to raise a finger if they don’t want to. Maybe your second passenger is too young, too old or just not physically capable of paddling. That’s alright because they can just sit and enjoy the ride.
A tandem kayak is wider than the single standard single style. This actually makes a tandem kayak more stable in the water giving your passenger a sense of security.
For families, tandem kayaking is an excellent option. If the kids are very young, parents can keep them on their laps. Older kids can sit flanked by parents where they will be safe. This means the entire family can enjoy a day on the water safely.
Make sure to consider who’s sitting where before jumping in the boat. Careful consideration to this question will aid in creating a smooth and simple journey.
Consider weight and size of everyone in the party and try to divvy up as evenly as possible per boat. If the more experienced kayaker sits in the rear then he or she can properly direct the boat since the person seated in back steers. Sometimes, even the weight of paddle will determine seating arrangements; but remember that the greater weight should be kept to the rear seat.
Each pair of tandem boaters need to work together. If both partners are able to paddle, the tandem kayak will make great speed through the water. It’s important to unify your strokes to avoid clashing the paddles which results in slowing down the boat and is much less efficient.
Try kayaking in tandem with your family and keep in mind that teamwork is the main ingredient for success.