I will be using my tandem kayak w/ someone that is heavier than me. Do I want the heavier person in the front or rear paddling position? Does it matter for weight distribution?
Also the person is new, has not been in a kayak before. Will it make a difference also if they are in the front or back?
It will make a tremendous difference
if the bow is heavy.
If at all possible try to get the boat trim.
If the bow is heavy, your boat will be constantly swinging back and forth from left to right.
If you can’t get the boat trim, then it would be better to be bow light with the heavier paddler in the back.
If the heavier paddler prefers the front, then try to trim the boat with your gear placed near the back, (if possible).
If you are very bow heavy you might want to
think about some weight, (water bags, etc) in the stern
Cheers,
JackL
Tandem
Usually the person in the rear cockpit steers the kayak, so if your friend is new to kayaking, I’d put them in the front cockpit & load the rest of your gear accordingly to offset the extra weight in the front of the kayak.