Isle Royale Forums

I am curious if there are any kayakers that use a tandem kayak in the big lake on IR.I am wondering how they handle the the waters big and small.Are they sluggish or do they handle well.Can they efficiently be paddled alone, such as with an under experienced paddler.I am a very experienced paddler.White water kayaking,canoes,20 years lk superior experience so give it to me strait .I find myself in need of a larger bus, so to speak.

I would also like to know. My wife and I want to get into kayaking and was thinking of a tandem.

I saw a couple kayaking in the Rock Harbor vicinity in a Klepper double about 20 years back.

That being said, they often call doubles "divorce boats." It can be a pain trying to coordinate your paddle strokes when you're in a double. Plus you often have much less cockpit room in a double compared to a good single. It can be done, I'm sure there are folks who love it, but put me in the camp that says it's better to take two single boats rather than trying to cram two people into a double.

As to the question of paddling a double kayak solo, yes, it can be done. I have a Klepper double kayak that allows me to install a solo-seat right in the middle of the boat. Weight balance is perfect and paddling is simple and easy. Plus I have tons of room for my long 6"4" frame. Handles big water and challenging seas extremely well too.

I've seen people paddle a hard-shell double kayak by themselves, but it can be awkward being that you're usually sitting in the back and the weight balance of the boat is all off. But I haven't personally tried it so really can't comment.

Paddling a double alone... done it, not much fun. Also done it with a kid in the front... much better. Not as easy as a single but very doable. If you are both paddlers get two singles, you can both go where you want and you will have enough room for your camping gear. Doubles have enough space for a weekend, but not much more unless you pack really small. They basically only have one boat worth of storage.

Thanks for the replies. My interest is for training purposes and Madeline a spot on next years tour. She has out grown her spot in my modified single, and she isnt strong enough for her own boat yet. So I find that my kayaks are sitting due to the fact I need a "bus" because she is too heavy for the modified bow compartment.My yaks haven't even seen water yet this year .I do have all winter to build a new boat though,I was wondering if it was worth it? Plus June and July to get used to it as we are going in August of 2015....hopefully .

build a new boat... thats what I want to do this winter! I'm having a hard time convincing my wife that it is a good idea lol. I am looking at Pygmy boats.

Lucky Chicken ...tell your wife it is a great idea. Even with minor wood working experience one can build a beautiful fun safe and reliable boat! I built my first at seventeen, at the time it was the cheapest option at the time .....hundereds cheaper than the plastics of the time. It was a 19.5 ' racer. What a rocket....unfortunately I don't fit in it any more so I am hanging it in the living room as a decoration
I have built 2 chesepeke light caft. A Chesepeake 17, which I HIGHLY recomend and a Patauxent 19.5,which isnt available anymore, .super easy and very well thought out they take about 45 hours to build ......and another 20 to 40 to finish and rig....depending how fussy one wants to be . I have also built and designed 3 others. 1 white water and 2 touring boats. It is fun to tinker, but expensive When one designs a pig!! My white water and 2nd touring boat are good good boats .....the 1st touring boat was scary in the waves and not much to look at it is a truly rewarding experience building and paddling a boat you build! I have had many people compliment over the years, and a few have asked why I paddle a priceless antique. ?????

I have recently acquired a double kayak. It is a homemade strip built using cedar strips. The builder left it outside under a tarp over the winter, and the snow load damaged it (we have a lot of snow last winter, over 50 pounds per square foot). I got it for free at a rummage sale.
I had built two sea kayaks from plywood (stitch and glue) so I knew how to fix it. I had extra supplies left over from the previous projects, so my total cost to fix it has been less than $20. It is a Guillemot Double, designed by Nick Shade.
We (wife and I) have used it twice for short trips. So far I am really liking it. It is 20 feet long and 28 inches wide, and it weighs 80 pounds.
I agree the storage is less than two sea kayaks, but it looks like it would haul about three large back packs worth of gear, with bow, stern, and center storage compartments. It seems to travel faster than our single kayaks.
I would like to try to paddle around the Isle Royale with it next year.
The biggest problem I see is that it will be about 160 pounds full of gear, if we pack light weight gear and no frills. I would plan for 10 days of food, and plan on catching some fish, too.
Tary

Wow good find! I bet a boat like that could carry a pretty good load! I once put out on a week long trip very very overloaded .....i was about the only time that I was really nervous in my boat! It was so overloaded that only the deck was above water every little wave washed the deck.when we rounded the point and came up on 2 foot waves it was a bit interesting! After that trip my old kayak became known as the U-Boat! The 2 mile crossing we did forever burned in my mind. The bow compartment had about 3 inches of water in it when we landed......suprisingly the stern hatch was pretty dry .....just a few drops.But make no mistake I was slowly sinking, and well on my way to becoming a statistic . Oddly enough I had been paddling long enough to know better ....but I wanted to see how far I could push it!...... aka to darn young to care . After that trip we started to rethink our food and gear lists and lightened the load.We just returned from a 3 day trip, my son in the bow seat and my rear hatch wasn't even a third full. I am a hard convert, but ultralight kayaking may just be my new thing. I deffinately want to keep it light and fast for my yak trip next summer ........down to a year away now ....oooooohhhh the excitement. Maybe I will see ya on the water! Happy cruising!!

Just a tip for big waves and kayak hatches. I bring a roll of duct tape along to tape the hatches shut and seal them up....works great as long as your boat uses water tight bulkheads. It can be a pain to get them open sometimes but it sure keeps the water out.I only do this if we put out in big enough waves to wash the deck.Also a neoprene spray skirt is worth its weight in gold to keep it dry,the coated nylon ones can only do so much.