I have recently become interested in kayak touring and would like to get some
opinions about tandem touring boats. I live in central Pennsylvania and would
be using it mostly on lakes and rivers with an occasional trip to the Outer
Banks or similar destinations. I am thinking poly because I know that I will
be dealing with rocks and possibly low water on rivers. I realize that I will
be giving up some speed and some weight. My wife and I have done short tours
in Arcadia and Ocracoke, and did a one week tour in the Queen Charlottes. In
addition, have a fair amount of experience paddling tandem canoes.

I have looked (online) at such boats as the Necky Amaruk, the Prijon Excursion,
the Perception Carolina II, and the Dagger Trinidad. Any thoughts on any of
these boats? Other recommendations? I would like to stay under 17' 6" and 100
lbs. Not looking for extended touring. Daytripping and 2-3 night max
overnight (we pack light).

Thanks Mike

On 11 Oct 2003 14:39:05 GMT, (Mtkkburk) wrote:

I have recently become interested in kayak touring and would like to get some
opinions about tandem touring boats. I live in central Pennsylvania and would
be using it mostly on lakes and rivers with an occasional trip to the Outer
Banks or similar destinations. I am thinking poly because I know that I will
be dealing with rocks and possibly low water on rivers. I realize that I will
be giving up some speed and some weight. My wife and I have done short tours
in Arcadia and Ocracoke, and did a one week tour in the Queen Charlottes. In
addition, have a fair amount of experience paddling tandem canoes.

I have looked (online) at such boats as the Necky Amaruk, the Prijon Excursion,
the Perception Carolina II, and the Dagger Trinidad. Any thoughts on any of
these boats? Other recommendations? I would like to stay under 17' 6" and 100
lbs. Not looking for extended touring. Daytripping and 2-3 night max
overnight (we pack light).

Thanks Mike

My wife and I have a Necky Amaruk going on 3 yrs. now. Like you, we
started off renting and finally ran up on an end of season sale and
bought one. It does everything we want and more and is easy to handle
in and out of the water. We do lakes and ocean trips.
Good luck on your selection.
MR

(Mtkkburk) wrote in message ...
I have recently become interested in kayak touring and would like to get some
opinions about tandem touring boats. I live in central Pennsylvania and would
be using it mostly on lakes and rivers with an occasional trip to the Outer
Banks or similar destinations. I am thinking poly because I know that I will
be dealing with rocks and possibly low water on rivers. I realize that I will
be giving up some speed and some weight. My wife and I have done short tours
in Arcadia and Ocracoke, and did a one week tour in the Queen Charlottes. In
addition, have a fair amount of experience paddling tandem canoes.

I have looked (online) at such boats as the Necky Amaruk, the Prijon Excursion,
the Perception Carolina II, and the Dagger Trinidad. Any thoughts on any of
these boats? Other recommendations? I would like to stay under 17' 6" and 100
lbs. Not looking for extended touring. Daytripping and 2-3 night max
overnight (we pack light).

Thanks Mike

Have you considered a Folbot double? Could be just the thing. They
are plenty sturdy.

Bill

Bill

"Bill Siler" wrote in message
om...
(Mtkkburk) wrote in message
...
I have recently become interested in kayak touring and would like to get
some
opinions about tandem touring boats. I live in central Pennsylvania and
would
be using it mostly on lakes and rivers with an occasional trip to the
Outer
Banks or similar destinations. I am thinking poly because I know that I
will
be dealing with rocks and possibly low water on rivers. I realize that
I will
be giving up some speed and some weight. My wife and I have done short
tours
in Arcadia and Ocracoke, and did a one week tour in the Queen
Charlottes. In
addition, have a fair amount of experience paddling tandem canoes.

I have looked (online) at such boats as the Necky Amaruk, the Prijon
Excursion,
the Perception Carolina II, and the Dagger Trinidad. Any thoughts on
any of
these boats? Other recommendations? I would like to stay under 17' 6"
and 100
lbs. Not looking for extended touring. Daytripping and 2-3 night max
overnight (we pack light).

Thanks Mike

Have you considered a Folbot double? Could be just the thing. They
are plenty sturdy.


I have had both a Amaruk and a Folbot. Both great boats, but the Folbot GII
is proving to be much more versatile. Check the Folbot user forum for used
boats http://www.folbot.com/forum.html and great advice.

Dave

www.webkatz.net

I've always wondered how one would do in a capsize with a tandem kayak.
Especially in cold water, I'd feel much safer with two singles because
one person can assist the other.
I don't understand how dealing with rocks and low water has anything to
do with whether the boat is tandem or not.
Why go with a tandem at all?
If it's all flat water tripping, an open canoe makes more sense for two
people. If you want the additional sea worthiness of a decked boat, for
rougher water, than a double will be more dangerous than two singles.
Then again, sometimes one paddler just wants to sit there and be paddled
around by somebody.
SteveJ

Mtkkburk wrote:
I have recently become interested in kayak touring and would like to get some
opinions about tandem touring boats. I live in central Pennsylvania and would
be using it mostly on lakes and rivers with an occasional trip to the Outer
Banks or similar destinations. I am thinking poly because I know that I will
be dealing with rocks and possibly low water on rivers. I realize that I will
be giving up some speed and some weight. My wife and I have done short tours
in Arcadia and Ocracoke, and did a one week tour in the Queen Charlottes. In
addition, have a fair amount of experience paddling tandem canoes.

