At 01:13 AM 12/1/99 -0600, Erik wrote: <snip Doug's post> <snip some of Erik's>) >Rolls are similar to strokes in that pure versions are taught, but in >practice elements of the pure versions are combined in many different ways >to suit the circumstances at hand. I'll bet that is especially true in the heavy hydraulics of Class IV and above river kayaking. I should add that I taught myself to roll. This is not recommended, but in my case I specifically did not want someone showing me the "correct" way to do it. Once I found workable solutions for my boat/body/flexibility combination, I then sought suggestions from the pros. Of course, twenty years ago we didn't have excellent places like Alder Creek and George Cronseth's establishments teaching the finer points like you can get today. No, our association/club had Derek Hutchinson flow out here in 1980 to yell at us the "correct" way to do things (he even had a few of the women in our club in tears). I went off my own way, did my own thing for a while. And, I've also mellowed out too, now understanding that if one takes Derek too seriously, one is taking life too seriously! Seriously. BC'in Ya Doug Lloyd (official Beta tester for PW, who also has been observed shouting from his kayak in heavy seas to the Coast Guard, "Its okay, I'm on assignment for Sea Kayaker Magazine!") *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
How did you go about this? My schedule doesn't allow "classes" Neither does my temperment. ----- Original Message ----- From: Doug Lloyd <dlloyd_at_bc.sympatico.ca> > I should add that I taught myself to roll. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
At 06:28 PM 12/1/99 -0800, "burnt out bobby" Bob wrote: (Doug had said "I should add that I taught myself to roll.) >How did you go about this? >My schedule doesn't allow "classes" >Neither does my temperment. Hey Bob, how's our favorite beat cop? Be careful out there! To your question: I started river kayaking first, but didn't have a roll. The guy that tried to teach me just didn't have the patience to help me develop this thing called a "hip flick". I kept to Class II and III and perfected the wet exit (we call it a cold exit here in Canada :-)). Tired of the endless drives to put-ins, the cold/wet/rainey winter weather attendant with WW kayaking, and due mostly to shuttling/group availability requirements, I decided to head to sea. I was deathly afraid of the ocean - of its depths. I had a livid fear of being trapped under the surface, and an irrational fear of "things" under the surface. One day I just decided that was it, I was going to conquer my childhood-onset phobia. I headed out to a big tide race, and set out, returning white knuckled. I should have died. I then waited for a big storm, and went to Port Renfrew (a large land indentation on the open, West Coast of the Island. The swell was running at an honest 20 feet. I launched my diminutive WW kayak up a river bed that the swell came surging up around the corner from, and rode it back out to sea. I was swallowed up in moving mountains of water. Once out in the bay, every log from every beach had been pulled off the shoreline, and dangerously collided in the rampant barrage of moving haystacks. The kayak was squished and pinched. I returned back white-faced, but exhilarated - and lucky to be alive. I immediately looked up the local kayak shop; said I needed some instruction and a kayak that tracked well and could carry gear. A shiny new Nordkapp was on the rack, with a glossy trip report about exploits around Cape Horn by its designer. I wrote a cheque then and there, and was hooked for life and well on my way to reaching a point where I had little or no fear of the ocean (not a good thing). The store keeper at Pacific Canoe Base said classes were being offered and if I wanted, a coach from the UK was coming out. Well, we won't go into all that again, but I did learn how to eventually scull very well from Hutchy. Just prior to that, a wonderful, knowledgable man by the name of Fred Potter took us through a basic sea kayak course. I learned things about tides, waves, boat handling, rescues, and all the plethora of details that we needed to know. Fred hated kayak wannabees, and sought those who wanted to really learn. Anyway, learning to scull is the first thing one should learn after the normal bracing lessons. Some will disagreed, but it was just the ticket for me, and made learning the Brace Roll on my own very easy. At the pool, I would use a swim-float aid and isolate the various components, such as laying well back as you come up. A mask was also a big help. I should also say that with few exceptions, a "sculling recovery" has been my modus operandi for dealing with almost all my knockdowns in heavy conditions. I know I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Derek Hutchinson who taught me to scull so well - so I will give him that. Dramatic statements yes, but you PW'ers don't even know the half-of-it. At symposiums, I get talked into filling in for teaching if someone doesn't make it. I always manage in the end to drop what I was supposed to be teaching, and convince the student(s) to let me teach them sculling first - I really can't help myself. Guess it's a case of "scullDouggery" or something. If you are really serious and want to teach yourself, buy the book "The Bombproof Roll and Beyond" by Paul Dutky. Just bear in mind that professional and/or qualified instruction is still a more safe and efficient way to learn. I'm a weird cat, so I wouldn't necessarily follow my route. BTW, Fred Potter died this last weekend of a heart attack. We were supposed to kayak together this past summer, but I had taken the summer off from kayaking. He was one of the few who "understood" me. Certainly, he was one who greatly influenced me. Fred will be missed. He was the original "Mr Ocean Paddler" on Vancouver Island, and fought hard in the early days to establish a Canadian BCU equivalent. Politics finished him off in the end in that regard about 7 years ago. I will miss him dearly. Sorry for rambling Bob - funeral is this week. Good luck. Don't roll your cop car! BC'in Ya Doug Lloyd *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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