RE: [Paddlewise] Folding Kayak Roll

Lets see, its been a couple weeks since rolling has come up on the list, so
it must be time to start up the argument again ....

In a recent post, Bob asked:

	I've heard this statement before, that it isn't 
	necessary to learn a roll if you paddle a 
	folding kayak, and I never have quite resolved it.  
	Is this because folding kayaks are harder to roll 
	in, or some other reason, such  as they a 
	more stable platform for  re-entry?   

I have a Feathercraft Khatsalano and I roll it all the time.  I have also
played around with a K1 and believe it would be easilly rollable as well
(though I didin't try at the time).  Most  folding boats are very wide and
might be hard to roll, but I haven't put this to the test.  I've rolled many
boats and as long as I fit them, I haven't found a single-kayak I couldn't
roll (not to say they don't exist --- they probably do.  I just haven't
tried them yet).

There are people whoose opions I respect who believe folding boats are
inherently more stable and therefore it is not necssary to learn to roll.
I've heard it said that they are inherently more seaworthy and less likely
to capsize, so the need for a roll is greatly diminished.  I've also heard
it said that these wide boats are easier to re-enter once you have capsized,
so once again, the need for a roll is diminished.

While the above statements are true and in the right context imply that the
ability to roll isn't essential, they don't establish the case that a user
of a folding single-kayak shouldn't learn how to roll.  Bad things happen
when conditions deteriorate, and the ability to respond to "bad things"
without having to exit your boat, is of tremendous value. 

If you've been following this list at all, you've heard all the arguments
for and against a paddler investing the time to learn how to roll.  This can
quickly turn into a "religous war" and I don't think we need to go over all
that again.

But I would be interested. How many of you out there paddle foldable boats
and know how to roll them? I can't be the only one.  Are there rollers out
there who have verified that its really that much harder to roll a folding
boat?  

--Tim



> -----Original Message-----
> From:	Robert L. Thomasson [SMTP:BobThomasson_at_compuserve.com]
> Sent:	Sunday, February 07, 1999 7:04 PM
> To:	Paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
> Subject:	[Paddlewise] Folding Kayak Roll
> 
> Ralph Diaz wrote:
> 
> <<At the point it hit me.  Why bother worrying about where to store a boat
> in Manhattan?  Why bother learning how to roll (which I was working
> on)?  Why bother with all of that when a folding single would do just
> fine.  So, within a few months I bought a single Klepper.>>
> 
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Bob
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