If you don’t like to paddle alone, or if your spouse or significant other isn’t comfortable paddling their own boat, consider a tandem kayak. Tandem kayaks are larger, of course, and more expensive, and harder to paddle solo. But, like a bicycle built for two, tandem boats can be lots of fun, too.

Tandem kayaks are versatile. They have lots of storage room, they can be paddled solo in a pinch, and they’re great for teaching a child or a beginning adult kayaker the ropes. And you won’t have the worry of watching a less skilled companion going ahead of you into rapids in a solo kayak. And if you’re a beginner yourself, there’s not better way to learn the ropes than to share a tandem kayak with a more experienced partner. Paddle for a few months in a tandem with a good paddler, and you’ll be ready to go it alone with confidence and the skills necessary to keep up.