Paddling a tandem kayak can be a terrific way to have fun on the water. Tandems are typically longer, wider and more stable than solo kayaks, making them ideal for novice paddlers to learn proper technique from an instructor that is close by. If you and your paddling partner have a little experience, you can cover a lot of water very quickly in a tandem. The challenge for kayakers of all ability levels is to learn how to paddle a tandem kayak, while still keeping a healthy relationship with their paddling partner intact.
When learning how to paddle a tandem kayak, choose a boat and paddling location that is consistent with your abilities. Typically (but not always), the strongest paddler sits at the stern of the kayak. The less experienced kayaker paddles from the bow. Effective paddling involves the front paddler setting the cadence and the rear paddler following the pace while keeping the kayak headed in the desired direction. Finally, the key to a really great day is communicating constructively and injecting the right quantity of dad-jokes to keep the mood light.
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How to decide between a tandem and a solo kayak?
There are good reasons to choose either a tandem or a solo kayak. However, it does help to be thoughtful about this decision before you get too far down a road that could create a little heartache and an empty wallet.
If solo kayaks are fun then tandem kayaks must be double the fun, right? Nope. I am familiar with several stories of couples that enjoyed paddling on rented solo kayaks so much that they chose to purchase a tandem kayak so that they could spend weekends on a single boat, together.
Here’s the thing. To paddle a solo kayak is to experience complete independence and freedom while on the water. You go wherever you want and paddle however you want. You are in complete control of everything.
To paddle a tandem kayak is a completely different animal. It is an exercise in teamwork. You can only be successful if you and your partner are willing to come together, to sacrifice the idea of full control and to exercise patience with each other’s shortcomings. If you can do this, then paddling a tandem can be magnificently fun. However, if there is a weakness in your relationship, then it will likely bubble to the surface as you paddle around in passive aggressive circles.
By the way, this is advice for any pair of folks, not just couples in a Facebook-official relationship.
Remember, paddling a solo kayak is a different experience than paddling a tandem. Be thoughtful before you commit.
Paddle a tandem kayak to educate less experienced paddlers. If you have children that you would like to introduce to paddling, a tandem kayak allows you to keep a close eye on them and offer instruction while on the water. Sit them at the bow of the boat and give them the responsibility of setting the pace. You handle the hard part, which is keeping the kayak tracking in a straight line while still moving forward.
Perhaps you have an elderly relative that enjoys being on the water but no longer has the ability to paddle in any meaningful way. Position her in the front of the boat to enjoy the day. Clearly, this requires developed technique, not to mention musculature, for you to handle all of the paddling and steering duties for the day. Good luck with that!
One tandem kayak costs less than two solo ones. Okay, this may or may not be true. One new tandem kayak costs less than two new solo kayaks of similar workmanship. But two used solo kayaks purchased off of Craigslist may cost less than one new tandem kayak.
Don’t let the price tag be the only reason that you purchase a tandem kayak over two solo ones.
While one tandem is cheaper than two solos, two solos is cheaper than one divorce.
First you need to get in. How do you enter a tandem kayak?
The technique for entering a tandem kayak is almost the same as entering a solo kayak. I wrote an article about getting in and out of kayaks here.
There are, of course, a couple of differences between entering a tandem kayak and a solo one.
Perhaps the best difference is that there is always a partner to keep the boat steady while you get in. So, in many ways, entering a tandem kayak is actually easier than entering a solo.
The bow paddler gets in the kayak first. The stern paddler holds the boat steady, either on the beach, beside the rocks, or at the dock, while the bow paddler enters.
The stern paddler positions the kayak to depart, then gets in. If you are ‘putting in’ at a beach, the stern paddler pushes the kayak a little ways into the water so that it is mostly floating. The bow paddler stabilizes the boat as best as possible while the stern paddler gets in. The stern paddler then uses his hands to push off the ground and propel the kayak into deeper water.
If you are entering your kayak from a rocky shoreline or a dock, the role of the bow paddler to stabilize the boat for the stern paddler’s entry is the same. Similarly, the role of the stern paddler is to push the kayak off to deeper water.
What are the roles of the bow and stern paddlers?
If you ask almost anyone, including Google, who should sit where in a tandem kayak, the answer you receive is that the lighter, less experienced kayaker sits at the bow and the heavier, more experienced kayaker sits at the stern.
There is some wisdom in this. There are also assumptions that don’t always match real life. We’ll discuss shortly.
The bow paddler sets the cadence. It is typically suggested that the paddler at the front of the boat set the paddling cadence. In other words, the bow paddler determines the rhythm and flow of the paddling stroke.
The front paddler may participate in turns and bracing. If there is a sharp change of direction required, the bow paddler can participate by executing a forward sweep stroke. When combined with the stern paddler’s opposite side backward sweep stroke, a tandem kayak can turn on a dime.
A more experienced kayaker paddling in the front position can also participate in low and high brace maneuvers, when necessary.
Maybe the front position actually can be occupied by the stronger paddler. If there is a significant gap in ability between the two paddlers, sometimes it makes sense to place the stronger paddler in the bow position.
Sometimes the best way to learn a new skill is to observe someone who is already skilled and practice emulating what you see. If the front paddler is 100lb heavier than the stern paddler, then the boat will not be sufficiently stable. In this case, put the heavier paddler in the back. However, if the weight discrepancy is not too big, then try putting the more experienced paddler up front. This can help the less experienced paddler learn the skills of a bow paddler through observation. It also gives the stern paddler a taste of what it takes to navigate and steer the kayak from the back.
