Re: [Paddlewise] Real life rolling

From: Jim Farrelly <JFarrelly5_at_comcast.net>
Date: Thu, 20 May 2004 15:40:49 -0400
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Coplan, Karl" <KCoplan_at_law.pace.edu>
> Second cent: you just might end up being one of those few kayakers whose
> roll saves them in combat conditions.
>
> --Karl Coplan
For the entire summer last year I really beat up a fellow paddler who was
VERY keen to roll well.  I pushed her over any chance I could.  It was  a
love hate kind of thing.  She persisted through this "training" and can now
roll well under most real conditions.  Her confidence  grew as well.  One
day while out in an area of consistantly weird water off of Tybee Island GA
(USA) she drifted much further out than she should have. She had separated
herself from our surfing group by several hundred yards.  For the most part
all  you could see was the flash of her orange paddle blade as she struggled
to stay upright.  Waves were a three directional melee consisting of 7 foot
heavily breaking swells/waves/slopola.  As we fought our way out to her she
finally lost it and went over.  I smiled with satisfaction as she patiently
waited upside down for a calm spot and rolled up confidently.  We joined up
and went to the beach for a snack.  I told her that if she had come out of
the boat that she would have had to decide what one thing she  would have
wanted to keep.  Her boat, her paddle or her life.  There was no way we were
going to get her back into her boat in those conditions.  Absolutely no way.

Jim et al
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Received on Thu May 20 2004 - 12:41:06 PDT

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