Re: [Paddlewise] exercises for rolling

-----Original Message-----
From: Steve Cramer <cramer_at_coe.uga.edu>
To: Dave Uebele <daveu_at_sptddog.com>


>Dave Uebele wrote:
>>
>> Monday night I took a class in rolling a kayak.
>> I learned quite a bit, and had a couple of moments where
>> it all came together while I still had the paddle float
>> attached to the end of the paddle.  I have some ideas
>> what I'm still doing wrong (the head wants to come out of the
>> water first).
>
>It's that irrational desire to breathe that we mammals are cursed with;
>got to get over it. Also, if you really want to learn to roll, get rid
>of the paddle float. All that buoyancy trains you to get yourself up by
>pulling on the paddle. It'll be a hard habit to break. Instead, hipsnap
>hipsnap hipsnap....

I have found using a flat foam float over the paddle blade (or a strapped on
pool "belly board") to be a very effective aid to rolling. It lets you
practice success and in slow motion (rather than practice failure) .
Practice until you can roll up slowly and effortlessly and then speed up the
motions you have learned and try a few rolls without the float. If you come
close keep at it, if not go back to the float on the paddle and practice
rolling some more with it. Be concious of muscling up and lifting your head
too soon. It is a great help to have an experienced roller around to refine
your technique before removing the float but some have learned to roll on
their own this way. An inflatable float doesn't work nearly as well as a
flat foam one for this because the roundness won't plane and the round
floats short waterline "hull speed" slows the sweep.


Matt Broze
http://www.marinerkayaks.com


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