> > From: "Peter Osman" <rebyl_kayak_at_hotmail.com> > Subject: [Paddlewise] the "bombproof" roll > > G'day, > > Question from a Novice > Listening to the rolling debate leaves me puzzled. If no roll is > bombproof then are wide cockpit boats intrinsically 'safer' than narrow > cockpit boats? snip > Here's the argument: - if an expert at rolling can't always roll in > difficult conditions then what other method is suitable under those > conditions? Several posts and some of the literature have suggested that a > paddle float reentry would not be likely to work in severe conditions and > I think a cowboy reentry into a lightly loaded narrow cockpit boat in such > difficult conditions would also be near impossible. In a wide cockpit boat > or just possibly a heavily loaded narrow cockpit boat, might a "Cowboy" > reentry still work when a roll or paddle float reentry does not? > No matter what cockpit size, my guess is if the conditions are preventing paddle float outrigger rescues, than the "Cowboy" bronco style rescue will also fail and you will end up like most rodeo cowboys -in the dust (here water). If you go for a reentry and (paddle-float) roll, a smaller cockpit makes it a lot easier to get into the right seat position upside down. In a large cockpit it is to easy to end up to far in the front, so you have to slip back to your backrest before setting up for the roll. My 2 cents Ulli P.S. 1) Yesterday on a relaxed paddle trip I couldn't resist to give it a try. After practising the roll in a number of pool sessions during the winter -still not real spring here in Nova Scotia- I did 2 rolls. After #1 I thought "The water wasn't that cold, let's go for one more", #2 gave me a icecream headdache so I decided to call it end of the session. Not real life conditions (calm sea) but the first shot in cold saltwater. Afterwards I had about 2 liters water in the cockpit, should have pluged the deckhole intended for my future electric bilge pump outlet... 2) During paddling (and the 2 rolls) I wore a wetsuit and a paddling jacket (kokatat reaction) with latex arm gaskets but only a neopren neck closure. My T-shirt stayed dry, even around the neck. That was much better than I expected, I was prepared to get at least a cup or so into the jacket. Dr. Ulli Hoeger Dept. Physiology and Biophysics Dalhousie University Halifax, B3H4H7, Nova Scotia Canada Phone I : 902-494-2673 Fax: 902-494-1685 Phone II :902-488-6796 http://is.dal.ca/~uhoeger *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
I wrote: > <In a large cockpit it is to easy to end up to far in the front, > so you have to slip back to your backrest before setting up for the > roll.> > Ulli - This has not been my experience with the re-entry and roll. Using a > keyhole cockpit (such as the ones on a VCP or NDK boat, not the super-large > cockpit some boats have), I deliberately tuck myself all the way into the > boat, feet beyond the foot braces and against the front bulkhead. I don't > make a point of being on the boat's seat when I set up for the roll. The > seat of my pants is either on the boat's seat, or just in front of it. The > roll seems easier than a standard roll, and I'm not referring to a > paddle-float assisted roll here. > > I'm not sure why this roll is relatively easy, but it is. Perhaps it has > something to do with the fact that the boat is quite low to the water, since > it's partly swamped. Also, the paddler's weight is well aligned with the > center of the boat. I've taught others to do the re-entry and roll this way, > and they've had the same good luck with it that I've had. snip > Bill Hansen > Ithaca NY > Hi, Thanks for your comment. A paddle float assisted roll isn't a problem at all, as long as you are somewhere, smoehow in the boat. That's the great thing about it. If you can get back under water and reenter your boat I think it is likely faster and more stable than an outrigger paddlefloat rescue. OK there is more water in the cockpit, so get a good, handfree pump. Rolls without paddle float work without being in the seat and on the braces. I think -for a roll-beginner like me- it is more of a head problem. I simply don't feel right, and if you start thinking to much about it you'll sure blow the roll. I believe that is a big part to get a "bombproof roll" -Don't think about it, Do it- . As soon as your butt is higher than your head, set up, sweep, snap, and be save (in theory at least). I also found a partly swamped boat easier to roll. When I had my own kayak first time in the pool I though I lost my roll. I wasn't able to do it. After a while I had a success rate of ~50% in the pool (before in plastic boats -CD Storm, WS Sealution etc.- I was already closer to 90% in the pool). My boat is a 24 inch beam, hard chined boat, that might be the reason for the harder roll. At one point I started to practise to paddle float reentry and roll to get a bit more from my pool time. Soon I found out that I could reenter and roll without the paddle float, since there was some water in the cockpit. Subsequently I spent a lot of time rolling without a sprayskirt, just to get the moves imprinted in my brain. Last weekend I had no water in the cockpit but a lot of gear in the hatches, and I realy didn't want to blow the roll (cold water, everybody watching etc.) -sometimes a little pressure works wonder. It worked out pretty easy, a great confidence builder for future attempts -when the water is warmer. Cheers Ulli Dr. Ulli Hoeger Dept. Physiology and Biophysics Dalhousie University Halifax, B3H4H7, Nova Scotia Canada Phone I : 902-494-2673 Fax: 902-494-1685 Phone II :902-488-6796 http://is.dal.ca/~uhoeger *************************************************************************** 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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