Re: [Paddlewise] learning curve and forgiveness

At 12:15 PM 10/4/98 -0700, rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com wrote:
>John Winters posted some provocative thoughts to this list under the
>headings re: 
>
>I know of no certification program that aims at developing a
>sustainable, efficient powerful forward stroke.  Few instructors spend
>much time on this as they rush through explanation of the stroke to get
>on to other matters such as rolling, bracing, etc. 
>ralph diaz
>-- 


ralph
One problem I see i the money involved in teaching, although it is not a
whole lot
they seem to want to teach a beginner how to roll almost before they can
paddle. 
They get paid for each type of instruction.Forward stroke, braces,leans etc...
I sold a fellow a kayak and went thru the basics that he would need to have
fun and be safe and told him to get a good instructor to improve his
paddling .
Two weeks later this instructor was trying to teach him to roll. This new
kayaker 
did not have a good forward stroke,lean, brace or any of the other skills he 
needed to be comfortable or a proficient paddler. He is 68 years young. I
keep 
telling him he needed to practice the basics till they were second nature
with wet exit and reentry skills (which he has not worked on) because he
wants 
to learn to roll first. Now I do not blame this instructor on teaching a
student
what they want to know but being able to roll with bad skills doesn't make
up for 
anything except maybe being able to roll up after a bad brace, when with a
good 
brace he would not need to roll in most situations. This is just one example
and maybe not a good one .There should be some kind of requirements to pass
to 
the next stage and as off as some of the BCU requirements seem to be it is
the 
best out there at this time. Maybe we ought to start a AKU (America's Kayak
Union) ,see I don't begrudge the Canadians at all so I include them to, and 
do things the right and proper way with exceptions made for hard and soft
kayaks.
OK I thought it up you do the rest!! ha ha 

Dana
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