Re: Rolling my 17lt

Posted by Kurt Maurer on Jun 20, 2005

Rolling is such a funny thing... some folks get it right away, others get it after several sessions with an instructor, and still others try and try and try and never get it no matter what. I got mine on my second attempt, but my offside roll liked to take forever -- finally nailed it just yesterday -- woo-hoo!!

Besides the video Mike mentioned, there's also "First Roll" from Jay Babina (www.outer-island.com), and also free roll vids, I understand, on the www.qajaqusa.org/ website (I don't have broadband, so don't know first-hand).

I scared up an "instructor", and in Houston, Texas, it was no mean feat. I believe practically anyone who has a roll, like the guy I scared up, will be happy to try to teach you, and the observations he or she imparts upon you will be invaluable to diagnosing problems. The very best instructor you can find is likely someone who has just learned to roll his or her self very recently.

The diving paddle, or incomplete sweep, and the failure to lay back, are the classic killers of rolls everywhere. When you're upside down, reach for the sky, sodbuster! You want to feel AIR on yer hands! Sweep that paddle using a combination of torso rotation, and arms doing the rest, to get it out there nearly, or at, 90-degrees to the ol' centerline, and keep it on the surface. At this point, you must do three things at once: a high brace, a hip flick, and a layback. If your sweep was a goodun, chances are you're now failing because you're bringing your head up too soon. You should finish your roll laid way back, looking at the sky.

The diving paddle syndrome can be corrected by keeping a "climbing angle" on yer blade as you sweep. Not too much, though, or you will meet resistance that won't help. Just a slight climbing angle.

I think the extended paddle, or Pawlata, roll is the basic bombproof roll everyone should start with and resort to readily when the chips are down. If I go into an on-side extended paddle windup, I'm comin' up, period, and I don't care what in the hell is going on around me! But your mileage may vary, especially if you're using a long paddle (anything over 220 cm), or worse, using a crank-shaft.

I'm tryin' to help a buddy get his roll going... he's got it all down, and has the greatest rolling boat I've ever been in - a Current Designs Caribou - but he's still struggling. I keep telling him his lousy 235 cm crankshaft is killing him, but he insists it's the world's greatest paddle... even though I cannot execute an extended paddle roll with it to save my life!!

Cheers, Kurt

In Response to: Re: Rolling my 17lt by mike noeske on Jun 20, 2005

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