Thanks to all for the advice for rolling. I was under the impression that it was much easier to do. My instructor made it sound so simple, and I also took it light. My real attempts begin now and I wont be so frustrated (frightened) after knowing what really is to be expected. Dana __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Photos -- now, 100 FREE prints! http://photos.yahoo.com *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Dana- It took a little over one year for me to learn how to do a screw roll- 12 months without an instructor and one pool session last February with an excellent instructor (Gabriel Romeu are you listening?). During those 12 months I went to 2 open pool sessions (without instructor), and worked on a roll during about 6 sessions in a lake. OK- so I'm stubborn, but the videos make it look so easy. I worked up to a serviceable Pawlata roll and sculling brace but couldn't even begin to figure out the screw roll. I had all the pieces I need for a roll. Gabriel helped put all the pieces together for me. Last weekend after watching me practice my rolls, my wife decided she wanted to learn how to roll her kayak (side note- big mistake). She was OK with her head under the water while holding my hands. And she said she was OK with the idea of letting go of my hands for a few seconds. But I don't think she was ready for what it was going to feel like. The second I let go of her hands she panicked. My wife is an excellent swimmer, SCUBA dives, and is usually very comfortable in the water. Maybe next time I'll bring her SCUBA mask- and a qualified instructor. WesT *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
"Tanaka, Wesley K." wrote: > > Dana- > It took a little over one year for me to learn how to do a screw roll- 12 > months without an instructor and one pool session last February with an > excellent instructor (Gabriel Romeu are you listening?). During those 12 > months I went to 2 open pool sessions (without instructor), and worked on a > roll during about 6 sessions in a lake. OK- so I'm stubborn, but the videos > make it look so easy. I worked up to a serviceable Pawlata roll and > sculling brace but couldn't even begin to figure out the screw roll. I had > all the pieces I need for a roll. Gabriel helped put all the pieces together > for me. I have to put in a bit of a disclaimer here. Wes had this amazing sculling brace that took him from an inverted position to sitting up- in slow motion! Really nice to watch. With that sort of sense of paddle position and 'center', he was there. All that was needed was an extra set of eyes to observe and critique. I really didn't do much. It illustrates that all the exercises that contribute to a sensitivity of your boat, as in the sculling brace, are all valuable in all the other skills associated with boat control including the roll. I think it is a very good exercise to learn a roll Dana, there is a lot of other stuff to work on which will aid you in developing one. -- : : Gabriel L Romeu : http://studiofurniture.com furniture from the workshop : http://members.xoom.com/gabrielR life as a tourist, daily journal : http://users.aol.com/romeugp paintings, photographs, etchings, objects *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Wes, If Kathy is comfortable diving in her mask, then it will make a huge difference for her to have it during rolling practice (I predict!). Best, Bob V *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
On Wed, 14 Jun 2000, Dana VerHague wrote: > Thanks to all for the advice for rolling. I was > under the impression that it was much easier to do. > My instructor made it sound so simple, and I also took > it light. My real attempts begin now and I wont be so > frustrated (frightened) after knowing what really is > to be expected. Rolling is like a driving a car. With practice it becomes second nature, and feels easy. *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Dana, don't let these nattering nabobs of negativity get you down. My brother (just a new roller himself) tried to show me how to roll during a 2 hour pool session. I was not making it but was getting my head out of the water before splashing back in. An expert roller came by and said "try to wipe your nose with your bicep during the roll". I have been rolling ever since and made the first one I tried on my off side (I paddle opposite feather from my handedness--but that's a very obscure reference and another story). Several years later I was going to help a couple of friends learn to roll and with us all in our kayaks had demonstrated rolling a couple of times. Somebody else needed to talk to me so I was distracted for a few seconds and when I turned back around to start the lesson again Lowell said: "I did it". I said: "did what". He said: "Eskimo rolled". I said: "yeah, right" and the other guy said: "no he did it, I saw him". Lowell was