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From: Kathea and Ken <kayakfit_at_fidalgo.net>
subject: [Paddlewise] maiden voyage with vertigo & sculling braces
Date: Mon, 16 Apr 2001 20:09:17 -0700
I've used my new Eddyline Falcon 18 twice in the swimming pool, and once in a
small lake, none of which seemed like an appropriate maiden voyage, so
yesterday I went on an Easter paddle in Skagit Bay.  I took in Hope and Skagit
Islands, got into some boat wakes and tide rips, and thoroughly enjoyed my
first real paddle in six months.  I began the maiden voyage inauspiciously.  I
tried a roll, and, as soon as the cold water engulfed my head, I got vertigo.
I've never had it happen before.  (I always wear a light neoprene hood to
protect me from cold shock.)  I didn't lose my presence of mind, but I was
sure weirded out.  I rolled up, failed to stop at the top, and fell over to
the other side.  I caught myself on a brace, sculled a moment, and then
managed to sit up and balance.  I took a couple of breaths, and did several
rolls on each side.  No vertigo.  Huh?!  


    I almost bashed a rock as I was sprinting around the end of Hope Island.
I saw a big salmon swimming half of its length out of the water as it chased
something onto the beach on Skagit Island.  I stopped and stretched my legs at
the campsite on Skagit Island where my wife and I camped on our honeymoon.  On
the way back I wondered if I'd be able to find water deep enough to paddle
through between two halves of a ridge that stretched across my path.  I
tentatively nosed into the gap, and then shot through at high speed as the
flood tide took me through a fine, deep channel.  For some reason I really got
off on it.  I did a bunch of rolls and sculling braces, and really enjoyed my
new boat, and the custom cockpit I made for it.  It was a very gratifying
evening.  


    I'm curious:  How do the rest of you sit up from an in-the-water scull?  I
sweep forward and follow with my body, then sweep back and roll up on the rear
deck.  I have to push down a little bit with my paddle as I come up on the
deck.  It is very secure, but I don't quite like having to push down that
little bit.  When I roll I don't have to push down.  The difference is that
when I roll the boat is upside down until I snap it up, and then it pulls me
after it.  When I scull, I hold the boat semi-upright, so at the end of the
scull I have to get back on the boat without that helpful rotational momentum.
I'm getting a little body english by going forward and then back, but not as
much as a roll.  Has anyone found a way to get some of that same cocking
effect that one gets from doing a roll, into the finish of the sculling brace?
(My boat has quite a bit of volume, this is not one of those low rear deck
Greenland types.)





Ken Rasmussen






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From: John Fereira <jaf30_at_cornell.edu>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] maiden voyage with vertigo & sculling braces
Date: Tue, 17 Apr 2001 08:20:12 -0400
At 08:09 PM 4/16/01 -0700, Kathea and Ken wrote:

>     I'm curious:  How do the rest of you sit up from an in-the-water 
> scull?  I
>sweep forward and follow with my body, then sweep back and roll up on the rear
>deck.

That's more or less how I do it.  Or at least, that is what I was trying
to show Bob and Joan Volin when I was coming up from a deep sculling brace 
at the Florida paddling get-together in February.  Maybe I was tired, or maybe
my knee slipped from the thigh brace, or maybe I lifted my head, but I
didn't come all the way up and fell back over.  I took my time and made my
roll so it wasn't *too* embarassing.

>I have to push down a little bit with my paddle as I come up on the
>deck.  It is very secure, but I don't quite like having to push down that
>little bit.  When I roll I don't have to push down.  The difference is that
>when I roll the boat is upside down until I snap it up, and then it pulls me
>after it.  When I scull, I hold the boat semi-upright, so at the end of the
>scull I have to get back on the boat without that helpful rotational momentum.

I've been working on bringing the boat onto it's side with my hips before I 
start my sweep when I roll and I'm finding it much easier than trying to 
roll up when the boat is completely inverted.




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From: <JSpinner_at_aol.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] maiden voyage with vertigo & sculling braces
Date: Tue, 17 Apr 2001 10:42:58 EDT
In a message dated 4/17/01 3:20:41 AM, kayakfit_at_fidalgo.net writes:

<< I took a couple of breaths, and did several rolls on each side.  No 
vertigo.  Huh?!  >>
I'd venture a guess of tension. I haven't had it quite that bad but I was 
trying my first rollin really cold water, with my drysuit. I had never tried 
rolling in really cold water and was particularly afraid of the ice cream 
headache. After that first one I felt fine but that first one made me feel 
dizzy for a moment.
    Have fun in the new boat. It's always so nice when the investment of time 
and money feels well spent.

Joan Spinner

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From: Dennis, Becky & Natalie <arebecca1_at_qwest.net>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] maiden voyage with vertigo & sculling braces
Date: Tue, 17 Apr 2001 20:18:03 -0500
Kathea and Ken wrote:

>  <   I'm curious:  How do the rest of you sit up from an in-the-water scull?
> Has anyone found a way to get some of that same cocking
> effect that one gets from doing a roll, into the finish of the sculling brace?
> (My boat has quite a bit of volume, this is not one of those low rear deck
> Greenland types.)>

Ken:  I know just what you mean.  Only by bringing the boat back over my hips
(nearly fully upside-down), while maintaining the scull and body ("C")position,
can I get the momentum and "cocking effect" you describe.

Dennis Asmussen
St. Paul



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