[Paddlewise] Rolling Side Choice (was Reasons to wear cold water gear)

From: Peter Treby <ptreby_at_ozemail.com.au>
Date: Fri, 29 Dec 2000 21:34:23 +1100
Victoria writes:
"can you say this again in kindergarten language for beginners?  AS I come
up
out of the water... do I want to be moving the same direction as the waves?
or against them?"

I'll try, but first, a warning. I'm an intermediate learner with a long way
to go before I should be telling others how to do things. I posted this
little theory in order to draw comment from those better able to give
advice. Come on in you storm rollers, where are you when I need you?

The idea is to come to the surface on the side you need to brace on. In
surf, or other waves, you need to brace INTO the wave. So you want to roll
up on the side the wave is coming from, in order to come up bracing.
The same can be true in rolling up in wind. Roll up so as to come up bracing
on the side the wind is coming from. This is the same side waves will be
coming from.
If you come up on the other side, it is easier for the next wave to knock
you over again. And/or, the wind will be working against you as you come up.
If your boat is pointing into the waves, or away from them, either side is
equally OK.
Again, take my advice as being from a learner. I am at a point where I am
beginning to have a choice of which side to roll up on, rather than just
muscling up on the strong side, asap. Mostly, if you're capsized in surf,
you are very disoriented when under the turbulent froth. If you are held
down for any length of time, you may feel that your best chance of breathing
again, without leaving the cockpit, is to try the strong side, and your best
roll, first.
Good practice for bracing into waves, and rolling up, is close to shore,
deep enough to roll, on a gently shelving beach, with surf under a metre.
Play around surfing and broaching, and deliberately capsizing down wave,
setting up on the down wave side, and rolling up. The wave gives some
assistance in coming up. I hope to do a bit of this next week, clearing a
five metre wide path through the surfing crowds!

Still upside down, down under,
Peter Treby
37°42'S 145°08'E

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Received on Fri Dec 29 2000 - 02:43:21 PST

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