Sea Kayaks Techniques Bulletin Board

Re: Rolling Unnecessary!

Posted By: Rod Estvan
Date: Saturday, 18 November 2000, at 9:14 a.m.

In Response To: Re: Rolling Unnecessary! (Brian Nystrom)

I actually see a larger problem in this discussion than just one person who will not learn how to roll or wet exit and re-enter. What I have been seeing on Lake Michigan is a yearly increase in the number of roto-molded recreational kayaks on the water.

These kayaks are being sold in the Chicago area heavily by REI, EMS, Bass pro-shops. Because of the inexpense of these Kayaks they are looked at as toys. Some of these kayaks simply cannot be rolled they are too wide in the beam. They are designed for initial stability and give a novice a false sense of security.Clearly some of these kayaks with float bags can be a great deal of fun and these can be re-entered easily with practice. But I would add that I have seen and helped kayakers with even sit on tops get back on their kayaks.

I have one roto-molded double kayak, an old town loon. My nickname for it is the barge. It rides stable but when you get in serious water it will go right over on you no matter how well you brace. Needless to say I use float bags, a bilge pump, PDF, etc. I know the limits of the loon and I would never take it out into anything near more than 3 foot waves.

I can not blame stores for selling these kayaks, they are in business to make money. But I do blame some sales people for not explaining the risks a kayaker faces on the Great Lakes. I have been in stores like Bass proshops and heard people tell sales staff: I just want to be able to go out on Lake Michigan on nice days and I don't want to spend too much. In these stores I have never heard a sales person tell a potenial buyer, well maybe you should kayak on small bodies of water for a year or so, develop some skills and then take on larger bodies of water with real waves.

Rod

Messages In This Thread

Less is More When Rolling.
Ian Johnston -- Monday, 13 November 2000, at 8:19 p.m.

wel,.... more or less.....
Jed -- Monday, 13 November 2000, at 9:43 p.m.

What Jed said
Wayne Smith -- Tuesday, 14 November 2000, at 8:41 a.m.

Re: What Jed said
M. Hamilton -- Tuesday, 14 November 2000, at 3:12 p.m.

Re: What Jed said
Ian Johnston -- Tuesday, 14 November 2000, at 10:15 p.m.

Re: What Jed said
M. Hamilton -- Wednesday, 15 November 2000, at 12:09 a.m.

Re: Rolling Unnecessary!
Ian Johnston -- Wednesday, 15 November 2000, at 1:43 a.m.

Re: Rolling Unnecessary!
Brian Nystrom -- Wednesday, 15 November 2000, at 12:09 p.m.

Re: Rolling Unnecessary!
Ian Johnston -- Thursday, 16 November 2000, at 3:43 a.m.

Re: Rolling Unnecessary!
Brian Nystrom -- Thursday, 16 November 2000, at 12:38 p.m.

Re: Rolling Unnecessary!
Robert Woodard -- Friday, 17 November 2000, at 7:02 a.m.

Re: Rolling Unnecessary!
Brian Nystrom -- Friday, 17 November 2000, at 2:15 p.m.

Re: Rolling Unnecessary!
Rod Estvan -- Saturday, 18 November 2000, at 9:14 a.m.

Re: Uneducated!
Ian Johnston -- Saturday, 18 November 2000, at 8:06 p.m.

Re: Uneducated!
mike M -- Sunday, 19 November 2000, at 12:43 p.m.

There is room on the sea for all of us.
Jed -- Sunday, 19 November 2000, at 1:50 p.m.

Re: There is room on the sea for all of us.
mike M -- Sunday, 19 November 2000, at 6:29 p.m.

Re: You Already Have It!
Ian Johnston -- Sunday, 19 November 2000, at 6:56 p.m.

Re: You Already Have It!
M. Hamilton -- Sunday, 19 November 2000, at 9:37 p.m.

Re: There is room on the sea for all of us.
FBC -- Monday, 20 November 2000, at 8:25 p.m.

Re: There is room on the sea for all of us.
M. Hamilton -- Tuesday, 21 November 2000, at 1:34 a.m.

Re: There is room on the sea for all of us.
FBC -- Wednesday, 22 November 2000, at 6:28 p.m.

Re: You Are Alone Out There!
Ian Johnston -- Tuesday, 21 November 2000, at 2:04 a.m.

Not entirely
Brian Nystrom -- Tuesday, 21 November 2000, at 3:02 p.m.

Re: You Are Alone Out There!
Robert Woodard -- Wednesday, 22 November 2000, at 7:10 a.m.

Re: You Are Alone Out There!
Robert Woodard -- Wednesday, 22 November 2000, at 2:02 p.m.

Re: You Are Alone Out There!
FBC -- Wednesday, 22 November 2000, at 7:37 p.m.

Beliefs
Carl Tjerandsen -- Sunday, 19 November 2000, at 8:02 p.m.

Re: Beliefs
mike M -- Sunday, 19 November 2000, at 10:10 p.m.

Re: Beliefs
M. Hamilton -- Monday, 20 November 2000, at 10:42 a.m.

Re: Uneducated!
BERT -- Monday, 20 November 2000, at 7:54 a.m.

Re: What Jed said
Wayne Smith -- Wednesday, 15 November 2000, at 6:35 a.m.

Which roll ?
risto lappalainen -- Wednesday, 15 November 2000, at 8:55 a.m.

Re: Which roll ?
Greg Stamer -- Wednesday, 15 November 2000, at 10:20 a.m.

The "best roll?? . . .depends on the situation
Jed -- Wednesday, 15 November 2000, at 11:53 a.m.

Re: Uh oh--here we go again!!
Shawn Baker -- Wednesday, 15 November 2000, at 3:43 p.m.

thanks
risto -- Thursday, 16 November 2000, at 10:31 a.m.

Karate - defense
mike allen ---> -- Wednesday, 15 November 2000, at 2:17 p.m.

Re: Karate - defense
M. Hamilton -- Wednesday, 15 November 2000, at 9:51 p.m.

Re: Karate - defense
Shawn Baker -- Thursday, 16 November 2000, at 1:37 p.m.

Inside joke,...please excuse
Jed -- Thursday, 16 November 2000, at 5:43 p.m.

Re: Inside joke...nothing more
Shawn Baker -- Thursday, 16 November 2000, at 6:02 p.m.

Re: Inside joke...nothing more
M. Hamilton -- Thursday, 16 November 2000, at 7:06 p.m.

Re: Typing under the influence of microbrews
Shawn Baker -- Friday, 17 November 2000, at 1:32 p.m.

Re: Inside joke...nothing more
FBC -- Saturday, 18 November 2000, at 12:07 a.m.

Re: Karate - defense
Ian Johnston -- Thursday, 16 November 2000, at 3:32 a.m.

I misunderstood you point
mike allen ---> -- Thursday, 16 November 2000, at 12:53 p.m.

Re: Less is More When Rolling.
Don Beale -- Thursday, 16 November 2000, at 3:04 p.m.

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