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IT’S ALL IN THE HIPS. PHOTO: NEIL SCHULMAN


don’t panic


JUSTINE CURGENVEN, FILMMAKER, CACKLE TV


Paddling from her home base in Wales, Justine Curgenven


helped popularize wild-coast paddling with her This is the Sea video series. She gets beginners to focus on the basics.


“Many people who struggle to get a consistent roll struggle with being under- water. If you do, spend time underwater wearing a mask and seeing how long you can hold your breath. Don’t give up and don’t panic. Always try to roll first.”


WITH ITROLL give in


DAN LEWIS OWNER, RAINFOREST KAYAK ADVENTURES


With 34 years of kayak instruction under his spray-


skirt, Dan Lewis is the go-to guy for kayak in- struction in the Clayoquot Sound area. Lewis tells beginners and pros alike not to fight the power.


“Whatever is taking you down will bring you back up if you go with it. That’s why learning to roll on both sides is so important. Simply set up on the side you are tipping toward—now your paddle is pulling down on water, which wants to lift it up. This trick works in both rivers and surf. You’ll be surprised how quick and easy you pop back up when working with the forces that caused you to capsize in the first place.”


36 PADDLING MAGAZINE get flexible


JAMES ROBERTS OWNER, ONTARIO SEA KAYAK CENTRE


DIGITAL EXTRA Click here for more


kayaking tips and techniques 5 MASTER KAYAKERS SHARE THEIR SECRETS FOR SUCCESS


So you want to ace rolling your kayak? Or maybe you’ve already mastered your roll in flatwater and want to lock it in so you know you can right yourself every time, anywhere, and in any condition. We checked in with five pros, master kayakers and instructors, to go beyond tucking, bracing and hip snapping and bring you the secrets of their teaching success.


skip the setup


SHAWNA FRANKLIN OWNER, BODY BOAT BLADE INTERNATIONAL


When not circumnavigat-


ing large islands like Iceland, Haida Gwaii or Vancouver Island, Shawna Franklin runs Body Boat Blade International from her base on Orcas Island, Washington. She gets her students to aim for rolling success by skipping the anticipation and just going for it.


“Skip the above water set up! When knocked over, we typically fall over in a low brace first. If that fails, we rotate into a high brace position. And, if that fails, we are in a rotated position underwater and can, from there, easily move forward to the underwater set up.”


James Roberts has been instructing for eight of his 12 years in the cockpit of a


kayak. Based in Parry Sound, Ontario, James runs the Ontario Sea Kayak Centre on Lake Huron, and sums up his number one tip in one simple word: stretch.


“Flexibility is very important. A little yoga before you roll goes a long way. It’s all in the hips—not the paddle. You can roll without a paddle, you can’t roll with- out using your hips.”


stop overthinking


DAVE WEIR OWNER, ICE BLINK EXPEDITIONS


After nearly a quarter century of kayak instruc-


tion, Dave Weir, owner of Yukon-based Ice Blink Expeditions, gets into his students’ heads to help them master their rolls. Paddlers often overthink their rolls and get caught up in memorized step- by-step instructions instead of going with the flow, he says. His part-Yoda, part-Elvis advice addresses this.


“It’s important to try not to think too much—I’ve always found rolling to be more of a physical exercise than a mental one. Forget the paddle and work your hips, then work your hips some more.”


Dave Quinn is a regular contributor to Adventure Kayak and a wildlife biologist, sea kayak guide, writer and photographer.


This article first appeared in the 2014 Pad- dling Buyer’s Guide.


PHOTO: NEIL SCHULMAN // INSET PHOTOS (CLOCKWISE): COURTESY KIRK MASTIN, JAMES ROBERTS, DAVE WEIR, SHAWNA FRANKLIN, DAN LEWIS


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