A two-person kayak, the "tandem", is the most common choice at rentals and on family trips. It is faster and more stable than a solo, and paddles more easily because two people are working. It comes with one condition, though: those two people have to work together. Most "arguments on the water" come not from ill will, but from the fact that no one settled beforehand who is responsible for what.
Who sits at the front and who at the back?
This is the most important decision, and it is best made while still on the bank. At the back, in the stern, sits the person who steers - and in practice they are the one guiding the kayak. They should be the more experienced and calmer of the two, because they have their partner, the bow and the whole river in front of them. At the front, in the bow, sits the "engine": the person setting the pace and the power, and at the same time a pair of eyes that is first to see a shallow, a rock or a branch and says so in good time. If you are paddling with a child or with someone completely new, you seat them at the front and take the back yourself.
Who actually steers in a tandem?
The person at the back steers, but not by "turning a wheel" - in a kayak you turn with the paddle. The simplest way to steer is with the edge of the blade, but bear in mind that two similar techniques give the opposite result: a stronger pull on one side veers the kayak the other way, while holding the paddle in the water by the stern turns it towards the paddle. Meanwhile the person at the front simply paddles evenly forward and does not try to correct the course on their own - because then both people fight each other and the kayak zigzags. The rule is simple: the back steers, the front drives.
How to paddle evenly and not clash paddles?
The secret to a tandem is a shared rhythm. The person at the front sets the pace, and the person at the back matches them - watching their paddle and putting their own into the water on the same side at the same moment. When both people paddle in time, the paddles barely get in each other's way, because they work in parallel. And when the kayak starts to pull to one side, don't force it round with over-paddling - it's enough for the person at the back to add one stronger pull on the right side.
How to turn and turn around?
For a gentle course correction it's enough for the person at the back to paddle harder on one side - the kayak will veer the other way. For a sharper turn a duet works best: the front sweeps the paddle out from the bow, and the back does the same from the stern on the opposite side. To spin the kayak almost on the spot, one person paddles forward and the other backward on opposite sides. It's worth practising this on calm water before you need it at a bridge or a fallen tree.
How to hold a course in wind and on a lake?
On a narrow river the current guides the kayak itself, so there is little steering to do. The trouble starts on open water - on a lake or a wide backwater - where a crosswind pushes the kayak off course. Then the person at the back steers almost the whole time. It's worth knowing that a moving kayak sets its own bow into the wind - the wind pushes the stern harder than the bow - so corrections most often mean restraining that turn rather than adding to it. You choose the side and strength of the correction to suit how the particular kayak behaves. In strong wind on big water, keep to the shore - it is easier to find shelter and a quick return to land. Before you set out onto a large body of water, check the forecast and water level.
Where do tandem arguments come from and how to avoid them?
The "divorce boat" is no joke - most of the tension comes from the front trying to steer while the back complains that the front "isn't paddling evenly". Settle your roles on the bank and stick to them: the front sets the pace and looks ahead, the back steers and decides the course. Talk to each other in short, clear commands: "harder on the left", "stop", "rock on the right". And remember that this is meant to be a pleasure, not an exam - most mistakes end in laughter, not a capsize.
A tandem or a solo for a first trip?
For a first trip a tandem is usually the better choice: it is more stable, forgives more mistakes and lets a less experienced person paddle with someone more confident. A solo gives more freedom and is easier to steer on your own, but it takes experience and capsizes more easily. If you're just starting out, take a tandem, seat the more confident person at the back and pick an easy, calm river. What to pack I cover in the guide on what to take on a trip, and on safety I write here.