I have looked (online) at such boats as the Necky Amaruk, the Prijon Excursion,
the Perception Carolina II, and the Dagger Trinidad. Any thoughts on any of
these boats? Other recommendations? I would like to stay under 17' 6" and 100
lbs. Not looking for extended touring. Daytripping and 2-3 night max
overnight (we pack light).

Thanks Mike

"stevej" wrote in message
...
I've always wondered how one would do in a capsize with a tandem kayak.
Especially in cold water, I'd feel much safer with two singles because
one person can assist the other.
I don't understand how dealing with rocks and low water has anything to
do with whether the boat is tandem or not.
Why go with a tandem at all?
If it's all flat water tripping, an open canoe makes more sense for two
people. If you want the additional sea worthiness of a decked boat, for
rougher water, than a double will be more dangerous than two singles.
Then again, sometimes one paddler just wants to sit there and be paddled
around by somebody.
SteveJ

....stuff deleted
Steve,

Tandems can hold a greater variety of (camping) gear than two low volume
boats. Sometimes a long broad beam boat is useful. Also, if there is an
injury to a paddler (tendinitis, for example), a tandem is easier to paddle
solo than it is to tow a boat. I've been on some trips with both and, while
I greatly prefer a single, can see some advantages to bringing tandems along
for their different applications. If I was paddling with just one other
paddler, I'd probably go in two singles. If I was paddling in a group, I
would certainly include at least one tandem in the group. It just makes the
group more versitile. It also enables the group to spell a paddler now and
then or to reorganize the dyanmics.

Your points about safety are valid. Tandems can be rolled, but it takes two
pretty savvy paddlers to do it. They are more difficult to recover in the
event of a capsize and having two paddlers in the water is certainly more
risky than one. Having rescued paddlers from capsized 2-person canoes on
river trips, I can certainly attest to that. Still, with adequate safety
gear (pfd's being just part of same, of course), judgement, and the like,
they can be a welcome addition to a multi-day trip.

Rick

stevej wrote

I don't understand how dealing with rocks and low water has anything to
do with whether the boat is tandem or not.
Why go with a tandem at all?
If it's all flat water tripping, an open canoe makes more sense for two
people.

Tandem because while I am a fairly strong paddler my wife is not. I want to
tour with her and two singles would simply not be an option. Rocks are a
concern because a significant part of my paddling would be done on rivers in
West Central Pennsylvania. In the summer the rivers tend to be shallow and I
have seen first hand what rocks do to fibreglass. Why a kayak? Because when
we paddled in BC and up in Maine, I really enjoyed the speed and seaworthiness
of two bladed paddles and decked boats. We paddle OC2's all the time and I
like to try different things. BTW, we usually paddle with other boats and
would NEVER paddle open ocean without other boats.

By the way, I have been looking at Folbots since several people mentioned them
in this thread. Does anyone have any thoughts on used Greenland II's. Is it
worth it to buy used? any thoughts on what would be considered a fair price
for a used GII in good condition?

Thanks-Mike

"Mtkkburk" wrote in message
...


By the way, I have been looking at Folbots since several people mentioned
them
in this thread. Does anyone have any thoughts on used Greenland II's. Is
it
worth it to buy used? any thoughts on what would be considered a fair
price
for a used GII in good condition?


A new GII is going for $2000 USD ($2300 for the Expedition model with the
highly-recommended rudder). They tend to last forever and loose most of
their value right away. I sold a 20-year old Pieces (pre-GII, but very
similar) for over $800 bucks, but a 5-year old boat might be $1500 and still
have another 25 years left in it. Again, check out the Folbot Forum for the
best deals.

Dave


Folding Boat Resources
http://webkatz.net/kayak/foldingboat.html

Melissa,

One paddler has a better shot at rolling a tandem than two. The coordination
and timing are pretty critical and the two need to do this without
communicating (at least in conventional ways). It is not the length, nor
beam, of the boat that makes rolling one a challenge, it is the second
paddler.

Rick

"Melissa" wrote in message
news
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1

On Sun, 19 Oct 2003 04:43:44 GMT, Rick wrote:

Tandems can be rolled, but it takes two pretty savvy paddlers to do
it.

I've seen a friend of mine, sitting alone in the stern cockpit, hand
roll an empty plastic Necky Amaruk tandem (no spray skirts attached,
so some water was in the boat). It was a big and heavy boat, but he
didn't have much trouble with the roll.
- --
Melissa

One paddler has a better shot at rolling a tandem than two. The coordination
and timing are pretty critical and the two need to do this without
communicating (at least in conventional ways). It is not the length, nor
beam, of the boat that makes rolling one a challenge, it is the second
paddler.

Rick is absolutely correct. I have taken people out surfing in double
kayaks, and when we capsize I will usually just hold my breath and sit tight
until I can "feel" the other paddler wet exit, then it's quite easy for me to
roll back up.
In practice it's fairly easy for the stern paddler to roll a double if the
front paddler sits tight and simply leans forward and hugs the boat. However, I
find most of my "passengers" don't have this kind of savvy when the capsize is
accidental.

Scott
So.Cal.