C-Forum

How many people can roll easily on either side? If you only have a strong roll on one side, is it on your strong side or your weak side?

My stronger paddling side is my left, but my instinctive roll is on my right, requiring me to switch hands.

Pat.

How about a "What roll?" selection Pat!

We'll I was having issues rolling the Prelude up until last week at Nationals / ASCI. I'm now fairly strong with rolling on my right side with that boat....I guess I just needed all that practice!

I have no idea how (or why) you would learn to roll on the opposite side that you paddle on. You're probably the only one on the planet that does it. That's as wierd as a cross-J But since you did, you're way ahead of most everybody, I guess. That'll be a great skill for c-2!
For you it should be a snap to learn to roll on the correct side.. so you don't have to switch hands under water ..that's the LAST thing you want to have to do.

i agree with larry. i don't know how many times i've had to roll in a place where the river is trying like heck to pull the paddle out of my hands (and the helmet off my head etc). switching hands would seriously complicate things.

I can do the first half of the roll on either side. I only do the second half on my paddling side though.

Jim

I paddle left and roll left most of the time in C-1 and OC-1. I roll right most of the time in K-1-it's more instinctive for me. I can roll reliably on the right in C-1 and OC-1 as well, but only have had the need to do so in holes. I've also managed to roll crossbow in holes, but I'm not sure if it's better than switching hands, because you roll up in a really awkward position. Switching hands underwater isn't that hard, even in turbulent water, as long as you do one hand at a time.

I can paddle pretty well on my "offside" and can roll well on my offside as well (I usually paddle on the right side but paddle on the left side sometimes too). I practice the skills of paddling on my non-preferred side because its sometimes great to be able to peel out on your onside in really burly water. I also use it for playboating, when there is a real advantage to paddling on your other side for whatever reason.

When I flipped or get worked, i NEVER switch hands on my blade to roll, although I used to do this when I was practicing my roll and skills on my non-traditional, left side. Even if I'm getting worked on my offside upside down and cannot set-up to roll, I either dig really deep into the hole and flip the boat around so that I am on my onside... or I just tuck and let the hole roll me back up still surfing on my offside. A back deck roll will really help you bring your boat around in a hole if you find yourself getting worked on your offside.

Yeah, should've added a poll for "What roll?" and also for "Stronger on my preferred side, but can roll OK on my weak side too".

Not sure why I developed the roll on my weaker side. I think at the time I paddled on either side more equally, but now I favour the left more in harder water.

I have rolled on my left, but whether it's a flexibility thing or a mental thing, I just can't find my way around as naturally. I'll work on it.

But I do know for sure I'm not the only one! A good friend here, and one of the best canoeists I know, also paddles left and rolls right.

Anyway, whether you have to switch hands to the upstream side, or whether you flip while surfing offside, same deal in terms of getting jammed up in the top of a hole.

Pat.

When I had a roll it was on my nonpaddling side. I also had a much stronger low brace on that side. This was due to shoulder problems on one side. I seldom had any problems switching hands but it would have been nice not to have to.
Bill

When I was younger and more flexible, I had a cross roll in C-1 (rolling up on my off-side without changing hand grip). However, in a combat roll situation in C-1, I have always used my on-side roll because it is more reliable. Now I'm too old, inflexible, and fat to get up on a cross roll.

This contrasts with my wife & my rolling in C-2, where one of us always used a cross roll and the other an on-side roll in all circumstances. The only thing that changed in rolling our C-2 is we eventually switched from the bowman doing the on-side roll to the sternman doing the on-side roll as it facilitated the sternman signalling readiness to roll with a couple paddle taps to the hip in order to ensure that our timing was synced in bigger water.

I've never tried to learn a regular canoe roll on my off-side.

John

I only ever paddle or roll on the right, I'll occasionally play at rolling on the left when I'm bored on flatwater, as for me that's the critical first step to becoming an ambi paddler, and in turn to much happier freestyle paddling and easier runs down harder river.

Louie doesn't roll open boats.

I don't roll open boats.

I rolled c-1s for years, but I have no interest whatsoever in rolling an open boat and coming up with many pounds of water in the bilge.

Louie and you must be better swimmers than I am!

Last weekend I had an unfortunate roll right in the first few 'warm up eddies' entering the top of long, steep, rocky, continuous rapid - bilge water or not, I was able to be upright, protected in my boat, and control it through the bottom of the rapid; without the roll, I'd have been taking a beating and sucking water, not to mention risking entrapment, so I prefer the roll!

But I do a agree that the ability to roll is not a gauge of anybody's paddling skills! Many great paddlers don't roll, and a fresh newbie who can't read a river or do a forward stroke can be taught to roll, but that doesn't suddenly make them a good canoeist!

The poll wasn't meant as slight to those don't roll, just trying to understand my own paddling.

Pat.

I'm a lefty. I just recently mastered the full roll. (going over on right & coming up on left) For years I low braced on my left side when I flipped. Some people would say that it was a roll but the GDI argues that unless you go over on your offside and come up on your good side, it's a low brace. Whatever, as long as I don't swim, right.

Anyhow, Back in the day, When I flipped on my off-side I would emediately eject the vessel and swim to the bank. If I flipped on my left it was cool because 99% of the time i could roll back up on that side.

What I'm getting to, is that if you could roll up on your good side when you flip, Then with a little practice you could also roll up when going over on your off-side. The only part that was dificult for me at first was getting into position .


One of my friends told me to chase my off-side gunnel when preparing to roll. That's right, Chase the gunnel. Dive in and lead with your paddle. Doing so will gett you over to the opposite side of the boat where you need to be. Once you've made it just look to the bottom off the river and give that paddle a stroke. Once you've reached the end of your stroke, drag you're upper body across your airbag.

I'm sure we all have our own technique to rolling, but this is what works for me.

Having a reliable roll will greatly boost your confidence. It will give you the guts to surf bigger waves and catch smaller eddys. Just last weekend I got my first ender and even surfed h3ll hole on the Ocoee.

I've come to a point where I feel rather reserved, on some sections. Knowing there is a good chance I make the move, but if I blow it, it's a nasty swim -and not even that nasty, we're only talking class III!). If I had a decent combat roll, I wouldn't be that reserved, and make more progress.

So I've got good reasons to work on my roll . But I actually need the roll, as backup for learning, so I don't need that roll anymore. Not needing to roll is still the best option there is.