RE: [Paddlewise] In Praise of Tandem Kayaks

From: rebyl_kayak <rebyl_kayak_at_energysustained.com>
Date: Thu, 1 Oct 2009 08:55:31 +1000
James wrote:
>Doubles can be sociable, if you know how to get along with your
>partner. But it is really hard for the stern paddler to hear the bow paddler
>most of the time.

G'Day,

Doubles can be fast and sociable but I've paddled in the rear of a double
where the distance between paddlers wasn't great enough to allow me to make a
decent catch for the forward stroke. This wasn't too much of a problem for
short trips but on a long session (>60km) the enforced poor technique resulted
in a disabled shoulder that didn't cure for several weeks.

Regarding communication in a double and in counterpoint to Craig's post; I was
once paddling on the Hudson with the New York Downtown Boathouse group
(wonderful group of people). A lasting image was of a couple, a woman in the
front paddling strong and powerful and the man in the back relaxed, smoking a
cigarette and with a huge grin on his face. It wasn't at all clear that the
woman knew what was going on!

All the best, PeterO
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Received on Wed Sep 30 2009 - 15:55:42 PDT

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