Article: Paddling in tandem (with a partner) is similar to paddling on your own, with some crucial differences. When two people are sitting in the same boat, it's important to keep the boat "trim" — that is, to make sure it sits balanced in the water. Thus, you'll want one person sitting at the bow (front) of the boat and the other at the stern (back). This should be the sitting arrangement that feels most natural and balanced.  If one person is significantly heavier than the other, you may want to consider putting more of your gear at this person's end of the canoe to evenly distribute the weight. In traditional canoe terms, the person sitting at the bow is called the bowman and the person at the stern is called the sternman. When paddling as a team, you want to synchronize your strokes (start and finish them at the same time) to get maximum power. Since the bowman is facing forward and can't see the sternman, the bowman sets the pace. This means it is up to the stern man to match his strokes to the bowman's, not the other way around. Of course, both paddlers can (and should) talk to each other to figure out a comfortable pace — good communication is key for a quick, happy voyage. The person sitting in the stern of the boat will almost always have an easier time determining the direction of the boat than the person in front. Thus, the sternman is responsible for making sure the boat is going in the right direction. She should use her normal strokes as well as special techniques like J strokes and sweeps to keep the boat pointed forward. The bowman may assist in turns, but will not usually be able to take a leading role. The reason that the sternman has greater control over the boat's steering has to do with the force of resistance the water puts on the boat. Essentially, since the bow of the boat is responsible for "cutting" through the water, it is constantly feeling the resistance of the water that it pushes out of the way. The stern, on the other hand, doesn't have this problem, so it usually feels less of a "push" from the water around it, making it easier to turn. When traveling forward, having both people paddle on opposite sides of the canoe generally gives the straightest result. To make sure you don't accidentally start paddling on the same side of the boat and cause it to turn, make sure to switch sides at the same time. Generally, the sternman calls out "switch!" when it is time to do so. Note that, since the sternman has greater control over the direction of the boat, the canoe will usually gradually turn away from the side the sternman is paddling on even if the bowman is paddling on the opposite side — this is why switching sides is important. With the addition of a second paddler, steering a canoe becomes slightly different. While all of the stern man's steering techniques described in the section above will work as normal, the bowman's efforts to steer can work differently because of his position at the front of the boat. If the bowman understands these differences, he can assist with the steering of the boat. Below is a summary of techniques the bowman can use to help steer:  Paddling forward works normally (the boat will turn away from the bowman's paddle.) Draws work backwards (the boat will turn towards the bowman's paddle.) Instead of doing back sweeps, bowman usually use a technique called the front sweep to help steer. This is essentially the opposite of a back sweep — the bowman reaches forward with the paddle, then pulls it back and out to the side in a wide arc along the surface of the water. This works like a stronger version of the ordinary forward stroke, turning the boat away from the bowman's paddle.
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Sit at opposite ends of the canoe. Let the bowman set the pace. Let the sternman handle steering. Synchronize your side-switching to travel in a straight line. Be aware of differences in steering techniques for the bowman.