Re: [Paddlewise] Pool Session Report (longish)

"Steven W. Jarvis" wrote:

> Paddlewisers,
>
> I thought I'd add my pool session report to the growing list of these, as I
> actually enjoy reading them.
>
> Last night I went to a local pool roll session (every Tuesday night, 7-9pm,
> $2.00; can't beat that) to finally learn to roll. Even in the pool, I was
> VERY nervous in my borrowed WW boat at first. I did a couple of wet exits
> for practice, then started working on my on-side hip snap on the edge of the
> pool while the instructor worked with the other two beginners (while the
> more experienced paddlers were in the deep end of the pool, throwing ends in
> their rodeo boats!). I eventually got really comfortable being upside down,
> knowing I could roll up on the wall or just wet exit if I drifted away from
> the wall. I actually got to enjoy hanging upside down in the boat.
>
> Eventually, the instructor got back to me, and I started working with a
> paddle (a really short WW paddle) on a C-to-C roll.  My initial problems
> were (1) raising my head and (2) diving the paddle. The water was shallow
> enough that if I blew my roll a couple of times, I could bottom brace and
> grab enough air to set up again without help.  I finally quit raising my
> head, but I'm still having problems with my paddle position.
>
> I did actually hit 3 or 4 sloppy rolls completely by myself, though, so I
> sortof figured it out. Now I need to work on my technique (then offside,
> then extended paddle, THEN in my new touring boat when it arrives). Rolling
> is an insanely powerful ego boost, and if nothing else, it's going to
> increase my comfort and confidence on the water. When my new boat arrives,
> I'm going to work on self-rescues in the deep end, too, since there are
> usually only 5-8 boats in the whole pool.
>
> Thanks for listening.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Steve

Hi Steve!
    Congratulations on the roll!  You are right about it being an ego boost.  I
got such a boost out of it that even my friends who could care less about
paddling had to listen to me talk about how it felt.  Yes, believe it or not, I
do have friends (one or two) who don't care about paddling.  There are a couple
deviants in every group. :-)
    Although there are others here much more qualified to give you advice on
rolling, from the perspective of someone who has just gone through it I would
like to make a couple comments.  On the paddle dive issue there are usually two
causes.  The first is putting too much weight on the paddle.  This is a common
problem when first learning, I did it big time for my first few rolls.
Basically I was using the power of my hip snap to lever my way up to the surface
before the paddle hit bottom.  When I got up my paddle was almost vertical, no
reserve left at all.  The second cause is blade angle.  It was hard for me at
first to twist my wrist the "wrong" way (down) to get the proper blade angle.
For the first couple of my good rolls I actually rotated the paddle in my
control hand rather than twist my wrist.  Once I got the rest of the roll down I
went back and worked on my wrist action.
    The easiest way to find out if you are putting too much weight on the paddle
is to exchange your paddle for your spotters hands.  Have your spotter hold his
(generic his here) hands out about six inches under water.  Roll over and grab
the spotters hands then roll up using the hands as a brace.  Your spotter can
tell you quickly if you are putting too much pressure on.  This method helped me
a lot.  I hope this helps.
    And congratulations on your new boat, too!  The Magellan looks to be a real
nice boat.  I was looking seriously at one myself before I succumbed to the
dreaded fiberglass itch.

Mike


--
    Paddling along through fog so thick that only one's thoughts are
visible, your reverie is abruptly shattered by the ancient cry of a great
blue heron as she lifts uncertainly from the brilliant blue of a
mussel-shell beach witnessed only by the brooding, wet spruce....your
passage home seems as much back through time as it does through space.
Mark H Hunt


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