Sit In Tandem Advice

Advice
#1

i am looking for a tandem sit in kayak for my winter home. Used.

I am very happy with the Old Town Loon 160T kept at my summer home. I usually paddle it solo on the open waters of Lake Huron.

For Florida, I will be on the Gulf and on inland rivers. I want a Sit In Tandem as stable as my Loon 160T that can easily be paddled solo. I’m having a hard time finding a used 160T so am looking for alternatives.

Stable and solo are crucial.

I do not want a sit on top. I’ve tried several and hate them, even the expensive Hobies with the pedals.

Any suggestions?

#2

There is an Old Town Loon 160T for sale on Craigslist just north of Tampa for $600.

#3

Wilderness Systems has several tandems. Their Pamlico has been around for years. Longevity in the market, I think, is an indicator of a good boat.
I have 3 WS boats and their seats are great.

#4

From the reviews on this site, the tandems are somewhat unstable, at least compared to the Loon. Im looking for something with virtually zero chance of tipping.

In 16 years, I have never flipped my 160T even in sizeable waves on Lake Huron. That’s my primary concern.

#5

You would have to work at it to flip a Pamlico. I suspect that most tandems are very stable when paddled solo. Add another paddler, esp. an inexperienced one and it can get exciting.

#6

Uncle Ducky, the kayak-tours-for-the-masses outfit in Munising, uses Necky Looksha tandem kayaks for its tours on Lake Superior. They must be stable with little chance of flipping given the thousands of people with zero paddling experience who take those tours each summer.

#7

My concern was stability with two large kayakers totaling 450 lbs.

Well, I ended up buying that 160T cited above. Same color as my Michigan one.

Thanks everyone

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#8

Glad it worked for you! I’m about 2000 miles from the Tampa area so I wasn’t going to take a look at it, but I’m glad you got it. If I find myself down that way I might have to look you up and have a paddle!

#9

Sure! It’s great fun paddling through the mangrove islands and chasing dolphins!

I thought he was asking way too much for the boat, considering it didn’t come with paddles. I explained my reasoning and he agreed to a drastic price reduction.

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#10

There is a boat that you should look at and that is the Eddyline Shasta. Yes there is the open cockpit, but for a boat that adapts to single, or tandem paddling it would be hard to beat.