My wife and I started kayaking after purchasing a smaller tandem in 2000. We moved on to other kayaks, but would occasionally break out the tandem once in a while. We loved paddling tandem, and it was a great boat for the price, but it was so short that we kept clanking paddles if we failed to keep our cadence exactly in sync. Storage was also lacking (no dry hatches).
We always talked about buying a larger tandem and the features we wanted. A composite would reduce SOME of the weight, but the idea of having to baby something that LARGE, didn’t sound fun. We looked at all kinds of tandems online, composites and otherwise… but could never settle on one. Then, one day we saw the plastic version of Current Design’s Double Vision hanging in a local outdoor store… on sale. We researched and discussed it for a week, and then… it was ours.
We knew the weight would be an issue on land, but once on the water… you wouldn’t know that it is THAT heavy (and we really load it down)! All that extra length, combined with doubling the paddle power… compensates well.
Weight is easily managed on land with pneumatic kayak wheels. We car top it completely empty, then we load it up… once it is on the wheels. Then, we roll it to the ramp and remove the wheels. If it needs a little shove on the ramp… no problem! It’s plastic. A little dragging won’t hurt!
Space is a big feature of this boat. It is very stable (which you want in a tandem), and the hatches are roomy. There is PLENTY of room in both cockpits for a small cooler between, and in front of your feet (drinks stay cooler in the shade)!
The rudder is awesome, and makes precise control of the boat with two paddlers a breeze. It is easy to deploy. You steer with ONLY your toes, leaving a solid surface for your feet the rest of the time.
Seats are nicely adjustable, and overall build quality seems solid. Two thumbs up!
