Seats, Class, Etc.
Rolling Class is Sunday the 28th, the day after my class with Nigel Foster, which is an extension of the Kayaking Essentials class I already took.
I’m in no rush to replace the seat; I’m still fairly broke. I’ll keep trying to make this one work. I like the suggestion of putting foam under it. That may be a good way to go. For the seatback, I can get a replacement for about $45 that will be much more rigid than the wet noodle in there now. I’d rather take more time and learn more about the boat and see how my needs change with experience than throw money at it.
Speaking of that, I just sold the Perception Essence 17 today. A real nice guy, perfectly sized for it, just took it away. Now I think I’m going to order a dry suit. NRS has a closeout on a real nice one that’s supposed to breath very well. I’m really warm-blooded so I worry about sweating like mad in one if it isn’t super cold out. I wonder if I should start a separate thread about that. 
Rob
seat
I have a tempest and needed to “firm” up the back band and leg lifters. it was flimsy feeling. I put some foam under the leg riser so it it wasnt just “hanging” from the straps on the side. worked great. then, I ran bungie through the slots at the seat sides where the hip pads run through (i removed the pads) and ran the bungie over where the bottm strap connects to the middle of the band. The back band now stays low and is firm. ( could do any adjustment & it will feel firmer this way) of course you could just change it out but this worked and the t band is not a bad back band as far as back bands go, i feel.
Perfect!
PERFECT!! Awesome idea, the bungee on the back band. I have a ton of bungees of various lengths so I’ll try that.
For the seat bottom, my initial plan was to use both of my bilge sponges for the time being, to test height and firmness.
Rob
Two more classes…
My whole weekend’s been taken up with classes this time. Saturday was Nigel Foster’s Directional Control class, and today was Rolling.
Saturday’s class covered waaay too much stuff to even attempt to describe much of it here. Suffice it to say, it was really awesome. There are so many “finer” strokes and variations on strokes that it will take time to get good at them. It’s not unlike the difference between hitting a tennis ball back and forth over the net and actually learning to play Tennis well (I’ve played since high school so I can say that).
Nigel’s boat control is just plain amazing. Watching him do stuff with that paddle is wild.
Rolling today was fun! I had to quit early because I was getting nauseous, though. I dunno if it was because I had lunch on the way to class, or what. I got that way yesterday after lunch too, so I suspect it was food-related.
Anyway, I learned a LOT. I know what people mean now about how boat sizing and fit will affect ability to roll. The boats we had didn’t have hip pads, so they were fairly loose on me. They were also higher-volume. Not as big as my Essence 17 was, but definitely bigger than my Tempest and bigger than the composite boats we used in the other classes. Still, I was able to do it. I almost had the technique down when I started feeling woozy and had to get out.
I got to play with a Greenland paddle too. It was the second of the three paddles we played with during rolling. We started out with a regular paddle with a foam paddle float on the end, to practice laying sideways in the water, before moving on to actual capsizes. But then later he had us using the greenland paddle and gripping it at the blade end and using it’s full length to sweep ourselves back upright. I got to paddle with it a little bit (given the small area of the pool, and I really like it. A friend is a wood-worker so I’m going to see about having him help me carve one.
I’ll take the rolling class again in the Spring before I get ready to head to the ocean. I want to take some ocean paddling classes too. I don’t dare attempt it without having had some instruction (and some people to go with).
But after all this, I think my Tempest is the right boat, at least for right now. I will want something bigger (capacity-wise) for trips eventually, but it’s way too early to even think about that right now. Like, I paddled a Seaward Legend yesterday and while it seemed like a nice boat, it felt very tippy and for that reason alone, I didn’t like it. I’ve chalked it up to inexperience for the time being.
Oh… I put a couple of short rubber bungee straps around the backband of my seat. I haven’t paddled it like that yet, but just sitting it it, it feels a whole lot better. Ditto with the two sponges jammed beneath the front of the seat.
I haven’t updated my blog with posts about the two classes yet; hopefully in the next couple of days (if not sooner).
Rob
rolling and nausea
Years ago I gave up eating lunch on river trips as I found that any significant exertion right after a sizable meal tended to produce nausea. And if you ever take a bad swim in white water after having a big lunch, you will probably wish you had gone without.
Some people will experience dizziness and/or nausea due to water entering the ear canal. This is more commonly a problem with cold water, but even pool water is cooler than body temperature. If nausea after rolling remains a problem even on an empty stomach, you might want to give ear plugs like Doc’s a try: http://www.proplugs.com/
If you can roll a boat that is loose in the hips, you will very likely be able to roll one that is properly padded out. It is possible to brace yourself into a boat without hip pads using your feet and knees to some extent, but there is still going to be some slop when you hip snap. This is especially true for a roll with a rather explosive hip snap (like the C-to-C), less so for a sweep roll or Greenland style roll. Boats used by clubs for pool sessions and clinics are often left unpadded or minimally padded so that they can accommodate paddlers of any size.
Nowadays white water kayaks come with readily or instantly adjustable outfitting. Back in the day, it was necessary to glue in minicell foam padding and carve it and shape it to fit. Nearly all beginning white water kayakers started out with a fit that was too loose for fear of not being able to easily exit, and progressively added more padding when they figured out that they could easily exit even a boat that felt quite tight.
You might be able to roll a loose boat in a still pool, but rolling in current, waves, or highly aerated water is another thing entirely and you want to give yourself as big a margin for success as you can.
good idea
Good idea on the ear plugs. That might have something to do with it too. I do tend to get water in my ears pretty bad when I’ve been capsizing in class and have to shake my head to get it out when I come back up. I also managed to swallow a small amount of pool water because I tried to roll once without my nose plugs… that was a stupid idea.
Rob
cold water vertigo
Google 'cold water vertigo'
I suffer from cold water vertigo, rolling in warm water, like a pool, no problems, repeated practice rolls in cold water (low-mid 50's) and I'm hurling. The amount of food in my system has nothing to do with my nausea, no food and I dry heave.
Google has lots of info, ear plugs (docs) work for me when practicing. A tightly fitting neoprene balaclava works when playing in places I'm likely to capsize to keep water out of my ears.
Second the doc’s plugs (vented)
They’ll send you a little chart to pick the right size first, but they are way worth the extra time. he vented ones don’t leak at all but do allow you to hear, and help both to prevent otitis and some with nausea.
Get colored ones, tethered. Once an untethered clear one ends up in the water you’ll never find it.e
Not Stupid
You need to practice rolling without nose plugs now and then. The trick is to slowly exhale through your nose as you roll. Make it a habit to push a little air out with the nose plugs on and you’ll never have to think about it.
Thank you!
Thank you, Celia! That chart will be just what I need to pick the right size. I’ll definitely get a pair.
I also plan to get one of those neopreme balaclava things. NRS has one with a built-in “bill” for $35.
The nausea didn’t go away until the end of yesterday. I was still feeling it yesterday afternoon when I got home from work. This morning it’s a lot better… haven’t felt it yet.
Hoping to go out Friday but the river is up to 12’ and flow is at 33k cfs, normally 10-13k, so I’m wondering. May decide to wait.
Rob