Re: [Paddlewise] Real life rolling

John Fereira wrote:

> It's also worth noting that the majority of sea kayakers are not going 
> to be paddling in conditions as potentially dangerous as soon as 
> whitewater paddlers might.  Even in class II conditions, strainers, 
> pins, and other obstacles which come into play in moving water mandate 
> learning how to roll quickly.  Many sea kayaker might never paddle in 
> breaking surf, strong currents, or in rock gardens, and the primary 
> danger is more likely hypothermia due paddling in cold water.
> 
> Whitewater paddler and sea kayakers deal with different conditions with 
> different risks so it's not surprising that learning to roll takes a 
> different precedent.

I'll take it a little farther than that. Around here, hundreds of 
paddlers paddle in warm flat water for years without flipping at all. 
Should they learn to roll as a safety measure? This would, of course, 
entail purposefully flipping several times on each outing, to practice a 
self-rescue technique that they wouldn't, in the normal course of 5-10 
years, ever need. Northern boaters' experience may vary.

On the other hand, WW boaters are highly likely to flip frequently (Eric 
Jackson says in his new video that he is upside down 40-50 times every 
time he goes out, but he's a rodeo boater) and need to be able to roll 
to avoid the nasty stuff that John alludes to.

-- 
Steve (But it's a _fun_ parlor trick) Cramer
Athens, GA
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