[Paddlewise] rolls and failure

RE: "Needing to perform any rescue at all is a result of a failure on your 
part".

Here I go again,  an amateur disagreeing with the pros. I can't agree that 
needing to roll is necessarily a sign of *any* sort of failure. Setting aside 
the very obvious situations in which we practice rolls and braces of various 
kinds, different kinds of reverse sculling, etc etc - either just for fun or 
to improve aspects of boat control...... there isn't one of us who won't at 
some time find her/him self in an unexpectedly rough situation, and need that 
roll.

My friend and teacher Tom Bergh says "There are two kinds of kayakers: those 
who have swum, and those who will". That's true too. Just short of the 
swimmers there are those who have never needed to roll their boat  and those 
who do occasionally need a roll. 

I think there's a danger that if one paddles so that she/he never needs to 
roll, one will never learn the best of skills, and will never know how much 
fun kayaking can be.

Bill Hansen
***************************************************************************
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/
***************************************************************************