Muzz wrote:
Well today I went to the pool and manages 4 lengths without stopping and
then another sixteen with breaks to catch my breath. It seemed a lot easier
as I was doing it for a reason, I kept telling myself it's useful for
kayaking.

It's easier if it's for a reason is in line with my findings too.
Years ago my brother entered me in a mini-triathlon, starting with
a 500m swim. I went to the local pool and was /finished/ after
300m. I said I'd have to drop out, I was told I'd damn well come
and fail in person, so I went along in no expectation of finishing
the swim, but did it easily (okay, I was last out of the pool, but
I felt fine). two thirds further than I thought I was capable of,
just because there was an event going on with some pride at stake.

Anyway have a look at this
http://www.useakayak.org/reflec_rolling_5_02.html

Interetsing article. Quite a few folk who have joined up with my
club (Tayside Sea) do seem to be pretty focused, at the expense of
just about anything else, on learning rolling. Try and get folk on
their pool sessions to get into forward paddling is difficult.
Forward paddling in a sea boat is by far the most important stroke
as it makes up the great majority of the strokes you do. If you
don't have fair technique you'll get tired very quickly, and good
forward paddling provides a lot of the stability that makes most
rolls unnecessary to start with, but not many newbies seem to be
very interested in it at first.

As an aside, if you want to learn a reliable roll that will work
"in anger" in the sea, surfing is good IME. Not so much a case of
/if/ you'll go over, but *when*, plus you'll have to learn to cope
with it at some point anyway...

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/