whys everyone say that ?:rolleyes2
My rafting season starts tommorow morning. Start raft guide training.
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Moose Pit,
Learning to roll in the pool is great. If you have other good boaters at the pool watch them and ask questions. Every kayaker I've known will help the new guys.
Don't stop with your onside roll, mirror it with the offside, learn the backdeck-you'll end up in this position some time and it's safer to roll up from the back than reposition to the front. Learn to hand roll both sides as you will lose your paddle at some point. And last work on a bomber brace and you'll not get tipped over easily.
Practice your rolls from almost slow motion to power rolls-sometimes you have lots of time to get up and sometimes you don't.
And most imortant learn the Hand of God. Most longtime boaters know it. It's a simple thing that can save a life.
Hand of God lesson
Done right, this works wonders. Before I had heard about the right technique, I found it very difficult to unflip a stuck boater.
Good reminder to practice rescue technique.
Roll still works, although it is kind of raggedy. I may go back this afternoon and work on just rolling a bit before getting into any holes. Or i may just drink all day, 'cause my back and shoulders are SORE!
Water was fairly cold, Tripp; about like the Nant always is. I'm sure that is warmer than the places where the flow is primarily from snowmelt though. One nice thing about the Pigeon is in a month or two we'll be boating in a bathing suit and rashguard.
PS: I got the DVD's.
Thanks for the great advice and vids!
Last night was session 3 and it looks like I've got my roll pretty much dialed:D
Nose plugs and goggles sure made the evening (and the beers after) much more enjoyable.
The guys putting on the sessions are awesome! First rate people with a ton of experience and patience. Cheers to the Northwest Paddle Brigade and Gravity Distribution (Fluid Kayak) for demo boats :D
We've done a few t rescues and last night was a intro into some more paddle techniques, edging, and stuff. It sucks but it looks like I've picked up another hobby that requires specialized gear:rolleyes:
Getting some of the other roll techniques is next week... perhaps.
Don't stop going to the pool.
I go almost every week, mostly to hang out and go drink afterwards but it makes a big difference just to get in there and fool around for an hour or so.
i taught myself to roll, and granted it works, it is not pretty. my offiside is okay because i had to practice it a lot. I really like the back-deck roll. When I was learning to roll, I was doing it in Long Island Sound, so I really didn't want to open my eyes. I did get really good at grabbing my sunglasses as they fell off my head though.
all of the old ladies at the beach kept asking me why i fell over so much!
I figured I'd add this. I tried out some NRS webbed gloves at the pool last week and I like them a lot.
They don't have near the power that hand paddles do and they keep you from leaning on the paddle so much when you get used to cheating with your roll on the river.
I figured I'd add this. I tried out some NRS webbed gloves at the pool last week and I like them a lot.
They don't have near the power that hand paddles do, but a bit more than just your hands and they would keep you from leaning on the paddle so much.
So last night was the last of the "official" pool sessions offered up by the paddling club:frown: but I have a roll :D and apparently it suppose to be spring. Although the wet snow that is falling has me itching to ski.
Since my on side roll is pretty solid (in the pool:rolleyes2 ) my esteemed instructing team (those that have been kind enough to instruct me on all things kayak) decided that it was time to propose a new to me technique for righting a kayak. My experience with the backdeck roll was not particularly successful... ok so it was at the very best marginally almost near close to sort of the right idea. More things to learn:cool:
Now it's only a matter of time before I'll be swimming :rolleyes: the kayaking powers that be (those with gear to lend) seem a little to keen to pitch my carcass into moving water there is defiantly a sadistic streak in all of them.
Pics will likely be coming soon...
My roll dissappeared over the winter.
I took a class in the fall, and got it pretty quick, determined to learn to paddle this year. I got a new (used) boat, borrowed paddle, and now I can't even come close in the pool.
It's pretty frustrating, but I know I'll get it back.
I think my paddle is a bit short for me, does this make a big difference in rolling? It's shorter than the one I learned on,not sure of the size though.
God damn the that waters cold:eek: !
We'll it happened, on Sunday I found my self feeling a lot like a over stuffed sausage as I assessed the copious amount of gear that I had borrowed.
-long johns, top and bottom, wool socks, fleece sweater (didn't need to borrow these)
-farmer john wet suit, dry top, booties, neoprene mits, skull cap, brain bucket, life jacket, spray skirt... :cool:
A brief safety meeting (no weed, actual safety talk :rolleyes:) where the universal language of paddle pointing/waving etc. was explained, as well as how to swim (the beers for gear collection policy), and things to pay close attention to on the river was completed standing on a snowy bank. then into the boats and into a pool on the willow river.
