RE: [Paddlewise] Rolling Your Sea Kayak

Just as a learn to roll idea, or for extreme whitewater, take a 20 cu, ft
pony bottle and regulator with a long hose. There is a harness you can get
to strap it to your waiste/lap. You route the hose up along your side to
your neck. The second stage regulator ( it contains the mouthpiece ) has a
length of surgical tubing attached to both sides of the mouthpiece, and the
tubing runs around the back of your neck. When not in use, the 2nd stage
hangs comfortably right under your chin. If you tip, and don't roll as
desired  instantly, you can actually just tilt your chin down sharply and
grab the reg with your mouth, no hands needed. You can use your hand if you
like :-)
This is the method of riging the backup regulator for Doing it Right style
diving, but would seem to be a good application for extended rolling
practice if you have no spotter, or if you are venturing into very rough
water.
Regards,
Dan Volker

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
[mailto:owner-paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net]On Behalf Of Chuck Holst
Sent: Friday, December 18, 1998 10:39 AM
To: 'Paddlewise'
Subject: RE: [Paddlewise] Rolling Your Sea Kayak



>>
I'd be interested in the experience of other ocean and lake paddlers: How
many
rolls do you do in a season?  More pertinent, on how many days in the
season
do you roll?
>>

My wife found that two things made learning to roll easier for her: a
face mask, which she finds more comfortable than nose clips, and a
spotter (me) to give her an Eskimo rescue when needed. With me standing
by, though she missed many rolls in her first month, she never once had
to wet-exit. This served both to conserve her energy and to allow her
more attempts per session. I recommend both a mask and a spotter to
anyone learning to roll.

Rolling our sea kayaks is recreation, not work, for us, and we practice
frequently. During the summer we practice once a week on a city lake,
and during the winter we usually practice twice a month in a neighborhood
pool. We also practice occasionally with fully loaded boats during trips
on Lake Superior, to get used to rolling both in cold water and in waves.
(We find our Romanys no harder to roll fully loaded than empty.) In warm
water, it is not unusual for us to roll 20 to 30 times per session. So we
practice maybe 24 days a year, not counting trips, and probably do over
500 rolls a year.

One thing I have noticed is that constant practice pays off more than one
might think. I thought I was pretty good at the end of my first year of
rolling because I hardly ever missed. By the end of my second year I
thought I was about as good as I could get, because I never missed. But
by the end of my third year, I was even better, because my roll was more
fluid and effortless than ever before. So just because you succeeded a
few times in class, don't think you know how to roll. Get out there and
practice.

Chuck Holst
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