Tandem kayak? Suggestions?

[rossad]

Sea Kayaks are very technical and the more travel or milelage you do... the better boat you need. The paddle is equally important. The reason .. what youre actually trying to achieve will dictate what type of kayak you get. A double or a single kayak, both have advantages and disadvantages. The most important aspect is safety and you need to meet your ability with the kayak design.
Kayaking off larger vessels is great and more than often a folding kayaking is best. But not always.
There are now SUP kayaks that can be used for a kayak and a stand up paddle board.
SUP concept gives another dimension you cannot get in a kayak.
Some people have both, and this is possible because of them being blown up creating a storage bennefit.
Paddling a hard shell (meaning a hard kayak) is the best as it gives the most go forward.
Sharing a double kayak is just that sharing. A single kayaker is to get remote in your own head if on you own thats special.
There are so many companies trying to captivate the market now.
We are so lucky to have all these different models and makes.
Selecting the one that suits is kinda like knowing what we want for dinner.... tonight.
But if you get it right it tastes feels and seems just right

[banyandah]

We use an Amphibious Mk IV tandem kayak made for the Australian SAS. She folds up nicely into two rubberized bags that we store on deck at sea. She's not the fastest but huge storage, stable, we use a halyard to launch.

Here's a YouTube clip of us in action exploring the rugged SW of Tasmania. Nice to watch just for the scenery.

Explore Tasmania's far south west - YouTube

[Wavewacker]

I suggest the Pamlico, a hard double and get the spray skirts. They track very well in open waters, lakes, harbors and deeper waters with current.

If you were doing whitewaters I'd suggest an inflatable but not for open waters so much. I was in an Aire and Sea Eagle, singles, both buckel with waves and wakes unless really pumped up hard and even with my 220 lbs it seemed to be a fight. I do have a cheap inflatable, Coleman I think that has a very durable canvas cover, place for battery and troling motor, which works fine in rivers, just as well I thought as the other mentioned as far as using, but cheap means different valves, air seeping over time and bladder materials, guess it depends if the use will be critical or pretty much recreational.

If I had to have an inflatable for two, I'd consider a cat-a-raft style, pontoon with a metal frame (not cheap) but there are some less expensive types sold through Bass Pro (for one). The cat style track well and shorter ones are good for white stuff too.

The Pamlico double I believe was 18', why it tracked so well and it would fly with little effort. It has good secondary stability and easy for me to "J" stroke and manipulate from the rear cockpit.

I also had one similar (the same it looks like) to the one in the video just above, except it was light blue, an open cockpit Pamlico as well. (I have no connection with Pamlico) It was a little short at 14' I believe it was, but did a good job on rivers and the lakes. I fabiricated a sail and leeboards and it sailed pretty well too, lots of fun! It carried lots of stuff, like 800 to a 1000 pounds, the boat had enough flair that made it hard to tip it over, sailing on the hard chine. Another good choice as they are easy to get in and out of like a canoe.

If you are going in open waters I would not suggest a kayak with lots of rocker as you'll be fighting to go straight. Read the various reviews and the better you identify the waters and use the better choice you'll make I'm sure.

[Livia]

Well, I'm going to go against the curve here on a number of issues:

We have a relatively inexpensive double kayak. We bought it at WM but it is made by Advance Elements:

Amazon.com: Advanced Elements Advancedframe Convertible Kayak: Sports & Outdoors

Here is where I disagree with other posters:
- We paddle well together. It isn't cirque de soleil; it doesn't take long for two medium coordinated people to get it.
- We can move one seat to the middle and clip it in so it can be paddled solo. We do this all of the time. Sometimes we will even leave the back seat in only, fill the front with jerry cans of fuel and water and use the kayak to bring them to shore.
- Yes a hard kayak paddles better but we are on a 35' boat and are unwilling to have gear on deck when on passage. Inflatable was the only way for us. Inflatables are more difficult to paddle in wind and in chop. However this didn't stop us from kayaking all over the West Coast of Vancouver Island and all over French Polynesia.

And I want to add:
- We prefer the inflatable as a snorkeling platform because it is soft and easier to roll into.
- Our kayak is 4 years old, very well used, and going strong. Inflatables have become increasingly durable.