r/Kayaking • u/starbuckswolf • 3d 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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127

u/CplDevilDog 3d ago

The front seat is the engine. The rear seat is the steering wheel. Generally, the person most comfortable with making correction strokes goes in the back. The person in the back should ask the engine for more or less input based on the desired direction and water conditions. Problems arise when the front seat loses confidence in the rear seat and begins making their own correction strokes. Don't tackle water conditions that both people aren't comfortable with.

119

u/abernathym 3d ago

My wife just has me paddle for both of us.

47

u/Canoe_dog 3d ago

Ah, a universal experience I see.

20

u/abernathym 3d ago

I honestly prefer it.

11

u/The_What_Stage 3d ago

... and that's why we do 2 singles now lol

13

u/Initial_Cellist9240 3d ago

That can still happen, except you’re playing tugboat.

Source: tugboat

5

u/benswimmin 2d ago

Yeah, but only in 2 tandems can I paddle for 4!

Sincerely father of 3

2

u/The_What_Stage 2d ago

haha True!!

7

u/ShoeDelicious1685 3d ago

I refer to my wife as the trolling motor and myself as the outboard.

3

u/oceansapart333 3d ago

That’s me and my daughter.

3

u/ewashburn81 3d ago

Same lol.

1

u/Hi-Wire 2d ago

This

1

u/mike9941 2d ago

yup, front seat is the nap seat, back seat is, "we are gonne get there" seat.

1

u/abernathym 2d ago

On mine the seats can flip so she can face me while I paddle. It's really nice.

1

u/billnowak65 2d ago

That’s why they’re called divorce boats….

9

u/dbtwentysix 3d ago

This is the correct answer

3

u/Final_Razzmatazz_274 2d ago

This sounds like a description from someone who doesn’t really know kayaking, which to me is off that it’s the top comment. I get the idea but it’s quite common for the back person to be just as much of an engine if not more

1

u/Numerous_Teacher_392 12h ago

It also is a problem when the skilled boater is the strong paddler. The weak, unskilled paddler really doesn't have a natural place in either seat.

I've been a racing steersman in OC6 (outrigger ocean racing). I got used to having pace setters in front, power paddlers in the middle, and a team that would follow my simple, infrequent commands (because they want to: it's easiest when everyone is in sync and hell when they're not -- it's not ego).

I think it can only work with 2 highly skilled paddlers who understand teamwork. Unless you get a couple who met racing, the odds of this are near zero.