RE: [Paddlewise] In Praise of Tandem Kayaks

MATT MARINER BROZE wrote: 

My major gripe against double kayaks is that when going into the wind
the stern paddler gets a face full of water with every second stroke.




I am unusual, I guess, in that I prefer to paddle in the bow of a
tandem.  I like having my feet firmly planted and the mushy footbraces
that are also rudder controls bother me.  A narrower boat in front of me
is nice as well.

On many longer trips I have had the opportunity to paddle into a
headwind and still keep the stern paddler reasonably dry.  I just use
what forty years ago was called the "Scandinavian" or "sway-impulse"
stroke.  It would look familiar to any Traditional paddler because it is
a forward stroke with a very low reach angle.  Works just fine for me
and keeps the spray to a minimum.

The hallmarks of this stroke for sprint racers was keeping both hands
right on the deck all through the stroke, ending the stroke with both
hands in the water on the same side of the boat and providing power
through what we now call torso rotation.  Having a high seat really
helped.  I used something like this stroke for my sprint racing career
and I had a seat that was only an inch lower than the deck of the kayak.
 I could put a lot of weight onto the stroke but couldn't stay upright
very well when sitting still.  I would tip over if I so much as sneezed.

Anyway, a lazy, low-angle stroke might do the trick.

Jim Tibensky
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