Like this ?
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5c/Grove_Crane_in_Antarctica.jpg
A bit of learning curve
– Last Updated: Jul-03-11 3:43 PM EST –
is what the OP is facing, seems to me. Normally I'm trying to steer people in the right direction, but some learn better from own mistakes.
13ft is a very small tandem. A lot of answering efforts would've been spared if we knew that it's that short. Ex. I said earlier that tandem manned by 2 would paddle faster than 2 singles per same efforts - yes, but at L=13ft and W=30" it's anything but fast, useless even to talk about speed in this case. Also, balancing 13ft tandem on the shoulder is easier than typical 17ft single.
A few comments:
>"Why a tandem? I know I can build one lighter than my 17' aluminum canoe".
ANYTHING is lighter than 17ft aluminum canoe.
>"I just want to be able to carry it while my wife grabs the paddles, jackets and water bottles."
I never thought that grabbing a day-trip gear requires a second person. Firstly, jackets (PFD?) are worn, not carried. Secondly, with a center cart you can simply throw it all in the cockpit and tow the boat to water. Even with end-cart I can tow 50lbs kayak plus daytrip gear in cockpit on most occasions.
PS: Can't really compare 13ft canoe tandem to 13ft kayak tandem. Don't have experience with boats that short (except for one odd inflatable kayak). Just consider that
1) kayak strokes require more paddle room, and
2) kayak seats are very low, you almost sit on the bottom, so more leg room is needed.
A few things
I am used to paddling in synchronization.
My aluminum canoe is 75 lbs. Not really so bad for the size.
I don’t wear a life jacket on land and rarely in the boat. The law says we must have them. We paddle quiet water and they can be very sweaty in summer weather.
A cart wouldn’t work well here in Iowa where you often “wade” through grass 4 feet high to get to the river.
I want to stay barely under 13’ because over that requires registration and I hate to fund more DNR. To me it’s like a fine every three years.
Still unclear why 13ft
>My aluminum canoe is 75 lbs. Not really so bad for the size.
Right. And VERY wide 32"-34" wide tandem canoe 16-17 ft long would weigh 65 lbs in the heaviest Royalex layup, 55 lbs in Fiberglass, not to mention Kevlar. Aluminum canoes have never been particularly light.
I don’t wear a life jacket on land and rarely in the boat. The law says we must have them.
I think the law says “to wear”, not to “have”, though not sure about Iowa. There is little sense in carrying it if you don’t wear it in the boat.
We paddle quiet water and they can be very sweaty in summer weather.
There are inflatable and mesh-back PFDs. You really need to do more research.
A cart wouldn’t work well here in Iowa where you often “wade” through grass 4 feet high to get to the river.
Point taken. Still doesn’t make sense for one person to struggle with 50 lbs if it can be carried by 2 people. In 4 ft high grass the kayak won’t go anywhere while one of you goes back for paddles and other things.
I want to stay barely under 13’ because over that requires registration and I hate to fund more DNR. To me it’s like a fine every three years.
Can’t really comment, we don’t have kayak registration here, but I understand that this amount is small. IMO, doesn’t warrant a sacrifice of getting stuck for years in a smaller kayak than necessary.
Our
Our law does not require wearing except for kids 12 and under.
Registration is small for one boat but when you own six and are building another it gets to be a hassle. A 13’ boat is also plainly easier to carry around.
Short tandem
I used to own a Keowee II, a 12’10" tandem. It had one large cockpit opening instead of individual ones. I can’t imagine there was enough room for two cockpits in that boat, let alone a third opening between them. If you look at the shorter production tandems being offered, they all appear to be inflatables, SOT’s, or open cockpit SINK’s.
gnatcatcher
There
There is enough room for two cockpits when you consider the width I am using.
I think I’ll simply use a handle in the center instead of a center hatch.
Short tandem
"If you look at the shorter production tandems being offered, they all appear to be inflatables, SOT’s, or open cockpit SINK’s."
And for a good reason.
In a short tandem there is a problem of weight distribution - paddlers are sitting too close to the ends. Flat-bottom inflatables and SOT partially compensate for that, due to more buoyancy.
Another reason is almost the same - with front paddler sitting so close to the bow, he won’t have enough leg room (and foot room and knee room ) under close deck of SINK. Open cockpit helps there.
If you are going to build a 13 foot long
– Last Updated: Jul-06-11 1:30 PM EST –
tandem, you are making a big mistake.
It will be a true "divorce boat" and you two will be banging paddles constantly.
I strongly advise that you talk to some tandem paddlers before you waste your time and your money. There is nothing more fun than paddling in synch. with a paddling partner that is experienced with you, but you are not going to get it in a 13 foot yak.
And you were talking about a center hatch ????
Jack L
Just curious
What 13’ open canoe do you paddle tandem?
I
I paddle a homemade 13’ (actually 12’ 8") cedar strip. Paddles very well with one, two, or even three people although the middle person (my kid) is in the way if they paddle too.