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Sea Kayaks Techniques Bulletin Board
Rockin -then rollin; Groovin -then movin
Posted By: mike allen ---> In Response To: rolling and beam winds (risto lappalainen)
Date: Friday, 8 September 2000, at 3:06 p.m.
I'm not an instructor but: When you're upside down in the washing machine, as others have noted you lose frame of reference. However there are two interesting aspects that are really quickly apparent and adaptable to if you take a sec or so. The first one, usually depending on conditions or how quick you got dumped, is that you're slowly rocking or rocked to the side under the water. So use this 'rhythm of the rock' and make the sweep etc etc when the rocking is in the rotation that you wish to roll. Or if you're really nailed to the off side, go with that rock or flow and switch sides. (Whatever is keeping you over there - use)
The second useful aspect that is fairly readily apparent is vertical motion. When you're upside down you can feel the rise and fall of the waves. So use the kinetic energy to advantage, and stay away from the possible problem times. You're most exposed to higher winds, breaking waves, paddle unsupport, and counter kinetic movement by performing the roll on the peak of a wave than in the trough - 'the groove'. While it is arguably easiest to roll w/ the paddle on the rising face of a wave and the wave assisting to roll one up, it's too hard to orient so 50% of the time one'll be on the other side and every thing will be against me - bad odds. So use the groove. While the yak is falling, it's moving away from the breaks, away from higher wind, the kinetic energy of the falling kayak against a brace or sweep will help the roll, the location of the water is closer to the yak 'horizon' so a stroke is less likely to be missed. And I don't have to reach so far down with that last desperate brace as my marginal roll just just just about gets me up.
So being flippant (when dumped (pun also)): let it rock - then ROLL; and when one starts to slip into the groove - then MOVE
As an adjunct, these two aspects often work in white water although they're not often rhythmic. If you're setting up on the wrong side(otherwise you're rolling with the rock anyway-mostly), just wait until the body starts rolling back and then start. And with vertical movement, often you'll be sweeping foam and reaching down too low, if you start at the top of a 'bump'. So start as you fall.
I guess it's sort of like using the energy of the dump and/or of the water to assist. And if it's there, why not?
-mick
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