Just learned to roll. I was taught the C to C. Just thought I might mention the sticking points I had while they are fresh in my mind so that any instructors out there might get a peek from the students point of view. The biggest problem was a diving paddle blade. I finally had a good friend tell me to drag my left elbow across my ribs to keep the blade up. It worked perfectly. The second problem was a mental picture of what I wanted my torso to do. After being told (repeatedly) to keep my rib cage wrapped around the hull while setting up I realized that what would work best was to think of my torso as a loaded spring and unleash the power of it while making the paddle stroke. It really feels like my body is rapidly releasing a lot of energy once I start around. Very interesting sensation. I went out the next day to practice. It wasn't as easy as I had hoped. I had to think hard about what I wanted to do. I succeeded every time but it was tiring. Hopefully a summer of practice will drive a furrow deep in my brain. It takes a brave person to stand waist deep in water while someone else blindly swings a very sharp, very large object around very close to their head and neck. Jim et al *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Hi Jim, Congrat's on finding your roll and thanks for the examples of techniques / images that clicked for you. I have always maintained that rolling a kayak is any easy thing to do but can be difficult to learn and challenging to teach. The problem appears to be finding just the right images that will allow the student to perform the correct movement with a minimum of input. Detailed descriptions rarely to more than confuse the student, they often offer too much detail to remember. A wise coach is fond of reminding me that "Practice Makes Permanent" as opposed to perfect. A new roller would be well served to practice correct form only and avoid repeating ineffective technique lest the ineffective technique be committed to muscle memory. Jolie's comments echo a common sentiment. When we make our first attempt at rolling we are narrowing in towards correct form, form that rewards us with more than just a righted boat. Proper form will emphasize grace and efficiency over raw power. Proper form is something that I believe is not possible to learn from external sources but rather must be felt by the student themselves. This is the challenge is teaching rolling, how to allow the student to feel the correct form while avoiding filling their head with all sorts of foolishness that can only describe non-essential components of the roll. This correct form is so effortless, so devoid of direct feedback that we only know our form is correct by the absence of resistance felt at the paddle and the minimum of effort required to roll. (And of course the fact that our boat is upright!) To the extent we correctly understand perfect form, our rolls will be repeatable and reliable in all manner of conditions. If on the other hand our model of perfect form is not quite on target, then our roll will vary in effectiveness as minor variations bring us closer or further from the ideal. I believe this is the cause of "the lost roll" that many rollers report. Finding their roll again often involves little more than a return to the basics and suddenly everything is as it should be. Learning to roll is a process. Your first successful rightings of the boat are just the starting point. As you practice, find ways to minimize your effort and maximize you effectiveness. Many people with very reliable rolls find that learning the many varied types of rolls is helpful and rewards them with an even clearer understanding of perfect form. When you get to the point where you feel that rolling a kayak is as easy as rolling over in bed than you will be close indeed. Enjoy the process. Confidence, increased safety at sea and tons of fun are just a few of the rewards for solid rolling technique. Jed Luby, Team North Atlantic jluby_at_teamnorthatlantic.com PS Jolie wrote: It is my contention that any paddler who tells you they have never "lost" their roll is full of it. According to Jolie's contention, I must be just "full of it". So please take my above comments with a grain of salt. ;-) -----Original Message----- From: jfarrelly5_at_comcast.net Just learned to roll. I was taught the C to C. (snip) I went out the next day to practice. It wasn't as easy as I had hoped. I had to think hard about what I wanted to do. I succeeded every time but it was tiring. Hopefully a summer of practice will drive a furrow deep in my brain. -----Original Message----- From: Jolie Smilowicz (snip) Since then, I have come to believe that a good roll does not belong to us, but is something the Gods lend to us when they feel so inclined. When the Gods change their minds about granting us a roll, they can, and DO, quickly take it away again. I have played "lost and found" with my roll since I first learned it, about a year and a half ago. It is my contention that any paddler who tells you they have never "lost" their roll is full of it. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
actually, it's not the bags that cause the hazardous waste, it's the human feces. most landfills specifically prohibit human waste. that should go to the waste water treatment plant, for the [humor on] "turn herders" [off;-] to deal with. Mark is correct! I work for the US Forest Service and we manage a few rivers. The regulations here in the US have changed and you are not supposed to dump human waste in a landfill, it is considered toxic. Now don't ask me about all those diapers! Use a system you can dump at an RV place or vault toilet and please don't use plastic bags because they do clog the pumps. I have lots of toilet stories you don't want to hear about. You can always take a lunch bag with kitty litter, bag your business and place it in a boom box. You could also use a boom box with an RV fitting. Peeing in the rivers has been acceptable practice most places (I am sure someone will disagree), and in the Grand Canyon it is required. You need to be more careful with lakes. -- MZ *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
MaryZ wrote: > Mark is correct! I work for the US Forest Service and we manage a few > rivers. The regulations here in the US have changed and you are not > supposed to dump human waste in a landfill, it is considered toxic. Sounds entirely reasonable. But then I guess the advertising on the Wag Bag manufacturer's site (http://www.thepett.com/wag2.html) must no longer be valid, unless the "Pooh Powder" magically renders the bag's, er, contents inert. They say: --snip-- Each waste bag is pre-loaded with non-toxic Pooh-PowderT, which gels waste, catalyzes decay, and removes odors (no perfumes). WAGT Bag kits are degrdeable and are approved for disposal in landfills. ... After use, fold WAGT Bag into zip-close bag and zip closed. Dispose of in trash receptacle. --snip-- Ann Rougle *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Thanks Ann! I didn't realize it said this so I sent the web site address and explanation on to our Regional office recreation folks. I will let y= ou know what they say. We need to have the correct information. Stay tuned.= =2E. MZ =0D =0D Each waste bag is pre-loaded with non-toxic Pooh-PowderT, which gels wast= e,=0D catalyzes decay, and removes odors (no perfumes). WAGT Bag kits are=0D degrdeable and are approved for disposal in landfills. ... After use, fol= d=0D WAGT Bag into zip-close bag and zip closed. Dispose of in trash receptacl= e.=0D --snip--=0D =0D Ann Rougle [demime 0.92b removed an attachment of type image/gif] *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
I have the seal line footbraces and rudder on my boat. The peddles can be adjusted while you sit in the boat. The system works well because the peddles are always locked in. You control the rudder with your toes. -- MZ *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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