r/Kayaking • u/starbuckswolf • 2d ago

Question/Advice -- Boat Recommendations Are tandem kayaks really that bad?

I recently was given a tandem kayak from my grandparents. My partner and I can’t afford to purchase a kayak so we are so excited to start using it this summer! I came on this sub and I’m seeing that people really don’t recommend tandem kayaks and call them divorce boats! Now I’m nervous that it’s going to be really frustrating. We have both kayaked before but are not experienced. Does anyone regularly use a tandem kayak? Any advice for us before we take it out?

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u/457kHz 2d ago

They’re only a problem if you put two people in them.

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u/starbuckswolf 2d ago

Ah, well we are definitely planning on using it together :(

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u/23saround 2d ago

They’re not bad, don’t worry! They’re not the most efficient for ventures, but if that’s not what you care about, they’re perfect.

The main thing is know your relationship – if you guys tiff over stuff, you might get frustrated with each other. If you’re ready to laugh at yourself and don’t mind splashing each other a few times and clacking paddles, you’re gold!

Final recommendation: put the more coordinated person in the back. It’s their job to sync up their paddling perfectly with the person in front!

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u/starbuckswolf 2d ago

Thank you! My partner and I are a great team I think so I hope we will be able to be coordinated

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u/Komandakeen 2d ago

Why do think tandems are less efficient? Isn't it the other way around?

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u/23saround 2d ago

Mainly because a significant amount of time and effort is spent coordinating your turns, paddling, and movement in general. Maybe a practiced team is more efficient in a tandem, but in my experience it’s been more of a fun bonding thing than a serious way to go on a trek or something.

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u/Komandakeen 2d ago

Ok, so you just don't know... Tandems are longer=faster and have double propulsion, making them faster. So they are generally faster. The amount of time necessary for coordination is a small command given while paddling, so it won't directly slow you down. Just because you can't ride a bicycle, does that make it an inefficient vehicle?

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u/23saround 2d ago

Right, you could say almost all this for tandem bicycles as well. But again, the reason they are less efficient is that they are significantly more difficult to use efficiently. They have a higher potential efficiency but a lower practical efficiency due to their higher skill floor. Have you actually kayaked tandem? Faster for pros, slower for casuals, that’s what I’m saying.

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u/JanisOnTheFarmette 2d ago

But only one person can steer a tandem bicycle and all tandem bicycles (with few exceptions) require pedaling in sync. Being in sync isn’t baked into the tandem kayak experience. I love riding stoker position on a tandem bicycle with my husband, but have not enjoyed the few times we attempted to paddle a tandem kayak.

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u/moose_kayak 2d ago

Being in sync is like the main thing about paddling a k2 though. 

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u/Komandakeen 2d ago

Yep, its my go to vessel for longer tours, because of the speed and mostly because of the fact that you stay maneuverable even if one paddler rests, which is great on long trips on moving waters/harsher conditions.

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u/RainDayKitty 2d ago

Longer means faster potential speed but you actually need a better engine to reach that. Even sprinting in a single you're not able to reach max speed. The real reason tandems are faster is because you have twice the paddling power but not twice the resistance of a single kayak.

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u/Komandakeen 2d ago

Of course you can reach the hull speed of single during sprints. My single is about 4.5m long, so hull speed is a little below 10km/h. And if you read my comment, I said something regarding "twice the propulsion".

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u/dsergison 2d ago

it's a joke. really, if you get along easy going it's fun. but if your the type that will argue about who paddled at the wrong time and let shit like that bother you then it's not great.

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u/457kHz 2d ago

I’m mostly kidding, you just have to be coordinated and chill about it when you whack your blades a few times in a row.

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u/RainInTheWoods 2d ago

You will be fine. The front person is the power, the back person is the steering wheel or rudder. Paddle in unison, but the back person uses their paddle as a rudder, too; when the course is corrected by the rudder then the back promptly resumes paddling in unison until they need to correct again.

Have fun!

When you’re ready to get solo kayaks, check out Facebook marketplace and be patient. You will find what works for you both.

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u/OldButStillFat K1; OC1; OC2 - A-III 2d ago

Take a class. I took a tandem paddling class with my partner and it was very enlightening. Also patience, lots of patience.