....stuff deleted

the original roll (I think) was in
response to the mini-tsunami that occurred when chunks of ice dropped off
at
the head of the fjord... one would turn the kayak roughly 45 degrees to
the
oncoming wave, capsize just before it hit, then use the wave to flip the
boat more or less longitudinally upright... Im not sure if anyone has ever
done this in today's world (since a 17` kayak is treacherous in shallow
surf, and it is difficult to arrange a mini-tsunami here around our lakes
and rivers), or even if this account is true... does anyone have
ideas/evidence? thanks JESL


There is no documentation of any type supporting this premise. Certainly,
these events did happen, but a lot of the kayaking peoples spent much of
their time in waters where this was the norm, not the exception. To suggest
that it was a rare, or uncommon event, is to misunderstand how dynamic the
ice, either coastal or on open water, really is, especially in late spring.

I did read in Sea Kayaker an account of a European observer who reported
that, during surf exits and entries, Greenlanders would often roll their
boats on the face of large waves and recover after the wave passed, but
there was nothing in the report as to how this was executed. Most likely, in
a very narrow boat, it would be quite easy to plant the blade at the bow and
simply perform a hip snap to right the boat as one pulled. Most likely, this
is how most rolls were accomplished. For comfort and touring, few modern
boats are as tippy as this and require more technique to roll upright.

There was a documentary called "Baidarka," several years back where they
took an inuit kayak out to test its performance in real conditions. It was
difficult for most who tried to keep the boat upright when stationary, but
when moving, the tester reported that it was a joy to paddle and handled
wonderfully. This design would not sit well with most modern paddlers who
think that getting wet is not what kayaking is all about (poor confused
beings).

Rick