which would be best for a 3 day trip where speed is of importance in order to cover as much distance as possible. ( solo vs. tandem )
Tandems are faster- HOWEVER
If one of the paddlers will rest for significant periods, the tandem is slow with one paddler. Tandems are somewhat tough on narrow, winding rivers if the paddlers are not together. If you’re essentially going straight with both paddlers in sync, the tandem will cover a lot of ground.
There are some unknowns in your question such as the individual abilities of the tandem paddlers and the speed of the boats being used.
It has the POTENTIAL to be faster
Same as with tandem bicycles. If there is anything but TWO well-matched, cooperating engines, the tandem might actually be the slowest thing around.
Storage space: Tandem vs. single
– Last Updated: Jan-01-06 3:10 AM EST –
Others have addressed the speed isssue, so I'll address the issue of storage space.
Three days isn't very long, so it may not make much of a difference if you like to travel light. However, two singles can often carry more gear than one tandem, as much of the space in a tandem is taken up by the two paddlers. Since tandem boats aren't twice as long as singles, you're going to have a bit less total storage space than you would with two singles.
Melissa