The C to C Roll from Whitewater Instruction on Vimeo.
Here are some basic points to watch out for:
- The boat rolling first with the very first movement of the paddle.
- The paddle on a c to c roll being perpendicular to the boat.
- The paddle being on the surface.
- The paddle blade flat on the water.
- Pulling the elbows down and in as you finish the roll.
- Under the water the body should be tucked while flipping, but once you start to sweep the paddle out, your body should sweep out as well, perpendicular to the boat.
- Once the paddle is swept out go ahead and do the hip snap.
- The movement of rolling is much more fluid if you are sitting up back straight or even slightly leaning back. Check it out sitting in your chair, try to rock your hips left to right while hunched forward, sitting up, and leaning pack. Which is easier?
Negatives to watch for:
- Most people move their body first when trying to get the roll firgured out.
- If the paddle isn’t perpendicular, either your body isn’t opened up or it is leaning too far back.
- The number two biggest mistake is folks don’t get their paddle to the surface.
- A non flat blade will dive.
- If your elbows are high your center of gravity ends up high and throwing your off balance.
- Tuck for protection.
- But once you sweep roll open up for hip action.
- If you see the boat start to roll and then stop abruptly thats a sign they are tightening the leg opposite the hip snapping leg.
For a more in depth look into the C to C roll, check out our DVD Series Demystifying the Roll, due out late 2009.
Good video. As per the person that invented the C-TO-C there are some mistakes in teh video. The instructions are good, but the demo rolls negate what is discussed below. The proper finish to the roll should have the paddler sitting up, back arched, and paddle out of the water. Not trying to sound pompous, but if you are going to put out an instructional video it should be correct. Even if it is free.
Shane-
You have done a really nice job breaking down the roll. Here is a little tidbit to add….
when boats started going short and flat, folks started crying that they could not do their roll so well any more–specifically because they were not “flexible enough” in these new boats to get their paddle to the surface. It turned out that the real problem was not flexibility, but that the profiles of the boats had changed, putting so much of the volume right around the knees-which is also the set-up position for rolling. Ken listened to everyone squawk for a while and then went out one day to figure out why rolling seemed so hard for everyone. He returned after a day out teaching with a simple solution: in the set up position, move the hands back behind the knees. Now the hands are setting up in a position to more easily reach to the surface of the water.
Just moving the hands back behind the knees in the set up position solved a lot of folks’ problem, regardless of “which” roll they did.
Hey Steve and Juliet
Thanks for the input. Thats what this site is all about, putting it out there. We want folks to talk about this stuff. And we knew that instructors and paddlers alike would have a ton of feedback about the roll. Its one of the most analyzed parts of paddling. I learned by watching folks do rolls, and from an old german book. If what I say, the video shows, or your comments bring a better picture for someone of how a roll should work then we are on the right track.
Shane
Excellent instructions and video. I am new to the sport and have been having a tough time grasping the on the water instructions. i think i have been trying to do too much and with these vids i am ready to go back out on the water.