Greenland Paddle
I sure wish someone had introduced me to the Greenland paddle a long time ago. Rolling and bracing and sculling with an extend GP is so easy it feels like I’m cheating.
Still havent really answers the question
So no one seems to have answered the originally question from this post (unless I missed it)…are there any DVDs that show an array of different rolls using a european paddle? I understand the concept of learning one basic roll well, and then experienting with the others…but like the originally poster stated, it would be nice to find ONE DVD that covers many different rolls using a european paddle.
video clips
Check out these video clips that show a variety of different rolls with euro-paddles
http://www.exchile.com/KayakSchoolRollIdentifier.htm
Dubside’s DVD
has a section called “it’s not the boat” in which he rolls every kind of kayak conceivable–some the ugliest boats you have ever seen. The Tempest is an emminantly rollable boat. Ask Aquaman. That’s all he does: roll it and roll it and roll.
JayB and Learner
Pnetter Puddlejumper and I learned to roll on our own about three weekends ago. I never tried to roll before (well, maybe once), but had watched the videos such as EJs and Nigel FOster.
Although we hit the lake with a head full of hip snaps, we put the paddle float on the euro blade and within maybe ten minutes were rolling up. Then we ditched the paddl float and PFDs, and struggled slightly with the roll, but eventually got it within an hour. Why the struggle? We kept thinking “hip snap, hip snap”, when we were in fact doing the more natural sweep roll, not EJs C to C. Simply cannot hip snap from a layback position even if one tries. Once we got the graceful sweep roll down consistently and forgot about the hip snap altogether, we were popping rolls like fireworks on July 4th. THEN we went back and tried to sweep to perpendicular, punch the snap with both blade and hip, and came up, unnaturally, but did it. Still not the roll I will use routinely.
So, it has be interesting to read this thread since Puddlejumper and I just lived through what you are all writing about. I can see that, if Jay’s video espouses the more practical for newbies sweep roll/layback roll, then it is right on target.
I have to get the offside roll. The few times PJ and I have tried it, for some reason, it is like starting all over again. Unnatural feeling. But we will heed the advice of many on Pnet–don’t wait too long before getting that offside, or else those strong side rolls become ingrained moe deeply, making it even harder to off side.
congratulations!
Cool Doc, you never told me! That is a big deal! Congratulations!!!
one word:
kayak kickstand!
Cooldoc!
Congratulations!
The secrets of the hip snap:
- Get your thighs involved… snap up with your knee as you flick the hip.
- Get your head up near the surface before you hip snap. It’s like cocking the gun before you pull the trigger.
Tiva if you are still trying to learn
and having trouble. Take some video footage of your rolling (video from a digital camera will work) and send it to me (probably post it on YouTube or something like that).
With that information I can help you troubleshoot your roll. Even if you are rolling, but it isn’t consistent do this so we can tune up your rolling.
If anyone else wants to do this let me know I will be happy to help them with their roll.
the secret revealed
do the same rolls, only with a Euro blade in your hands
and don’t let your hips actually snap
my grandmother did that
hurts like a bitch
Size is irrelevant (Really!)
I do them in my 19 footer more easily than in my 18 footer (Although my ww boat is the easiest of all). It’s all a matter of body control.
Once you learn a hand roll and refine it, a whole new world opens up, because you learn that it’s you, not the paddle that rolls the boat.
thanks, but I learned years ago
Thanks for the offer, but I got a solid roll (both sides–I can’t remember which is my off side) years ago, thanks to Jay’s DVD and a switch to greenland-style paddling. Some of my friends who are struggling with C to C rolls, would appreciate your offer if you ever make it up to Lake Superior! I know there are wonderful teachers out there; unfortunately, some teachers aren’t so skilled, and it’s hard sometimes to figure that out ahead of time.
My experience/thoughts
I’ve probably posted this before, but anyway:
I’m kind of analytical and the Kayak Roll has great explanations and a good section on troublshooting rolls.
My on-and-off roll became solid after getting Greenland instruction (thanks Kate!). Everything transfers to the Euro paddle. It transfers to non-extended rolls, too. Especially if you can make yourself slow down.
I’m not the best teacher but I get better with each sucker I practice on. I wanted to shadow another instructor at SSTIKS but ended up teaching a group that needed an instructor.
The second person I taught to roll got me my “off side”. After a session working with him coming up on the other side from what I normally do, I started rolling on my off side with out thinking, trying to figure out what felt weird. Just needed to implant the motion in my brain.
Learn at your own pace. Maybe some people could get grandmother rolling in less than an hour (probably not because she’s dead), but don’t push things until you are so tired that you are just learning how to be sloppy.
There are lots of ways to roll and lots of ways to teach. If something isn’t going to work for you try something different.
Sorry…2 years
who’s teaching? That is simply rediculous. Any non-impaired human should be able to roll within a lesson or two. Yes I will back that up with an offer for free lessons to anyone who comes my way… Hear that crap all the time and believe it’s secondary to shitty instructors who are making it hard… EASY skill. Taught several hundred by now…never failed. Unbelievable…
Agree
I’m north of Seattle an hour…
Anyone who makes the effort to meet me w my schedule WILL be taught to roll…for beer. That even goes to club members…but the deal is you have to earse all the BS in your head and listen to ME. If you do, you will be rolling. I have not failed in 20 years to teach anyone…and there were some messed up heads in that mix… Greatest challenge = club people…WTH goes on in those groups? Just don’t get it…the “club” thing?? Jonestown or something…
Best teachers
talk little. Keep it simple.
I Have Only Bought One DVD
so I can’t speak with much authority on the subject. I bought EJ’s Rolling and Bracing and what I learned from him was that there are essentially two rolls… rolls that require a lot of hip snap and rolls that don’t.
Basically, if you come up with your head way back, it requires little or no hip/thigh power.
If you have a strong hip snap, you don’t even need a paddle to come up, and where your head is doesn’t matter much.
So yes, there is a DVD that teaches more than one kind of roll. EJ doesn’t assign names to the rolls like other folks do.
Rigid thinking
None of the people who helped me with rolling went in with “you must do the C-to-C” mentality. NONE of them.
But none of them were ACA instructors. I don’t know if there is an “official” way that they insist on teaching or if that’s just what your anecdotal instructors believed, but
CAVEAT EMPTOR! If someone is dogmatic to the point of not being willing to try another method that clearly works for many people, find another instructor. And who cares what alphabet they have behind their name.