Re: [Paddlewise] Folders: single, double, girlfriend?

At 09:17 AM 3/6/00 -0500, Bhansen97_at_aol.com wrote:
>Peter - RE: Sinlges vs doubles for couples - I know that my wife was never 
>willing to join me when I sailed, and she was never too eager to go out in 
>the doubles canoe, but she loves to float around in her solo kayak while I 
>paddle. She's even gone on a few short trips with me, and she's enjoyed them 
>very much. She likes to be independent but nearby. 

My wife hasn't really been interested in paddling a solo kayak but she
loves going tandem in our canoe.
>
>It seems to me that paddling a double has the potential to make a couple 
>either great friends or mortal enemies.

The first time my wife (then, my girlfriend)  paddled together it was in a
Keowee II on an easy  two hour trip in the maritime forest on the Outer
Banks.  I didn't have much experience and the short boat required that we
stayed in sync or we'd be banging paddles.  It didn't go well.  Since then
I've learned how to paddle and we bought a canoe.  She really likes the
canoe and both of us are improving our canoeing skills everytime we go out.
 We recently went out in a tandem sit-on-top and the experience was much
better than the first time, so much so, that she actually suggested that
the next boat I build could be a tandem kayak (she still has no interest in
paddling solo).  There were a few reasons that the recent tandem paddling
experience was positive.

I have a lot more experience so I could keep us going on track a lot
easier.  She also has a more intuitive water sense now because of the
experience in the canoe.   From that I would suggest that one the the best
ways to ensure a positive tandem paddling experience is to take a lesson.
Just having a general sense of how much paddle to apply on which side, and
in which direction will help a lot.  Two completely inexperience paddlers
in a tandem boat will have a difficult time.

The second reason we had a better time paddling the tandem boat is that it
was longer and we didn't have to worry about banging our paddles together.
 Those short boats just make it that much more difficult.

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