A few weeks ago, I posted about my success at doing a roll. I want to share my most recent experience:
Today, I did what I would call my first combat roll. I was bracing and turning on edge and flipped the boat accidentally. On the second try, I got it back up again. No nose plug. No wet exit. Yippee!
I also has a small epiphany regarding my roll technique. I remembered seeing something on the internet or in a book that mentioned that people take their head out of the water too soon. I was doing that. I was letting my instinct take over and pulling my head out to breath. What I realized, all of the sudden, was that I needed to flip the boat upright, not get my head out of the water. Suddenly, things got a whole lot easier when I started making moves to roll the boat instead of trying to get my body out of the water.
Also, thanks to those here who post about their experience and what they know. Most of the time, the info is helpful to someone even if it is simply a link to a hard-to-find video of some guy doing rolls in a pool.
Dave
Learning to Roll
Dave
This was my year to learn and I found it a lot easier and more fun than I thought I would (at age 61.)
I had a lot of professional instruction, which helped, but one thing I would recommend that was done to me.
Once I could get up reliably, my instructor’s next step in the evolution was to get it more solid. What he did first is, every time I rolled up, he would flip me over again before I got all the way up. He did that for five times in a row.
I was really surprised how much more difficult this was than just rolling from preset position, and had a lot of trouble with it the first few times. It was just confusing because it was not what I was used to, and I had trouble focusing on the things I needed to do.
Have a friend to this for you and see how it goes.
Combat Roll!
Okay! Now here we go! I’m gonna’ open a real can of worms here, and tell you the fun has just begun! Now, and I can hear them now, get yourself a Greenland Paddle!!! But be forewarned, this can become an addiction! I never realized how much fun a guy can have, until I got bitten by the Greenland Bug! I just go out and practice until I’m whipped, and come home hungry, tired and grinning! It has given me the confidence to tackle all kinds of things, including open water and medium surf. And I ain’t no kid!
Have fun, Ken
Ain’t it the truth!
Greenland rolling is addictive. It's my favorite thing to do these days. I love learning new rolls, sculls, etc. Very fun and satisfying, especially with a paddle I made myself ;)
Edit to add: Sounds like you've figured out the secret. Enjoy the confidence and freedom that comes with a reliable roll.
Yup!
“Suddenly, things got a whole lot easier when I started making moves to roll the boat instead of trying to get my body out of the water.”
You’re right – if you think about trying to tuck the boat under you instead of lifting yourself over it, it works a lot better.
Now if it was only as easy to do as it is to say…