Re: [Paddlewise] alternate rolls

With regards to the "alternate" roll that some folks have claimed to see
'first-attempters' nail on their first attempt. . . .

    I thought to teach this roll to a friend, quite certain that he would
'nail' it on his first try. . . It didn't quite work out as planned.   What
ensued was comedy, drama, terror, ending in a brilliant display of  (a)
man's conquest over imminent doom:

I had several times showed him the roll where one begins extending an
unfeathered paddle to the left, floating on the water, held at the right
blade-tip in the left hand (pinky gracefully extended).  The next move is to
roll towards the right, making sure the paddle is still firmly held,
although not-so-firmly-it-even-leaves-the-very-water's-surface, and then as
one turns quite upside-down, reaches up for the paddle with the right-hand.
Only when the right hand has firm grasp, does the left release, and as one
pulls down on the paddle with the right, the left hand rejoins the paddle,
and all recovers into an extended low-brace position, fully upright.  Key is
to not pull down on the blade too hard, and to wait for your bodily
momentum/buoyancy to slack as it lifts towards the surface on the recovery
side before pulling down.

Now, I'd seen this done, where the paddle is NOT held onto at first: just
simply laid on deck, being found by both hands on the pull-up stage.  I
decided it was nice to always keep at least a dainty-touch on one blade,
lest it be lost when I was trying to find it and pull down (after rolling
some 180 degrees.)

Anyhow, sure as I was that he'd get it, I still spotted him, as I haven't
even the slightest murderous tendencies.

Well, what happened shocked me:  His set-up was perfect (except for the
pinky). But when he rolled to the right, he hauled the paddle over with him
instead of leaving it on the surface of the water to his left!!!!   He
clearly hadn't realized this, as when it came time to reach up for it-- with
his right-hand first-- he was reaching and reaching, but the paddle was
nowhere.  Soon, his reaching turned into grabbing.  Just when I thought it
would turn in to groping, he wet-exited.    We both had a good (nervous)
laugh about what had happened, but we both likely felt a bit daft-- me
especially for thinking that a roll was so easy, that I overlooked
explaining a key point that I just assumed was obvious.

It is a simple roll. . . just relax and don't haul the paddle 'round with
you as you capsize. . . .
    Harvey




----- Original Message -----
From: Michael Daly <michaeldaly_at_home.com>
To: Paddlewise <PaddleWise_at_paddlewise.net>
Sent: Tuesday, May 15, 2001 6:47 PM
Subject: Re: [Paddlewise] alternate rolls


> From: "Wayne" <wrf_at_hypatia.unh.edu>
>
>
> >   Mike you wrote about Jack Elliot's Alternative Rolling technique- it
sounded
> > interesting.  Could you give a little more details on the paddle
placement and
> > how/where the paddle shaft was grabbed to effect the roll.  If it is as
good as you said
> > we should all have this one in our repetoire.  Anyway it sounded neat.
>
> First point - it only works with unfeathered paddles.  In a feathered
paddle, one
> blade won't fit under the coaming or alternatively, won't lie on the water
surface.
>
> Imagine yourself doing an Inverted Aqueous Maneouver.
>
> Place the paddle on the surface of the water at right angles to the
direction of the
> kayak (i.e. straight out to the side).  Take the blade close to you and
set the tip
> into the space between the deck and the coaming.  This space is at least
an inch
> deep, so the paddle won't get stuck.  This allows the paddle to rotate
without
> requiring you to anchor it in any special way; both your hands are used to
rotate
> the paddle.
>
> Now take your hand closest to the paddle and grab the shaft a comfortable
distance
> from the kayak.  Pull it towards you.  The force on the floating blade way
out there
> will cause you to rotate toward the surface.  As the paddle shaft gets
closer, take
> your other hand and reach across your body to take the shaft (outboard of
the first
> hand) and pull, assisting the first hand.  With both hands pulling, you
will come
> all the way around.
>
> When you are finished, the blade that was closest to the kayak will now be
on the skirt
> and the outboard blade will be out in a good position for bracing.  You'll
be sitting up, not
> in a layback position.  Head flicking is not an issue (DH take note!).
Sponsons not
> required.  No animals died in its execution.  (Sorry, I got carried away!)
>
> It is surprisingly simple.  Two people tried it and neither failed to come
up.  Jen did go
> right over, but that's another issue.
>
> Mike
>
>
>
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