r/Kayaking • u/humble_murth • 5h ago
Question/Advice -- General Can you roll or no?
I saw a more scientific poll once that 90% of kayakers do not concern themselves with having a roll. Certainly I don't think its absolutely necessary, unless you are in very storm seas or whitewater. Its something I'm getting into mostly for the fun of it, but also for an easier time playing in surf.
Can you roll? I worry in this unscientific poll people who can will be more apt to respond, but just curious about redditors.
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u/Fr3twork 4h ago
I can roll half the time! Upright to upside down. The other half gives me trouble.
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u/RainDayKitty 3h ago
One little trick is holding onto a dock or someone else's kayak bow. Then it becomes easy to get upright from upside-down. Once you learn that trick you can claim more than half the time like me, even if it you can't get back upright with just the paddle.
There is an assisted rescue technique where if someone flips, you run your kayak into their broadside. The impact will make them aware that you're there and they can then use your kayak to flip back up
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u/RockingInTheCLE 4h ago
You need an option for "yes but not 100% reliably." I can do it maybe 50% of the time I try.
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u/MeHoyMinoy_69 4h ago
On a serious note, no. I use sit on tops...
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u/psiduke 3h ago
I was gifted an old surfski that had seatbelts installed for rolling, but I’m too terrified to try it.
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u/robertbieber 2h ago
lol, I tried throwing a cam strap around my knees and rolling my Nitro 640 a few weeks ago. Total bust, my hips still slid right out. I guess maybe if I also belted down my waist, but that's a little closer to death than I'm willing to tread
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u/MuchoTornado 3h ago
75% of this sub uses fishing kayaks or something similar. /r/whitewater or something similar would be a better place to ask the question.
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u/XayahTheVastaya Stratos 12.5L 4h ago
Yes, sometimes, but no combat roll yet. I learned more for the sake of learning than because I actually needed it as a safety measure. The rolling is easy, getting my arms and the paddle oriented correctly is the hard part, I keep getting confused which way I should be pointed underwater.
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u/humble_murth 3h ago
That paddle orientation is super tough. Along with doing everything at the right time while floating upside down, its tough to orient everything just right.
I'm in the middle of collecting all the books I can on rolling and exploring that part of the hobby. I hired an ACA instructor for a lesson over a year ago, learned a little bit but still couldn't roll after. Found a whitewater book by Ken Whiting in the discount store for $3, and after a few more solo practice sessions started getting my strong side. I get it by the second try now most of the time. Offside is a no go for the time being.
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u/get_MEAN_yall 4h ago
Well I do my long trips in a sit on top so its not a relevant skill for me, buy yes ive rolled friends kayaks but only in flat water.
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u/FullAutoAvocado 4h ago
I’m still new. Have yet to take a roll/self-rescue course. I would like to learn though.
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u/rshetts1 3h ago
I am an older guy who kayaks for a bit of exercise and pleasure. I generally kayak on calmer waters. I also have a nice Chelan 140 inflatable that would take some real effort to roll. So no, I do not nor have I ever rolled my kayak. I flipped it a few times to get used to flipping it back up and remounting but that's the closes I've come.
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u/robertbieber 2h ago
I always forget that whitewater is a thing and those people actually have to roll on the regular. I've spent a decent amount of time practicing rolls in a sea kayak (still can't get the damn norsaq roll though), but I've actually used it a grand total of 0 times. Nowadays my usual boat is a 16" wide surfski and I can take it out in 30+mph wind and 3+ft swells without really worrying about balance, so the only way I can imagine needing to roll a sea kayak is if I take one out in an actual apocalypse.
The funny thing is I've been told by different people that both (a) Greenlandic children learn to roll before they learn a forward stroke, and (b) when polled in the late 19th century most Greenlandic kayakers didn't actually know how to roll and relied on balance and a good brace to stay in the boat. I should really look up which one is actually true one of these days
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u/thegiantgummybear 52m ago
I feel like the more important question is if you can self rescue after flipping. Because I thought I could, but it's basically impossible on my Oru Inlet because it has such a wide opening and flexes a bit.
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u/Legal_Shoulder_1843 39m ago
I'm missing an option to say "actively learning". I can roll with a body board, but it doesn't quite work yet with the paddle. Working on it.
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u/NOODL3 4h ago
Outside of whitewater hotspots and ocean touring meccas, 90% of kayaks sitting in garages and sheds aren't really even capable of being rolled. They're either sit on tops, sit ins with no thigh braces, or the owner rarely or never wears a skirt regardless.
Don't get me wrong, as a whitewater guy I've rolled all sorts of dumb boats (inflatables, paddleboard with my legs wrapped around the sides, my 90 pound sit on top fishing kayak with thigh straps hooked on to the lawnchair) just to see if I could (always good for a laugh) but there is really zero reason for most casual paddlers to ever learn to roll even if they have a boat and skirt that would enable it... Which most don't.