Sea Kayaks Techniques Bulletin Board

First Roll

Posted By: KenC
Date: Monday, 5 July 2004, at 11:20 p.m.

I hit my first roll on the weekend. Nailed it on the eighth attempt, and I was upright before I knew what happened.

I’m not sure which type of roll I ended up doing. I had read a few descriptions from the internet, and had looked at the various video clips from qayaqusa.com. The Storm-roll clips looked to be the most intuitive (for me), so that’s more or less what I was going for, although I’m not sure that’s what I actually did.

Before going over, I set up the same way as in the Storm-roll video clips, paddle held along the sheer so that when I settled upside down, paddle would be in position for a bow-to-stern sweep. But I was using an extended grip on the paddle -- with a feathered, round-shafted Euro paddle, that’s the only way I can determine the blade angle while underwater. I think I was coming up into a forward tuck, rather than a layback, but I’m not entirely sure. A couple times I popped up so fast I barely had time to register what was happening.

With each attempt, whether successful or not, I gained confidence, and before too long I was able to remain in “analytical” mode while upside down and could push the sense of urgency to “ABORT MISSION” further and further back. Several times I failed on my first attempt, so pulled the paddle back into the same “set-up” position for a second attempt, which usually worked. A couple times I failed on both first & second attempts & then had to wet exit.

I still don’t have my blade angle completely figured out. Sometimes it felt like it was skimming near the surface, and other times it was obviously diving (and hitting bottom). And that was with an identical setup every time (or so I thought). When the paddle unexpectedly dove, I was still able to get upright by pushing off the bottom, but I’d rather have the blade behave as planned than have to improvise a shove off the bottom. Still -- anything that gets me upright………

All of my successful rolls were right-handed. I don’t know if that’s correct terminology, but what I mean by that is that my right hand controlled the sweep, and I came up on the right side of the boat. I tried coming up on the left side a few times, but failed in all attempts.

Another practice session is in the works for next weekend, so I’d appreciate any observations, suggestions, etc on any of this. Specifically, I’ve been thinking about the following.

1. blade angle. I’m baffled why it behaves differently after what I think is an identical setup.
2. left-side roll. Should be just a mirror image setup (shouldn’t it??), but it wasn’t working out that way for me. Practice makes perfect, I suppose.
3. alternate “backup” roll for second attempts. When the first attempt fails, it seems to me it’d make more sense to follow up a bow-to-stern sweep with a reverse sweep, rather than struggling to force the paddle back into position for another identical setup.
4. I’ll try the same roll, but without an extended grip on the paddle. Only problem I foresee here is the inability to determine blade angle by feel, when underwater.
5. I’ll try the same roll, but with a Greenland paddle.
6. Any suggestions for another roll I should try next, to expand my repertoire?

Thanks;
Ken

Messages In This Thread

First Roll
KenC -- Monday, 5 July 2004, at 11:20 p.m.

Congratulations !!!
Mick -- Monday, 5 July 2004, at 11:57 p.m.

Re: First Roll
Don -- Tuesday, 6 July 2004, at 10:03 a.m.

Re: First Roll
Tim Mattson -- Wednesday, 7 July 2004, at 5:54 p.m.

Re: First Roll
Ed Deery -- Tuesday, 6 July 2004, at 10:23 p.m.

Go greenland
Nelson Labbé -- Wednesday, 7 July 2004, at 11:49 a.m.

Re: First Roll
Mike Scarborough -- Wednesday, 7 July 2004, at 12:19 p.m.

Re: First Roll Followup
KenC -- Monday, 12 July 2004, at 10:45 p.m.

Re: First Roll Followup
Bert -- Tuesday, 13 July 2004, at 6:25 a.m.

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