Tandem Kayaks
A tandem kayak is great for those preferring company on their kayak trips and having the ability to pack more gear. They are also excellent for team-building exercises too if that is your goal. Tandem kayaks are great for couples but if the kayaker will be spending a significant amount of time paddling alone a single kayak would be the better choice.
Tandem kayaks are also best if you are planning on kayaking with a child. You could spend thousands of dollars on a brand new tandem but used, you can spend a lot less. You can save great amounts of money by searching for great used tandem kayaks. You also want to be sure that you are in close distance to where you are going to purchase this used tandem.
Tandem kayaks have a greater beam (width) and are therefore more stable than singles. They are available for those who are concerned about their strength or coordination, and all kayaks have tow lines in case a paddler gets overly tired. Tandem kayaks are excellent for pairing younger adventurers with an experienced adult or for couples looking to explore the river together.
Tandem kayaking has become a major convenience among families. They are stable and fast, with a short learning curve if you stick to flat water. The first thing you should consider is that tandem kayaks are best if one of the people going on the trip is less experienced than the other. However, if this is not the case, then the person in the back seat of a tandem kayak should be whoever has the most experience kayaking since this is the person who will be steering the kayak. Another thing you should look at regarding solo versus tandem kayaks is that there is a high degree of communication required in order to make a tandem kayak work. This is due to the fact that even though the person in the back of a tandem kayak is the most important part of steering the kayak, a little help will still be needed from the person in front. Therefore, for kayaking with children, the question of solo versus tandem kayaks is fairly easy to answer. Like a bicycle built for two, tandem boats can be lots of fun. If you’re a beginner yourself, there’s no better way to learn the ropes than to share a tandem kayak with a more  experienced partner. Paddle for a few months in a tandem with a good paddler, and you’ll be ready to go it alone with confidence and the skills necessary to keep up. Now it goes without saying that a tandem arrangement will only work if both parties get along and can work well as a team. With a tandem kayak, you can let your partner carry the load at times, and visa versa and if for some reason you get injured or sick during the trip, its a lot easier to get out of the backcountry in a tandem than trying to tow out a single boat.
Just assess your needs both now and in the future, consult with your spouse or partner and then take a tandem for a test drive to see if its a right fit for you. The stability of tandem kayaks also make them excellent platforms for observing and photographing whales and other wildlife. For those with prior skills and/or more time on the tour, they can expect to learn any of the following skills: Low and/or high brace, advanced paddling strokes, paddle float re-entry, tandem or T-rescue, Eskimo bow rescue, and Eskimo roll. Tandem kayaks are a bit more stable and if you are concerned about how strenuous the paddle will be, they are a great choice because they are easier with two people paddling. They are great for couples but if the kayaker will be spending a significant amount of time paddling alone a single kayak would be the better choice.
Kayaks
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