wet. I was sorry I just missed seeing the only guy I have heard of to roll on their first try. It did take him a little while to do it again though. I'd like to take some credit for this but I hadn't had a chance to even really start the lesson yet. Rob gave you some real good advice. Paddle flat on the surface (slap it to make sure) not angled up (that will just stall it and you need it to fly--slice sideways--fast not stall and sink). Relax, hold the paddle very loosely, your wrist on the roll side should be limp. Lead the paddle shaft with your wrist. Don't try to control it or the blade angle, let it glide on its own glide path near (but not on) the surface, your hand acting more like a rope pulling the glider from your wrist. You can practice this on the surface doing sculling high brace type strokes while letting your limp wrist flop back and forth (remember loose hand encircling the shaft but not gripping it) as you lead with the wrist. Once in the upside down and bent way forward at the waist starting position for this roll (with the paddle blade as far forward as you can hold it), rotate your torso even further in the direction it is already twisted in and stretch out as far as you can as you sweep the paddle blade. Sweep the blade in as wide an arc and as far away from you as you possibly can. With the straight outstretched arm wipe your bicep across your face, pushing your head all the way back against the back deck with that outstretched bicep in your face. Almost all learners do just the opposite and pull all their muscles (especially the biceps) inward towards their body in an attempt to force themselves up and lift themselves out of the water like doing a pull-up. It is hard to break them of this habit and they insist on practicing it over and over. Stretch outward as far as you can keeping your arms straight, do not pull inward towards your trunk! (Repeat this a dozen times aloud). Don't pull down until very late in the sweep (if at all--done right you don't need to pull down intentionally at all). Never pull the blade downward (or hip-snap) until the paddle is out at least to perpendicular to the boat. Actually I'd forget the term "hip-snap" (it is hard to imagine) just pull the kayak around with the thigh and knee that's on the same side of your body as the hand closest to the sweeping blade. When the paddle is at least to perpendicular think "knee pull" to rotate the kayak (although you have already rotated it a lot just by reaching as far out as can as you sweep the blade around on its glide path). Don't try to picture in your mind what you are going to do you will just get confused and mess up your body. Think about that one single thing the instructor should ask you to concentrate on during the next try. Reject any critique of what you have done wrong, you don't want to hear it (more nattering nabobs). The instructor should do his critique silently and only give you that one instruction you need to concentrate on the most to get over the problems you are having. Instructors vary in technique here, but I like using the tip-over on the same side as you will roll up on as a wind-up for the roll (discussed in an earlier post). Tipping over on the opposite side can come later (to make it a complete "roll"--I don't know why, but this is important to some people, seems like semantics to me). Early on it just confuses you to tip over on one side and try to roll up on the other. Success is going from upside down to right-side up, it don't much matter which side you tipped over on. Once you can do that, learning other tricks, refinements, or other rolls is usually quite easy. I'd also start with the Pawlata roll because it is easier (one hand holding the end of the paddle blade--it makes the other blade sweep in an even bigger arc giving you more time and leverage--and keeps that in hand blade from causing trouble). I much prefer doing preliminary exercises with the paddle in the students hand rather than gripping the poolside (I think you pick up bad habits along with the good ones if you hands are not on the paddle while practicing "hip-snaps" (or "knee pulls"). I like a flat board float of about 1/4 cubic foot of buoyancy (12x12x3 or 12x18x2, etc.) on the end of the paddle to start with. A good instructor can stand behind you and hold up the paddle shaft to help you out a bit and guide you through the sweep at first, but if you're trying this on your own or with rolling friends (who aren't regular instructors) helping you out--use the flat float at first. If you use the float remember slow-motion and as little effort as possible. One final rule: Never ever try to teach your spouse to roll! Matt Broze http://www.marinerkayaks.com >>From: Dana VerHague <sealion60_at_yahoo.com> Subject: [Paddlewise] eskimo roll Thanks to all for the advice for rolling. I was under the impression that it was much easier to do. My