Versatility of a tandems as a solo

[latremorej]

I love bow paddling, both on flat water and in white water, but I seldom get to do it. I really enjoy making those big cross bows in the middle of a bunch of frothing water, and the feel of being waaaaaaaaaaay up there going over haystacks. On lakes, bow paddling gives me a chance to really become a thoughtless blob of automatic paddling. However, at my current weight, its hard to find a meaty sternsmen to balance me out, and I fear I will be delegated to the stern, or go solo, for most of my paddling career.

Yup, me too. My brother is about 60lb lighter than me. He is the only one in my circlewho would paddle stern with me, so I doomed to the stern as well. Sucks getting second pass when fishing..... I turn into the guide.

Jason

 

[sailsman63]

The last was a guy on an ego trip, bossing me around from the stern, on a tree strewn small stream. Bow paddlers CAN see danger usually before the sterns man.

I think I may have done this.... Not that I didn't trust my partner to see things coming up, but... I had a hard time predicting what they were going to do... and we were having a hard time communicating what "Line" we were going to take through the stream.

This may be worth a separate thread over in techniques, but any thoughts on how to properly coordinate Bow and Stern when paddling tandem? I was taught (to the extent that I was taught anything about paddling a canoe) that the sternman was the primary driver for directional control, etc.

 

[Jim Dodd]

I think I may have done this.... Not that I didn't trust my partner to see things coming up, but... I had a hard time predicting what they were going to do... and we were having a hard time communicating what "Line" we were going to take through the stream.

This may be worth a separate thread over in techniques, but any thoughts on how to properly coordinate Bow and Stern when paddling tandem? I was taught (to the extent that I was taught anything about paddling a canoe) that the sternman was the primary driver for directional control, etc.

I agree! More time spent with a partner would help a lot ! And I'm sure that was true my case. My sternsman didn't know my experience level, and was used to beginners.

 

[yellowcanoe]

I think I may have done this.... Not that I didn't trust my partner to see things coming up, but... I had a hard time predicting what they were going to do... and we were having a hard time communicating what "Line" we were going to take through the stream.

This may be worth a separate thread over in techniques, but any thoughts on how to properly coordinate Bow and Stern when paddling tandem? I was taught (to the extent that I was taught anything about paddling a canoe) that the sternman was the primary driver for directional control, etc.

Started!

 

[Canotrouge]

I'll say one thing, communication!!