The Kayak Forum is Sponsored By
|
|
|
| |
Sea Kayaks Techniques Bulletin Board
Re: rolling...or not
Posted By: TONY MOORE In Response To: Re: rolling...or not (Tim Mattson)
Date: Friday, 7 March 2003, at 7:56 p.m.
: Tom,
: Don't give up. Many people on this bulletin board tell stories of learning to
: roll after just a few lessons. Others talk about reading a book or two and
: then heading to a pool and rolling. I've read instructors in this forum
: claim that they can teach just about anyone to roll in one or two
: sessions.: But the truth is that some of us just can't easily learn to roll. Some of us,
: even after lessons with excellent instructors, take a long time to learn
: to roll.: Don't give up. I have never met anyone who couldn't eventually learn to roll
: -- if they just kept working on it. It took me dozens of lessons and six
: months of hard work (with multiple rolling sessions per week) before I
: could learn to roll.: ... and it was worth it. Today I have a "bomb proof roll" that
: baring equipment failure or physical obstrutions, works every time.
: C-to-C, sweep, palweta, greenland rolls -- I have options on both sides.
: It took forever and I still have a hard time leaning new rolls (my hand
: roll totally sucks), but the work has paid off making the countless hours
: of frustrating work pay off.: Don't let people make you feel bad with stories of learning to roll after a
: few tries. Just enjoy the ride and invest what it takes to learn the roll.
: Try different instructors. Go to pools where kayakers hang out and watch
: people. Don't get hung up on the type of roll. Work on the fundamentals
: --- the hip snap, the paddle motion, keeping the head down -- and work
: your way up to the roll.: Just don't give up and you'll get there.
: --Tim
TIM IS RIGHT...NEVER GIVE UP, AND YOU'LL GET IT. NOW, TO ADD MY OWN 2 CENTS, HAVE YOU CONSIDERED TRYING A REVERSE SCREW ROLL? THIS IS THE ONE THAT WORKS WELL FOR ME FOR 2 REASONS: 1) I HAVE TERRIBLE FLEXIBILITY AS FAR AS BENDING FORWARD FOR THE SET-UP...WITH THIS ROLL, YOU ARE LYING DOWN ALL THE WAY ON THE BACK DECK, UPSIDE DOWN, OF COURSE. AND, 2) WATER UP THE NOSE DOES NOT OCCUR, SINCE YOUR HEAD IS FACING DOWN, THEN SIDEWAYS...NEVER UP. I FIRST CAME UPON A DESCRIPTION OF THIS ROLL IN DEREK HUTCHINSON'S BOOK "ESKIMO ROLLING". YES, I KNOW IT IS A CONTROVERSIAL ROLL, SOME SAYING IT IS UNSAFE, AND OTHERS CLAIMING THAT IT IS COMPLETELY SAFE. MANY WHITEWATER PEOPLE USE IT AS THEIR PRIMARY ROLL, AS DO I. YOU STATED THAT YOU LIKE THE LAYBACK POSITION, SO THIS JUST MAY BE THE ROLL FOR YOU.
ANOTHER 2 CENTS: BRING YOUR ROLL INTO COMBAT SITUATIONS. I KNOW MANY KAYAKERS WHO CAN ROLL LIKE OTTERS IN A POOL, BUT IN THE SURF, OR ROUGH SEAS, THEY BAIL EVERY TIME. DON'T LET YOUR ROLL BE JUST A 'PARLOR TRICK'.
TONY
| |
Sea Kayaks Techniques Bulletin Board is maintained by Nick Schade - Guillemot Kayaks with WebBBS 5.12.
|
Kayaking Technique |
|
|
|