instructor made it sound so simple, and I also took it light. My real attempts begin now and I wont be so frustrated (frightened) after knowing what really is to be expected. Dana<< *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Matt Broze wrote: > Several years later I was going to help a couple of friends learn to roll > and with us all in our kayaks had demonstrated rolling a couple of times. > Somebody else needed to talk to me so I was distracted for a few seconds and > when I turned back around to start the lesson again Lowell said: "I did it". > I said: "did what". He said: "Eskimo rolled". I said: "yeah, right" and the > other guy said: "no he did it, I saw him". Lowell was wet. I was sorry I > just missed seeing the only guy I have heard of to roll on their first try. > It did take him a little while to do it again though. I'd like to take some > credit for this but I hadn't had a chance to even really start the lesson > yet. Chuck Sutherland, our Northeast paddling guru, tells a story of leading a trip one day with some beginners when one of them asked him about Eskimo rolling. Chuck, while paddling along, described the fundamentals of roll, not even actually demonstrating one or going through any of the actual setup motions, finish, etc. The guy said "OK" and proceded to roll right on the spot! Chuck was stunned having never seen anything like it before. Turns out the guy was an accomplished gymnast with pretty much total body control and an ability to pick up on just a verbal description of some movement as he might some exercises on parallel bars or other such stock of his trade. ralph diaz -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Ralph Diaz . . . Folding Kayaker newsletter PO Box 0754, New York, NY 10024 Tel: 212-724-5069; E-mail: rdiaz_at_ix.netcom.com "Where's your sea kayak?"----"It's in the bag." ----------------------------------------------------------------------- *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
> -----Original Message----- > From: owner-paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net > [mailto:owner-paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net]On Behalf Of Matt Broze > > Dana, don't let these nattering nabobs of negativity get you down. Negative??? Oh do you mean when I said it took me forever to learn to roll? Well, that is meant to be as encouraging as discouraging but I guess it needs some context. I am a basically a self taught roller (some friends gave me some pointers) and I learned in springtime in the freezing cold lakes and ocean in Maine. So a rolling session would amount to flailing, bottom bracing, sometimes swimming, and always an ice-cream headache. I didn't have a hood, just a wool cap. I could roll some days and others I couldn't but nothing was very consistent, then one day as I was out flailing around one of my kayaking buddies (who was sitting on shore drinking beer) yelled "hey, keep your elbow down" and that was it, boom WOW!!!! that was so easy!!! I spent the next hour or more rolling and rolling, and my roll has never left me since that day. Now why should that be encouraging? If you want to roll, really want to roll and stick with it you will get it. It takes some of us longer than others. Just because your Aunt Mabel got her hand-roll in an hour doesn't mean you will. Get good instruction and keep trying. Now here is something more encouraging. In the Advanced program I teach 80% of the students can perform some kind of roll after 3 pool sessions. That's pretty good in my mind. Some of them will never work on it again and others will bombproof it. So what separates the 80% from the 20%? If I had to pick one single thing I would say composure. Relax! If you are freaked out underwater it is really hard to learn to roll, even if you are not freaked out if your body is tense it's hard to roll. Oh yeah, and none of these folks are teenagers, so don't let age be an excuse either. Instructional techniques have improved vastly in the last 15 years. When I started boating, people told me rolling was hard. I tell students rolling is easy, and it is. Some students learn how to roll in 10 minutes others may take hours of instruction, we all learn at our own rate. If you want to roll you will. A good instructor makes a huge difference. If you must teach yourself because of a lack of instructors go for it, but if there is instruction available get some. One of the things I don't like to hear from a new student is "I've been trying to teach myself to roll all winter". What that usually means is that they have committed every conceivable bad habit to muscle memory, and instead of beginning with a fresh canvas I have to strip of a bunch of old paint. > My brother (just a new roller himself) tried to show me how to > roll during a > 2 hour pool session. I was not making it but was getting my head > out of the > water before splashing