Author Archives: Captain Hank
Teaching the roll in 5 minutes or less
One of our paddling club’s members avows he can teach anyone to roll within five minutes. Over the years, I have witnessed his instruction and cannot dispute the claim. His step-by-step approach is shown in this captioned photo album: Step-by-Step Roll Instruction . The initial result (within the five minutes) is an extended paddle roll. … Continue reading
Paddle with those better than you
In Len Deighton’s “The Ipcress File” (one of his earliest and best novels), there’s an account of a German factory that imports workers from Africa. Working alongside their established counterparts, the immigrants learn quickly and perform very well. Encouraged by this, the company builds another factory in the African village that was the source of … Continue reading
Things to consider when starting a paddling group…
Perhaps that’s jumping the gun and we should first address the why. There is a critical mass point of membership quantity that gains advantages for all. For example, with increased numbers you can consistently do events that require a minimum participation level to be safe and viable. The load for planning and running events gets … Continue reading
An under-appreciated roll to add to your skill set
I come to praise the back deck (aka rodeo) roll, not to bury it. Maligned by many whitewater devotees and almost unheard of among the sea kayaking clan, this technique for escaping the oxygen-free paddling position offers benefits worth considering: Its primary virtue is that it’s quick. With almost no set-up, you can initiate the … Continue reading
Transition from whitewater to sea kayak roll
What factors make the transition from rolling a whitewater kayak to rolling a sea kayak so challenging? The KayakDave.com staff chimes in: Captain Hank’s Take: My club has roll coaching and practice year round, employing indoor and outdoor pools. I’ve noticed that whitewater paddlers often have trouble making the transition to a sea kayak and … Continue reading