Troubleshooting my roll

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RobertM
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Troubleshooting my roll

Post by RobertM »

If anyone is looking to spend a bit of youtube time looking at a particularly pitiful attempt at trying to roll a C1 I'm be thankful for any constructive criticism. (And lord knows, if I can serve as little more than entertainment and a bad example, then at least I'm accomplishing something)

I’ve got a solid sweep roll in a kayak, but I’ve decided it’s time to learn to paddle a more elegant craft and I’m trying to put together a roll. Normally there would have been a c-boater or two at the pool, but not last night.

In any case, the video got shot, it got posted, if anybody has any thoughts to offer I’m glad to listen.

If you just want to enjoy a moment of schadenfreude, that’s ok too. When I get it to work, I’ll have some before footage to look back on.

Thanks in advance, when I can figure this out, I’ll see you on the river
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RobertM
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Post by RobertM »

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TonyB
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Post by TonyB »

Speaking as a former Yakker (sweep roll) working on his open boat roll I have two suggestions that may help (or hurt) your endevours.


First When I start my roll I skim my blade across the water (much like the beginnings of a sweep roll in a yak) this is when I right the boat itself
When It gets perpendicular to the boat I put my body on top of the paddle and bush my head down on the shaft, the blade is still on top of the water when I begin this secound faze and come up on a very low brace keeping my face down and forward sweeping across the from deck of my open boat. Thus pulling my bodyup out of the water.

However this roll did nothing for me when I tried a friends playboat conversion c-1 (type escapes me, but it was a wide flat bottom and almost as short as my paddle).

but try sweeping the blade out to your setup phazewhile twisting the boat over, theres less of a hip-"snap " to my canoe roll, but then a C-1 may differ.

I also noticed your Tee grip hand coming up out of the water with your elbow out, try keeping that elbow down. Mine I beleive is down in my belly.

It looks like your trying to muscle up on a high brace. Or close to a C to C.
My first successfull csnoe roll started like a sweep coming out to the side then pushing forwardon a low brace with a little sculling.
As with learning the yak roll your eyes should be on the blade and keep your head down
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nsshue
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Post by nsshue »

No hip snap. You are trying to do it all with the paddle.

Its kind of hard to tell what you are doing with the paddle.It looks like you are doing a low brace roll and leaning forward on the bow at the end of the roll. Thats good. A lot of kayakers have trouble with that.

I also used to be a kayaker. Good to see another boater convert to a c boat. There are some advantages, It took me a while to get a c boat roll, but when I did it was more reliable than my kayak roll. You can also get a lot more torque from your body in a c boat. Good luck with everything.

Steve.
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jakke
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Post by jakke »

Hey, I know this situation :D Although I tend to get up a little higher.

anyhow, I'm struggeling for over a year to get my roll decent when wearing a pfd and drysuit. I haven't really mastered it, but I still think I can give you some hints.

- work on your low brace before you roll. hit the water with your face and then brace back up. It's the last phase of your roll, but the most important one!
- forget about the paddle, grab the side of the pool, and do the rolling motion with your knees, holding the side of the pool. I noticed I had to pull up with my onsine knee, but even more important, press my offside knee into the saddle.
- try not to sweep out over 90°
- when using the paddle: shaft hand on the forehead, T-grip arm stretched to the bottom. That forces you into that little extra time to do a decent roll with your knees.
- also a nice exercise is giving up the paddle and using foam-tables (those used by swimmers to work out). Start with 2 or 3, if you have a successfull roll, reduce with one. In the end you might even hand-roll ;-).

oh, and last but not least, turn your head AND shoulders to your offside. This balances your weight over your offside knee and preventing you tip back in again. Though be carefull with this move, because there is always a risk to tip back in, certainly with a C1 :D. -speaking out of experience-.

And not to discourage you, but it will be quite different when wearing a pfd!

Good luck!
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oopsiflipped
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Post by oopsiflipped »

First off....that is one sweet Cascade!

I was struggling to learn to roll about this time last year and there are lots of other posts on the subject. The search function isn't that great, imo, but browse through some of the back pages on the forum for lots of great advice.

My recomendation would be trying one of Kent Ford's drills from the c1 challenge.

Flip to either side. Move your paddle out to the side you will be rolling on and let go with your shaft hand. Paddle should now be floating on the surface, to your side, and held only with the t-grip hand. While staying tucked, reach out with your shaft hand and grab the paddle without pulling it under water. Get your body out perpendicular to the boat, facedown, but making sure you keep your elbows in the box.

Hip snap (which you aren't doing much of in the video) and make sure you're shoving your face under as the last step in rolling. You shouldn't need to sweep. You'll come up in a low brace and simply pull the paddle in across your body to finish the roll once your boat is all the way up and you finally pull your head up.

Hope that helps, not sure if it is what you wanted to know or if it even makes sense.
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