back in. An expert roller came by and said "try to > wipe your nose with your bicep during the roll". Yes! I like it! That is a great phrase! <SNIP> > Several years later I was going to help a couple of friends learn to roll > and with us all in our kayaks had demonstrated rolling a couple of times. > Somebody else needed to talk to me so I was distracted for a few > seconds and > when I turned back around to start the lesson again Lowell said: > "I did it". > I said: "did what". He said: "Eskimo rolled". I said: "yeah, > right" and the > other guy said: "no he did it, I saw him". Lowell was wet. I was sorry I > just missed seeing the only guy I have heard of to roll on their > first try. Disgusting isn't it? I've had some students get a roll in the first 15 minutes and go on to having a hand roll within the hour. Took me a long time to get a hand-roll, makes me a little green. Matt gives a lot of great advice below. I'm going to snip it to pieces to save space. > You can practice this on the > surface doing sculling high brace type strokes while letting your > limp wrist > flop back and forth (remember loose hand encircling the shaft but not > gripping it) as you lead with the wrist. This right side up practice is very important. Why not learn as much of the roll as possible with your head out of water? Almost all learners do just the opposite and pull all their > muscles (especially the biceps) inward towards their body in an attempt to > force themselves up and lift themselves out of the water like doing a > pull-up. It is hard to break them of this habit and they insist on > practicing it over and over. I like to physically correct them. I put their body in position and start them through the sweep and if they start to pull out of position I will gently move them back in. This works especially well for tucking that wandering trailing arm back in. Stretch outward as far as you can > keeping your > arms straight, do not pull inward towards your trunk! (Repeat this a dozen > times aloud). Don't pull down until very late in the sweep (if at > all--done > right you don't need to pull down intentionally at all). Never pull the > blade downward (or hip-snap) until the paddle is out at least to > perpendicular to the boat. Actually I'd forget the term "hip-snap" (it is > hard to imagine) just pull the kayak around with the thigh and knee that's > on the same side of your body as the hand closest to the sweeping blade. > When the paddle is at least to perpendicular think "knee pull" to > rotate the > kayak (although you have already rotated it a lot just by reaching as far > out as can as you sweep the blade around on its glide path). Although you don't want a violent snap at the beginning of the sweep it is never too early to start rotating the boat. (assuming we're doing some form of screw roll) <more snippage> > Instructors vary in technique here, but I like using the tip-over on the > same side as you will roll up on as a wind-up for the roll > (discussed in an > earlier post). Yes, and I like starting them in the finished position and winding them up into the set-up. This helps commit the motion to muscle memory. Tipping over on the opposite side can come later > (to make it > a complete "roll"--I don't know why, but this is important to some people, > seems like semantics to me). Early on it just confuses you to tip over on > one side and try to roll up on the other. Success is going from > upside down > to right-side up, it don't much matter which side you tipped over on. Yup. <SNIP> > One final rule: Never ever try to teach your spouse to roll! Yup, but that's how I met my partner! > Matt Broze Cheers, -- Rob Cookson "I like a little rebellion now and then. It is like a storm in the Atmosphere." Thomas Jefferson in a letter to Abigail Adams, February 22, 1787. *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
It was almost comical to read Matt Broze's post. So much of what he says so eloquently, I agree with completely, but could never express as he does. Rolling is a nearly effortless series of very simple movements that need to be performed with precision and timing. If you are sensitive to and capable of constant adjustment to minimize the pressure on the paddle then it's possible to teach yourself. But it is much easier and faster to have an instructor direct your first efforts. I know of only a handful of paddlers that have taught themselves and actually have good rolls. So keep Matt's post, but don't try to understand all of it at once, there is too much there. If you try to remember everything in his post, you will find yourself concentrating on the components and not become fluid in your overall movement. Have you even seen a cat flip over in mid air? (Hasn't everyone tried this?) Rolling is a similar movement, not difficult but neither is it instinctive for mere humans. As Rob Cookson must have said in his series of great rolling tips: If it feels strenuous, it's wrong. A roll should feel like a stretch, first to one side then to the other. Best of luck! Jed *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
