RE: [Paddlewise] the "bombproof" roll

Hi Matt and All,

Thanks for the great post.

I think Matt gave an excellent and balanced overview of rescues and his
order of preference to which I would like to add a couple of comments.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
> [mailto:owner-paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net]On Behalf Of Matt Broze
<Huge snip of some good stuff>

> IMHO, next
> best after
> the Eskimo roll is the float roll. You don't need a paddle but do need a
> float handy that you can get to and hold out to the side quickly.
> No pumping
> required afterward (given a reasonable kayak and spraydeck anyhow). (I
> thought Rob Cookson did a good job of elaborating on float rolls,
> earlier.)


Don't remember doing that (at least recently) so you may be giving me credit
for someone else's fine work.

> Anything else that gets you upright and keeps you in the kayak the whole
> time I'd put in this first group. Eskimo bow and side rescues might be
> included here (in a non-solo category) but unless the victim and
> rescuer are
> well practiced at this and can signal to each other when to attempt this
> rescue (so as not to interfere with rolling attempts) these rescues to are
> more likely to be relegated to the next class down (in the re-enter and...
> and non-solo categories).

I've used Eskimo rescues successfully in rivers or in classes when students
were aware of the rescue and knew there would be someone close by.  This is
about the only time I find them valuable.  They are great for teaching hang
time and composure.  Using this method I once had a student (Greg P. if
you're reading I'm talking about you) give a most impressive display of
patience and lung power by hanging upside down and waving his arms for about
40 seconds until someone got to him in Deception pass.

In a non instructional rough water paddling scenario I would doubt that I
would be able to get to a capsized paddler in time for this to be effective.
Generally in rough water I'm more than a few seconds away from the people
I'm paddling with.

<more Snippage>

> I have real trouble seeing how anyone decides to forgo carrying
> some kind of
> float when having one might make living (as opposed to dying) so much
> easier.

I couldn't possibly agree more.

Every instructor has a few jokes to exemplify their strengths and justify
their weakness'.  I consider myself a pretty good roller and an ok paddle
float rescuer.  So my lame paddle float witticism is that I would much
rather die of exhaustion trying to get back in to my boat with a paddle
float than die wondering if I could if I had one.  I always carry one.


>The argument that re-entering and rolling is a better rescue seems
> absurd here, even if it were true. Why not also have a back-up to your
> re-enter and roll. Shoulder dislocations are not unheard of
> events during a
> roll.
>What are you going to do if that happens while solo. Whatever it is,
> it will likely be with one arm and one hand. I'll bet if you are
> reasonably
> capable, and had to, you could still pull off a re-enter and float roll or
> an outrigger paddle float rescue. It might hurt a lot more than death by
> hypothermia though.

My order of preference for rescues is as follows.

Roll

If Swimming and there is no reason why another roll attempt would fail
re-enter and roll.

The reason I choose this is that I have better rolling skills than re-entry
skills.

If that fails paddle float rescue.

I have a lot of faith in my roll.  I practice it often and have used it
under fire in white water and while surfing.  It has been ultra reliable, I
have only had a handful of swims in the last decaden and those have all been
out of white water boats.

If I was as good with a paddlefloat rescue as Matt is, my order of
preference might change.  We tend to be good at what we practice and for me
that has been the roll.


Understand that for me this is all hypothetical.  I've never accidentally
capsized my sea kayak while touring.  I have of course capsized surfing, and
once I got munched by an big seamy eddy line in Deception pass (roll worked
just fine).  But I expect that sort of thing while screwing around.

I have heard others mention it in this thread, but I'll toss it out here
too.  If I'm touring and the weather is so nasty that I think I'm likely to
need my roll, I'll brew another pot of coffee and hang out on the beach.  I
love being stormbound.

Whatever rescues you are relying on, practice them often and in a variety of
conditions (make sure you know how to do this safely).  Whether it's a roll,
a cowboy or a paddle float, If you're gonna bet your butt on it you better
practice more than once a year in a pool and have a good plan B.

Cheers,

--
Rob Cookson
		3 Hats Design
		INTERNET  PRINT  ILLUSTRATION
		5201 15 Ave NW
		Suite 220
		Seattle, WA 98107
		206.851.8202 direct line
		206.784.1641 main office phone
		206.784.2231 main office fax
		mailto:rob_at_3hats.com
		http://www.3hats.com

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