Check out this YouTube video of a senior kayaker at the bow and a junior kayaker at the stern performing some ‘sick’ maneuvers here.
The stern paddler follows the cadence of the bow paddler. Traditionally, the stronger, more experienced paddler situates at the back of the kayak. One of the key roles of the stern paddler is to match the paddling cadence of the bow paddler.
There is no upside for the stern paddler to try and increase the paddling cadence from the back. To paddle a tandem kayak is to be constrained by the abilities of the least experienced paddler. It is most effective to simply match that cadence.
The stern paddler also steers the kayak. Two people trying to steer a tandem kayak is a recipe for absolute misery. It just doesn’t work. Usually, the paddler at the back of the boat is tasked with keeping the kayak traveling in the desired direction.
This is best accomplished by using corrective paddle strokes that continue to propel the boat forward while incrementally adjusting the direction.
Sometimes it is necessary for the stern paddler to stop paddling and use their paddle as a rudder. If you are the bow paddler, this sucks for you. The rudder creates a force that makes it difficult for the bow paddler to keep the forward momentum. Corrective paddle strokes are easier on the relationship with your paddle-buddy than the paddle rudder.
Some tandem kayaks are equipped with rudders. I wrote an article about the ins and outs of using a kayak rudder here. Tandem kayaks are long, hefty beasts. Furthermore, there are two paddlers exerting pressure on the boat. With this in mind, there are a number of paddlers that I know that would not even think about paddling a tandem kayak unless it was equipped with a rudder.
The ideal stern paddler is 1/3 Oprah Winfrey, 1/3 Dwayne Johnson and 1/3 Isaac Newton. Actually, that combination would make a pretty cool human away from a kayak, as well.
Like Oprah, an effective stern paddler has the ability to empathize with the frustrations of the bow paddler. He (gender literally chosen at random) can diffuse bad situations with some light humor and offer corrective criticism that is (magically) not interpreted as condescending. (Also, he can have the bow paddler reach below her seat to remove the ticket that entitles her to a new car. Love Oprah.)
Dwayne Johnson is characterized by muscles and charm – a handy skillset for a paddler that has to both apologize for steering mistakes as well as bust out the brawn to correct a significantly mis-guided kayak. Furthermore, tandem kayaks can actually be really fast. A Dwayne Johnson-type can help tease out the speed.
And Isaac Newton? Well, to massively understate his contributions to modern physics, this was a guy that understood angles. That’s a pretty important skillset for the paddler tasked with steering a kayak.
Clearly, the basket of characteristics that makes up an effective stern paddler ought to be more full than empty, if you want to have a good time on the water with your front-facing paddle-buddy.
How to put it all together and paddle your kayak in tandem
Paddle on the same side, in cadence. Tandem paddling is most effective when bow and stern paddlers are paddling on the same side, at the same tempo. Your boat will go faster and you will avoid the inevitable sword fight that occurs when two paddlers try to proceed at different tempos.
If you are both paddling on the same side and at the same time, the hull of your kayak will roll right and left. While you can’t fully avoid this effect, you can minimize it.
Take shorter strokes. If both paddlers take shorter strokes, the yaw and fishtailing effect of paddling on the same side will be minimized. For the stern paddler, consider stopping your forward stroke before your paddle blade reaches your hip.
Make your paddle strokes more vertical. The upside of vertical paddle strokes is that you minimize the yaw of your kayak. The downside is that a vertical paddle stroke is also a wetter stroke. So, if you are trying to increase the stability of your kayak, the price to pay is a little more of the wet stuff in your boat and on your body. It’s up to the bow and stern paddlers to choose the cadence that minimizes boat drip.
If you really feel compelled to minimize boat drip, consider paddle drip rings. These are rings that attach to the shaft of your paddle to keep water from running the length of your shaft into the boat. Some drip rings work better than others. I have met paddlers that swear by drip rings. I have met others that eschew them. Personally, I haven’t planted a flag in either camp.
Is paddling wet a particularly big problem for you? I wrote an article about how to stay dry while kayaking here. (Ironically, one of the suggestions is to use a shallower paddle stroke. Everything in context, I suppose.)
Figure out how to communicate. Civilly. One of the main purposes of paddling a tandem kayak is that you can talk to your paddle-buddy. However, often this is not as easy as it sounds.
Bow paddlers: Turn your head to the side to communicate. The stern paddler is facing the front. However, the bow paddler is also facing the front. So, on windy days with choppy water, it can be difficult for the stern paddler to hear what the bow paddler has to say. So, bow paddlers: turn your head to the side to talk to your partner.
Bow paddlers: Yours are the eyes of the kayak. Because of your position at the front of the kayak, you are tasked with identifying obstacles that the stern paddler can’t see and communicating steering instructions towards the back. How should you do this? If you are seriously asking this question, go back to the previous tip and read with extra care.
Parting thoughts about tandem kayaks
Tandem kayaking is a wonderful way to spend time with a buddy or a loved one (who says they can’t be both?)
Remember that tandem kayaking is very different than solo kayaking. Rent or otherwise test a tandem boat before shelling out the money to make it a permanent member of your family.
As you and your partner learn your roles and develop your skills (including the skills of communication and compromise), you will look forward to many happy years of tandem kayaking.
Or, you will look forward to many years of solo kayaking, understanding that you dodged a bullet by not buying that tandem (you didn’t buy one, right?)
Either way, win-win. Yay.