After a couple minutes of getting a feel for the boat it was time to give a couple of practice rolls:eek: :eek: :eek: cold really cold.
Partners were assigned and then the world of moving water was entered ... a little practice eddying in and out and then we were off. It didn't take long before I caught an edge :eek: (this use of the term where there is no snow underski is going to allow me to catch my edges in two seasons; ski and paddle, I'm not impressed :nonono2: ) and earned my first combat roll :cool:. The rest of the afternoon was roll free. I will need a lot more work on getting a good forward stroke since getting to where I need to go is still not a straight line.
Can't wait to get cold wet and uncomfortable again.
^ man your lucky, I just broke my thumb playing lacrosse and cant oat for the good time of 6 weeks.!!
Sweet, glad you had a good time...it only gets better from here. Minding your edges takes time and lots of anticipation, just like skiing and riding.
Abdominal muscles are your friend. :)
Sounds like a slightly colder day than normal since you were so cold or your buddies gave you their nasty leftover hand-me-downs. I boated all throughtout the winter here and it's really not too bad. Also, when you're running more challenging water, you'll be paddling a lot harder which keeps you much warmer.
Keep at it.
got into a pool session last night
Was my first time in a WW kayak. My rolling has all been done in a sea kayak so it was weird
Haven't tried rolling since thanksgiving. And i nailed my first one. Good feeling. My strong side roll was about 90-95% there. Only missed a couple of em when i wasn't paying attention. Didn't really do much on the offside except for the end when i was tired, and i just missed it.
Was amazed that i was actually able to scull too considering i had never done it and only had watched someone do it.
I got into the pool this past weekend as well. No problems with my on side roll, tried various forms(sweep, back-deck, c-to-c) and made it up everytime. My offside on the other hand, is not too hot. Only made it up 2/3rds of the time and it aint strong.;) Tried some hand rolls, but I've yet to hand roll my Jackson Fun. I could hand roll both my old Big EZ and Centrifuge. I don't know, maybe I'm just out of practice and just need to work a little harder on getting that explosive hip snap and keeping the head down.
Heh, Im on bummed boat #3,456 this spring and am having the opposite problem with an older Jackson Superstar. I can hand roll the fucker but my c to c is sketchy. There's always the back deck though which is flawless right now and keeps me from swimming....until my face finds a rock.
Boats Ive had zero trouble with in the past month:
Riot Astro 58 & 54, Magnum
Dagger Agent 6.4
LL Ronin 59
Jackson 4 Fun
Mega Rocker, Jefe, SCUD
Dagger RX 6.9 (rolls itself)
The Superstar seems to kick my ass though.
In the pool again last night. I nailed two handrolls at the end! was pretty excited about that. Got to try out my friends Superstar. Was pretty cush, way nicer and easier to roll than the lil Joes.
still can't hit my offside though. But each time i blew it, i was able to practice my onside :)
i wan't keeping my head down, almost got them at the end but was getting tired and my hip flexors were sore as hell from playing soccer this weekend.
just going to keep pluggin away
had my second day on moving water last night. Ferrying is a skill that will take more time, trying to ferry however is helping me rack up a lot of unexpected rolls.
ah I cant wait, first day on the water comeing up this weekend!!
got my combat roll twice in a row this weekend..
First time in a boat in 5 + months, first rapid a class 4 50 foot 60 degree slide, greased it, then played with my roll next 1/2 mile flat water....
a few rapids later, flip, roll, beat down, roll, beat down, swim...
Next day.. same thing all good then flip, roll perfect, happy.... next drop, get pinned on a rock, flip, another great roll...
So I am stoked on my new found semi confidence...
Blurred coached me and I got my Roll in my Z boat... 1 successfull roll in the pool /w no PFD. It is a backdeck that looks something like this one:
I guess Blurred taught me well because I was able to teach PmcPoser in his Jive, by description alone, no demos in my boat, and HE NAILED THE THING DOWN IN 50 MINUTES HAVING NEVER BEEN IN A KAYAK BEFORE. :eek: The guy is a natural!
Then I got in and was able to do it on my first try after 2 weeks. I managed to get in one successfull offside... having a PFD makes it easier I think.