Tandems and kid friendly kayaks

Wilderness Systems makes a tandem sit in that you can pick up pretty cheap.  I just grabbed a used one( the longer version) and it seems decent for the money.  If you want to go single the front seat slides back and it performs decent for a recreational version.  I've seen them in the $400-$500 range.

My primary kayak is an OK Malibu Two XL (aka "The Big Yellow Banana") which I fish with my wife. As others have mentioned it paddles pretty well alone (from the center position) and I love it with 2 adults (twice the horsepower for just a fraction more boat weight and drag). I haven't had my kids on it much yet but it is very stable (32 inch belly), and with the possibility of putting 1-2 kids on it comfortably I'd say it's a good match.

I go very light on gear so I can't recommend what to do if you want to bolt a bunch of stuff to it, but you can strap a crate to the back and that takes care of my fishing needs.

My kids (both 9) paddle eMotion Sparky kayaks (http://www.emotionkayaks.com/kayaks/sparky/) which are tiny and simple. My kids don't like fishing out of them, however. Due to their simplicity they really don't have anywhere to put the rod when you paddle, etc. But for just paddling around they're pretty good. They don't track very well so big water or very windy days won't be good, but I've taken them out on the Willamette in moderate breeze and they've done fine.

I got my OK Malibu 2xl for something like $600, and I love the options it provides.  Solo, or with either my 10 yr old or 7 yr old or both.  Took three limits at the clamming outing!

When we have all the money put together I'm hoping to find a similar deal.

I can certainly appreciate the sentiments of several who've suggested seperate single seaters for the kids.  If they were older/bigger/stronger that's probably what I'd do rather than a tandem.  But the oldest would be marginally able, at best, right now to handle her own yak.  The 7 year old is definitely not ready for that.  In a few years that will start to change, and I think I'll buy single seaters just for them when that time comes.  And by then the, now, toddler and infant will be approaching the age that the tandem will be useful with them.

My kids are 11 and 16, and have no problem owning the OK Malibu Two XL together.  They can move it right along.

I've been using the Malibu 2XL  for the last year and while its not the best fishing platform out there, it is a great compromise for someone that wants a boat that works well for 1 or 2 adults, or an adult plus 1 or 2 kids. I wanted something I could take out on my own, or use to go out with a friends or family and this was a much cheaper/easier option than getting two boats. So far I've really enjoyed it, especially with 2 people!

If you are packing two adults plus a bunch of gear it can crowded pretty quick though so just keep it simple unless you are on your own. Also, placing rod holders is a little bit of a challenge because of all the seat position options. I ended up with a variety of scotty flush mounts to make sure everyone has a convenient rod holder for a 1 or 2 person setup.

GP

On the cheap end of things West Marine has their Abaco 13.5' Tandem SOT on sale now for $425.  I just picked one up while on my lunch break and got another $50 off since it had some minor shipping damage to the hull.  Hard to beat a new tandem boat for $375!  Normal price is $500.   13.5 feet long, 34 inches wide.

No seat backs or other accessories, but it does have the padeyes for clipping in seats and we have a couple of seats already that should fit in it.  One beckson-style round hard plastic screw hatch in the center of the hull.  No built in rod holders.

It is a tandem with 3 seat areas so you can paddle it solo from the center seat or have two adults on the ends with a small child in the center, or maybe an adult in the center and 2 kids at the ends or maybe just 3 kids.  Lots of options if you want them.

Heavy boat to anyone who doesn't own a Hobie .  The catalog weight is 74 pounds, and if anything the boat may weigh a little more.  Built by the same factory that makes Perceptions and other brands.

While I would love a Hobie Oasis or ever an OK Malibu Two XL, the budget wasn't there.  Two weeks from now we will be babysitting our daughter's kids for a week so we will have 3 grand-kids aged 3 to 10 here to help break the kayak in.    The next batch of grand-kids will be here to use it later in July. 

This weekend I will give it a try as a solo boat as well as paddling it as a tandem with my wife.

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=11151&catalogId=10001&productId=1263726#.UbJaMJy1uWU

I'll post my impressions after I have paddled it some. 

Successfully tested the West Marine Abaco 13.5 Tandem kayak today.  My wife and I have a fair amount of experience in tandem canoes and tandem bicycles, but this was our first tandem kayak paddle.

She really enjoyed it.  Last year we each paddled single SOTs, and I usually went fast than she did which wasn't a good thing.  Today she was the one who wanted to "just go on a little further" which is a sign that we will be using this boat to go out and check crab pots later this summer.

