Ewan Scott wrote in message
...
(snipped)


Ha! It's not like I haven't been trying! I just can't seem to get the
oomph to get the boat all the way over. I can get it about half way up
then
it falls back down! Maybe something more suited to me will be easier.
Good
job I like swimming really...

I'll lay odds you are being taught to do it on the right hand side of
the boat. Yes?

Find the surface of the water with the paddle, sweep it out and then
draw it down, using a hip flick to finish things off, lying back and
bringing your head up last type of thing? Yes?

Alternate strategy, extend your paddle on the LEFT hand side of the
boat, moving your grip down the shaft as far as you can get - but NOT
going to pelata. Roll upside down, find the surface of the water and
simply yank your right handdown and across your body as hard as you
can. Finishing with a hip flick. If you get it right you will catch
fresh air for about a second and roll over again on the other side. So
prepare with a brace to stop going over again.

Took me months to get the roll and then I tried it on the left and
couldn't believe how simple it was.

Rounder hulls are sometimes easier to roll. Squared hulls tend to roll
in "steps". Just a thought.

I could never come to terms with the (essential) "hip flick" - if thats an
issue, think about "ramming / lifting / forcing" your knee "thro the deck"
as you progress thro the roll. Following Ewan's advice above, set up with
the paddle on the left, as you start the roll ram your knee hard against the
deck - works for me!

Keep your head down until you're "up".

Personally, I found I learnt to roll with a pawlata and then just keep
shortening the grip until I had a "proper" hand position for a screw/storm
roll. There is a school of thought though that suggests it's best not to
learn this way, as it encourages brute force rather than technique but I
still favour a pawlata as my fail-safe back up when I just *have* to roll.

There is even a suggestion on one of the Australian sea-kayaking sites that
the pawlata should be the roll of choice for sea-paddlers - certainly in
conditions where a failed roll is not an option.

There's some sound advice on rolling to be found in "Kayak Rolling - the
Black Art Demystified " - Collins, L - Pesda Press - ISBN 0-9531956-8-6 -
www.pesdapress.com

Mike.