Rolling. Why learn?

WHY LEARN TO ROLL?

by ray killen

"The first thing everyone wants to learn how to do is to roll a kayak. It’s like the search for the Holy Grail." This is what I’ve heard for about five years now at the start of every one of our Rolls and Rescue classes. The speaker is the a kayak instructor for the Ocean County Dept. of Parks and Recreation in New Jersey. My wife, Margaret and I are also instructors who have been working with him for a number of years. His point is that when most people get into sea kayaking, they want to learn how to roll as their first priority when they should be more concerned with learning how to brace well. A really good brace at the right time will prevent the need for an actual combat roll. Point well taken. How can you argue with that?

"Hey, Joe. How’re ya doin’? See ya got one of them there kayak boats."

"Yeah Sam, Picked it up last month. Been practicing a lot"

"Let me ask ya Joe. Can ya brace that thing?"

Of course, this conversation never really happens. Everyone wants to know if you can roll it, as if this makes you proficient in all aspects of sea kayaking. Even non kayakers know that a kayak can be rolled, but few non kayakers have ever heard about the brace. So if bracing is the meat of this gourmet rolling dinner, then why learn to roll at all?

1. CONFIDENCE!

This is probably the number one underlying reason. I have found that when kayakers develop a solid roll early on, they are less likely to fear capsizing and are more willing to experiment, to explore their limits. When we are having our students practice their bracing skills, it is only to get them to learn the mechanics of it. The only way for them to really develop a good reflective brace is to be exposed to the actual conditions that will throw them off balance. As we watch them during practice sessions, I always get the feeling that inside, they know they are not going over, because they are not going to push themselves close to the edge. Most of them don’t even need the paddle to right themselves.

2. SAFETY!

In learning to roll well, you are, at the same time, learning to brace well since the latter part of the roll is nothing more than a high brace or support stroke. THE IMPROVEMENT IN YOUR BRACING SKILLS MAY MAKE AN ACCIDENTAL CAPSIZE A THING OF THE PAST. YOU MAY NEVER NEED TO PERFORM A ROLL FOR REAL.

The best way to realize the importance of a good roll is to accidentally capsize in cold, rough water. All that nice practice of a paddle float reentry or assisted rescue in the warm, calm waters of that sheltered bay will severely be put to the test. An assisted rescue in rough water by someone proficient in this may take from three to six minutes and a self rescue will take even longer. This will seem like hours instead of minutes. A kayaker with a good, reliable roll will take about five to seven seconds to recover and neither fill the boat up with water nor get his legs wet in the process. Sure beats having to be rescued.

Rescued...A misnomer when used in this situation. What are you rescued from? You are right back where you started; in the same conditions which capsized you. Think it won’t happen again? The only real ‘rescue’ is not to be dumped in the first place by developing excellent bracing skills through rolling practice.

3. FUN!

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a compulsive roller. I really enjoy it. When I first went down to the Delmarva Paddlers Retreat, I was blown away by the number of kayakers who had developed a tremendous repertoire of Greenland Rolls. Up until then I had never realized how many different ways there are to right a kayak. They made it look so easy and I understand now that doing a roll correctly really is effortless. Technique, not muscle is the answer.

I had a solid Extended Paddle Roll and a good screw roll, but felt that I was expending more energy getting up than was necessary. I knew that this was all right in fairly calm waters but I had concerns about what would happen if I had to do an actual combat roll in some good size waves. I was determined to learn some of these rolls. I started messing around with the Queen Anne’s Salute in which the paddle is held vertically in the air and you tip over in that position. Slam! I stopped dead. With this one action, I fully realized the amount of support one can gain from the water.

The more I practiced new things, the better my basic roll became since I kept missing the new ones and had to resort to the good old Pawlata. Without realizing it I had become very comfortable upside down. This also led to skulling. Now I was exploring the halfway zone between up and down. Swish, Swish. Just by doing a slow figure 8 with my paddle I could stay this way indefinitely. Now roll my back over the stern of the boat while skulling and I was up. It was effortless. I applied it to my Pawlata Roll and found that I basically was using no muscle power at all. I had learned how to use the water for support. Now when I practice my bracing strokes, I find a 100 percent improvement than before I started. A good solid roll can be the first step in a continuing learning experience.

Launch Site