C-Forum

My wife and I could be down for the tandem event! Let me see some dates..!?

Jim Kelly Rand always seems to be looking for a tandem partner.


That was October of 08. Last time I tandemed in moving water. I'm paddling stern because I have about 20 lbs on Jim. I prefer bow. Nah. I prefer being the only one in the boat.
The power and speed we could get out of that boat was amazing. Seeing nothing but the back of Jim's helmet and not having access to my offside was not so great.

Tommy:

It's bad enough to be in the stern with a partner the same height. When you're actually shorter than your bowman, it gets brutal. You and Jim need to find a C-2 balanced bow heavy that would let you switch places.

My current bowman - my daughter, Juli - is only 5'3" to my 5'8" and I still have trouble seeing around her at times.

John

My wife (bow) and I have paddled predominately tandem for the past 21 years and we're still married (last time I looked).
We are the proud owners of a Dagger Caper, MR Howler, Millbrook Prowler, Rainbow Rattler (all OC2) and an old John Sweet C-2.

Although we often paddle II/III, we have regularly done the Lower Yough, Cheat Canyon, New River, lower Gauley and all sections of the Ottawa at higher levels.

On a good day, nothing is better than the power and teamwork in a tandem. On a bad day (infrequently) one of us generally wants to get out and walk but we are still at it.

Went to the last Tandemonium and had a great time and would certainly like to do it again.

Seeing over Jim K-R when he is out in front in a C1 is hard enough.. but at least you know your heading in the right direction with him.

Bruce ... your just lucky that JW is a saint! We'll keep you posted on a date.

[img]http://www.flickr.com/photos/snevard/45 ... 937436500/[/img]

LEW and Li'l D on the Hudson Gorge (class 3+ -4) in Esquif Blast.
The seats are too close for the taller paddler to sit in the bow.

Interesting perspectives on tandem paddling.
I first paddled alot of OC-2 and C-2 with my brother when we first started out. Several years later, I went back to C-2 with a good friend and paddled everything tandem. Several more years went by and now my wife and I have been paddling tandem pretty much exclusively for several years now.
As I see it, there are sort of two kinds of experiences. You can have a lot of fun with impromptu tandem teams. The excitement, suspense and surprises of paddling with someone you're not used to gives the enjoyment.
Then you have the enjoyment of paddling with a partner long enough that you each know what each other is going to do before it happens. In the eddy, you look at each other and say, "Wow". That is where I have found the greatest reward. Of course, the added benefit is when it doesn't work it's still pretty funny. Ahhh, but when it works...!
I have also been giving some thought about this whole "being able to see past the bow paddler" thing. My opinion is that whatever I can't see up there isn't my job anyway. In tandem boating, TRUST has to play a big part. I don't take my wife down the river - we do it together.

Don Beyer wrote:Interesting perspectives on tandem paddling.
I first paddled alot of OC-2 and C-2 with my brother when we first started out. Several years later, I went back to C-2 with a good friend and paddled everything tandem. Several more years went by and now my wife and I have been paddling tandem pretty much exclusively for several years now.
As I see it, there are sort of two kinds of experiences. You can have a lot of fun with impromptu tandem teams. The excitement, suspense and surprises of paddling with someone you're not used to gives the enjoyment.
Then you have the enjoyment of paddling with a partner long enough that you each know what each other is going to do before it happens. In the eddy, you look at each other and say, "Wow". That is where I have found the greatest reward. Of course, the added benefit is when it doesn't work it's still pretty funny. Ahhh, but when it works...!
I have also been giving some thought about this whole "being able to see past the bow paddler" thing. My opinion is that whatever I can't see up there isn't my job anyway. In tandem boating, TRUST has to play a big part. I don't take my wife down the river - we do it together.

Don:

I agree with your comments about the benefits of tandem paddling. There is nothing better than having an awesome run in tandem where everything clicks and you're paddling as a well-oiled team.

Regarding the issue of seeing past your bow paddler, it is probably more of an issue for slalom racing in C-2 than for general river running. When you're trying to be fast and take a tight line through the gates, there is a fine line between having a great run and stuffing your bow paddler into a pole because you had trouble seeing how close you really were. ...but generally I agree that you have to trust your partner to do the right thing.

John