The boat is stable, both tracks and turns OK.  Neither of us has been kayaking for at least 7 months, so we gave some unfamiliar muscles a workout.  Ended up going about 4 miles total.  Quiet enjoyable.  The boat is worth the money.

I hope to try it as a solo boat tomorrow.

 Glad you like your new boat PineCone. Have fun with it.

 Quick question----did you make those Greenland Paddles yourself ? They look good.
  I ask because I have just picked up some Red Cedar to try my hand at making some with my own carvings added for decoration on them. I have some interesting ideas brewing for now. Hopefully I'll have a few done and bring them down to ORC next month.

 Glad you like your new boat PineCone. Have fun with it.

 Quick question----did you make those Greenland Paddles yourself ? They look good.
  I ask because I have just picked up some Red Cedar to try my hand at making some with my own carvings added for decoration on them. I have some interesting ideas brewing for now. Hopefully I'll have a few done and bring them down to ORC next month.

I have carved about a half-dozen Greenland paddles including one in these.  The other in the photo was made by Don Beale. 

Don teaches paddle making classes at SSTIKS and other places.  His SSTIKS class is full, but you might want to drop by Twanoh State Park
next Friday or Saturday and take a look.  For more info on SSTIKS check out http://www.qajaqpnw.org/

I have euro-style paddles but prefer a Greenland paddle.  Make sure you post some pictures when you make yours,

Here it is with a single seat setup.  Works fine, easy to paddle and steer. 

There was a bit of a wind, so I stopped paddling and waited to see what happened.  Yesterday as a tamdem it seemed to want to lee cock, bow pointing downwind.  Today as a single it wanted to end up perpendicular to the wind.  Not a strong enough tendency to effect paddling, but a good thing to know.  I will test it with different gear configurations.  I would prefer it weather cocked, with the bow facing the wind.



Lots of room in the bow and stern for gear when used as a single, but not set up for a standard sized milk crate because the inside space isn't quite wide enough or flat enough, depending on where you would try and put it. 

Overall I would say it is worth the $$$ when not on sale, but on sale it is a very good deal.  It probably won't be a great fishing kayak, but some people have been hear to say that fishing isn't all that there is in life.   

Thread jack

Does anyone have experience with the Malibu Pro Tandem? http://www.malibukayaks.com/pro-2-tandem-recreational.html

Brief thread re-hijack

The West Marine Abaco 13.5 is the same boat as the Perception Tribe 13.5 kayak

http://www.paddling.net/Reviews/showReviews.html?prod=2804

http://www.kayakreviews.co/perception-tribe-13-5-tandem-sit-on-top-kayak

West Marine price ($425-$499) does not include seats, Perception Tribe price ($649-$699) does include seats

Now back to your regular program...

Quick deal update.  Just got an email from West Marine.  Today only the Abaco 13.5 SOT tandem kayak is on sale for $349.

Not affiliated with West Marine, but I have bought a lot of their stuff over the last 20+ years.

Looks like the sale is both on-line and in stores.  They have free ship-to-store if you need it. 

We like ours...  whatever its limitations, hard to go wrong for that price.  Just be sure to check for shipping damage.

I ordered up a Malibu stealth 14 mainly for myself to hit the ocean with...but the selling point was the "Gator seat" that i could drop my 9 yr old, or wife on and trout fish coffinberry, or trojan pond with.  i believe the stealth 12 also comes with the gator seat.  and in a few years when the kids get big enough, they essentially have a single seater to use.

Finally talked a couple of our grand-daughters into getting into the  kayak.  They really liked it as long as the water wasn't too deep.



That picture taken by their 8-year old brother who really likes the Lifetime Wave he gets to use.  He only got to kayak 3 times this week but that was due to my schedule rather than his desire.  Great to see the next generation enjoying outdoor activities.  Cody has gotten pretty comfortable in the little kayak and enjoyed taking pictures of us once he figured out how the camera worked.  Not sure he will be ready for salmon season for a few years, but I hope to get him fishing for trout from a kayak in one of our nearby lakes later this summer.  Gotta start 'em young...

Thread jack

Does anyone have experience with the Malibu Pro Tandem? http://www.malibukayaks.com/pro-2-tandem-recreational.html

Ray,
Have looked at but not paddled that boat. Actually been looking for something with higher capacity for two large adults. And leaning more towards the Cobra Double +1 or the Cobra Tandem, over even my "gotta have it" OK Zest.

Speaking of OK, if they still list it, and you have a 7 yro or younger that you want to take with you for say an afternoon on the water, look at their Peekaboo model. besides the center floor window to see below, it has a 400 lb rated capacity, and was built specifically for the purpose of taking your young uns out with you.