One tip that I got from Jeff Bingham, a list member and local instructor, was to try to keep my non sweeping hand on my butt when setting up the paddle. That cured me of the diving blade syndrome. cya *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
>Date: Wed, 14 Jun 2000 23:50:40 -0700 >From: "Matt Broze" <mkayaks_at_oz.net> Matt, thanks for the tips. I just had my first roll lesson last night. After an hour I still hadn't rolled, my shoulder was sore (easy with my shoulders to get sore), but I felt like I had made progress. I am at least settling into the start position and getting the roll semi started correctly. I also got to where I could feel it failing, stop, and reset to the start position again and try a second time. A few comments below. >Paddle flat on the surface (slap it to >make sure) I'll try that, but I'm fairly certain I'm starting with it flat. >Once in the upside down and bent way forward at the waist starting position >for this roll (with the paddle blade as far forward as you can hold it), >rotate your torso even further in the direction it is already twisted in and >stretch out as far as you can as you sweep the paddle blade. Sweep the blade >in as wide an arc and as far away from you as you possibly can. I don't think I'm reaching out far enough or leaning forward. >Almost all learners do just the opposite and pull all their >muscles (especially the biceps) inward towards their body in an attempt to >force themselves up and lift themselves out of the water like doing a >pull-up. I think I'm doing this. I'm definitely bringing my head out too soon. I can get up for a quick breath before falling back in. My instructor said to think of looking at the bottom of the lake instead of the sky. Need to work on that. >Stretch outward as far as you can keeping your >arms straight, do not pull inward towards your trunk! (Repeat this a dozen >times aloud). Stretch out. Stretch out. Stretch out... >Instructors vary in technique here, but I like using the tip-over on the >same side as you will roll up on as a wind-up for the roll Hmmm, I didn't try that. He had me do the traditional setup, paddle beside boat, fall to paddle side, and then roll. My initial problem was that I wasn't waiting long enough for the boat to fully settle upside down and was starting my roll with the boat still at an angle (with the angle on the wrong side (does that make sense?)). My instructor said to wiggle my butt to get the boat to settle fully upside down before starting. After that I could semi get up. Unfortunately my next time in the water practicing rolls won't be for a couple of weeks. I'm going to Seattle next week (vacation) and will miss the next whitewater club session (I joined a local whitewater club to get instruction). I do intend to stop by Mariner Kayaks and try out a few boats. Hey Matt, want to take an hour and work on my roll? :) Mel --- There are three types of people, those who can count and those who can't. --== Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ ==-- Before you buy. *************************************************************************** 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 said:> > Dana, don't let these nattering nabobs of negativity get you down. Rob responded: >>Negative??? Oh do you mean when I said it took me forever to learn to roll?<< Several people had said how hard it was, not just you. Rob said: >>One of the things I don't like to hear from a new student is "I've been trying to teach myself to roll all winter". What that usually means is that they have committed every conceivable bad habit to muscle memory, and instead of beginning with a fresh canvas I have to strip of a bunch of old paint.<< Great metaphor, I always found it much easier to teach somebody that hadn't ever tried rolling before (either by themselves or with another teacher--but had not succeeded). Yes, breaking bad habits is a lot harder and more tedious than teaching good ones. Jed said: >>But it is much easier and faster to have an instructor direct your first efforts. I know of only a handful of paddlers that have taught themselves and actually have good rolls.<< I agree totally, but if there isn't an instructor available and you are coordinated and determined (and willing to use a few artificial aids like a dive mask and flat foam paddlefloat) it can be done, many paddlers have told me they taught themselves using the advice in the rescues section of our website on rolling. Jed said: >>So keep Matt's post, but don't try to understand all of it at once, there is too much there. If you try to remember everything in his post, you will find yourself concentrating on the components and not become fluid in your overall movement. Have you even seen a cat flip over in mid air? (Hasn't everyone tried this?) Rolling is a similar movement, not difficult but neither is it instinctive for mere humans. As Rob Cookson must have said in his series of great rolling tips: If it feels strenuous, it's wrong. A roll should feel like a stretch, first to one side then to the other.