Dear Susan:

Posted by Kurt Maurer on Jun 21, 2005

Try not to get too wound up about rolling until you actually get to try it, for yourself, in earnest... like, in the water. The more you study, and listen to people talkin', the confuseder you're liable t' git.

What I mean is, I have seen more'n one first-hand account come from folks who looked over the internet offerings, then proceeded to go forth and roll forevermore -- sans "instruction". In one case, a guy was suprprised when his 15-year-old son suddenly decided to try it too, after no previous discernable interest in paddle sports whatever, and nailed it just as quickly as ol' Dad did.

I had a friend help me, and recommend it, but I might very well have been one of those who taught themselves too, since I had the intense desire and was utterly undaunted by the prospect... although we'll never know now. Even still, I got it on the second attempt. I always believe that if someone else can do a thing, then so can I.

I have a couple theories I'm working on at present. In the first, I postulate that if you had to - literally - roll or DIE, then 95% of us would find learning to roll no hugely big deal. Second theory is that boat building and rolling both have a mystique about them, for whatever reason, that makes 'em seem wayyy tougher to manage than they really are in fact.

So I will blandly state this: That either too much is worthless hype when talking about rolling, or I need to reevaluate my good fortune in being a true "natural" at paddling a kayak.

One last note: I learned to roll at age 44, and the guy who's son followed his lead was fifty-two. And women are said (by several certified instructors I've heard from) to be much better students for rolling than men.

Cheers, Kurt

In Response to: Re: Rolling my 17lt by Susan on Jun 21, 2005

Replies:

• I think its a shame by Susan on Jun 22, 2005
  • Re: I think its a shame by Susan on Jun 22, 2005
    • Re: I think its a shame by Kurt Maurer on Jun 23, 2005
      • by on
• Re: Dear Susan: by Laszlo on Jun 22, 2005
  • Never happen by BobE on Jun 23, 2005