Message-Id: <3.0.5.32.19990110140911.00a11410@magicnet.net>
Date: Sun, 10 Jan 1999 14:09:11 -0500
To: baidarka@lists.intelenet.net
From: Greg Stamer <gstamer@magicnet.net>
Subject: Re: baidarka hand rolls
In-Reply-To: <3698B86C.3D18@agora.stm.it>
>Kirk Olsen wrote:
>
>> p.s. does anyone know any fun eskimo rolls? I learned a few hand rolls
last
>> week at a pool session and I can't wait to practice more ;-)
>
>Here were I live no sea kayakers are able to perform hand eskimos, while
>more acrobatic whitewater canoeists in shorter boats do.
>
>Any special technique ??
>
>Thanks for the obscure work Kirk, Stefano
>
I find that the "C-to-C" handrolls that work so well with my whitewater
playboat and surf kayaks do not work nearly as well with my narrow
Greenland kayak (Anas Acuta). I assume that this would be even more valid
for the more rounded hull of a baidarka. C-to-C rolls are done with the
body held at almost a right-angle to the deck, where you arc your body
upward to gain a slight purchase on the water, and then drive the boat
upright by a strong hip-snap. I find that the C-to-C style works best will
hull designs that allow you to "vault" over an ovalled hull shape. With a
narrow Greenland hull this doesn't work as well (in my experience) and I
prefer a slower, sweeping roll (with or without a paddle). This becomes
even more important if you are carrying a load.
For handrolls, with any kayak, technique is all-important. I find that
handrolls are easier to accomplish with Greenland designs with either an
extreme forward or reverse lean. I prefer to lean aft but your deck and
hull geometry may make this impractical. Resist the temptation to throw
your head upward, and instead keep your head down and very close to the
hull. As you start a strong hip-snap, your head and upper torso should
actually be moving downward, away from the surface of the water. This can
be overdone, however. On more than one occasion while working on new
handrolls I have seen stars as I thumped my noggin painfully on the gunwale
(but fortunately have not yet succeeded in damaging my kayak). Despite what
you may have heard, you can succeed by violently throwing your head or arms
up and over, and there are some Greenland techniques in which this is quite
necessary, but for a finessed handroll I find this takes much more effort
and is not at all graceful. You will make learning a handroll much easier
if you first practice rolling with a float, then move on to a pair of
webbed gloves. A plastic bread-bag over each hand secured with a rubber
band at the wrists, is a cheap, though temporary substitute. And of course
your kayak must fit you solidly without any slop if you want your efforts
to be effectively transmitted to the hull and water.
One final caution. Since you have such a wide range of motion in a handroll
(or a throwing stick roll), it is possible to damage your shoulder should
you make a fast and violent arm movement and get your arms extended behind
you in the classic "dislocation position". Handrolls do not need to be
performed violently. When learning the motions of a new roll, practice
slowly and keep your hands and arms in front of your chest as much as
possible.
Greg Stamer
Orlando, Florida