<< And I started out with such good intentions to try to prevent the main difficulties new students have. Unfortunately my comments just kept growing and growing until I probably just added to the students confusion. if you are going to get an instructor forget most of what I said and listen to the instructor (unless he or she is too verbose and confusing like me):^) Rolling is eeeasy, sometimes we just make it hard by trying to hard. Relax and have a nice stretch, first to one side and then to the other. Whoever said it, I like it. I said: (although you have already rotated it a lot just by reaching as far out as can as you sweep the blade around on its glide path). Rob commented: Although you don't want a violent snap at the beginning of the sweep it is never too early to start rotating the boat. (assuming we're doing some form of screw roll) I think this usually takes care of itself if you stretch way out. The danger of thinking about righting the kayak too early is that it is usually combined with a downward pull on the paddle early on before the paddle blade has gotten far enough away from the kayak to be an effective lever and therefore a lot of energy is expended pulling the blade down into the water without getting much rotation of the kayak. Your first job is to get the paddle blade perpendicular to and a long way away from the kayak. If you stretch out like this to perpendicular the lower knee will rotate the kayak the first 90 degrees without you being aware of it. This gets you to a position where your body is still totally in (and suspended by) the water and with the kayak only 1/4 turn to go. If you swing around further to the back deck as you pull strongly on the knee to right the kayak the back deck practically scoops you out of the water as it is righted and brought underneath you. A hard pull down on the paddle at this time can make for success even if things were pretty sloppy. At least as long as you laid back enough so you don't have your body and head too far out from the center of rotation of the kayak (thereby letting gravity use your head and body mass--too far from the centerline of the kayak--lever you back down into the water). Remember, to try and take your head out last, not first. This is counterintuitive to a being that is probably looking to get a gulp of oxygen as soon as possible so fight the tendency to get your head up, let the water support it as long as possible until you slip it up onto the back deck. There I go again into that cursed verbosity. Sorry. Matt Broze http://www.marinerkayaks.com *************************************************************************** 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/ ***************************************************************************
Bob - RE: The "tucked arm" during a roll - I've done this both ways. I know that the standard practice is to get both hands up out of the water before the paddle sweep. But two of the boats I paddle are deep enough so that it's difficult for me to get the non-rolling hand out of the water. This is probably complicated by the fact that my whole back is pretty stiff, so I can't curl it around like many younger people do. Although someone on the PW list wrote that the rolling-side paddle blade should be just under the water's surface when rolling, that doesn't work well for me with a Euro paddle. (With the Greenland paddle, the rolling blade can be just about anywhere, under or on top of the surface.) Anyway, a bit more than a year agoI was having a lot of trouble rolling for other reasons - I had completely lost the ability to roll as I partly recovered from a neck injury. In re-learning and when using the deep boats, I discovered that it's much easier to get the rolling blade on the water's surface when the non-rolling hand is just bout shoulder level. That lead to the practice of tucking that non-rolling arm at my side. (With the non-rolling hand at shoulder level and the rolling hand "reaching for the sky", the paddle shaft can make an angle upward, so the blade can clear the water's surface by quite a bit if you want it to do that.) This works especially well for me in rough water. In my Romany, and in other boats which aren't so deep, I do it the "traditional" way, pushing both hands up out of the water before starting the sweep. Bill Hansen Ithaca NY *************************************************************************** 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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