Mike Buckley wrote:

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.

I learnt that way too, and I think there is an issue with the BFI. So I
could see that a screw and pawlata may be best taught separately, but I
certainly like the p. for my "I need to roll", and if I miss a screw
I'll try again with a pawlata. With a Pawlata there's no need for brute
force, or even a hip flick for that matter! (though it certainly helps)

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.

It's one of those context things. Setting up a pawlata in surf is not
something I can see being terribly clever, both in terms of time to set
up and chance of success (coming up to start with, and staying up once
you're there). I don't think anyone saying you ought to do a certain
type of roll just because you're in the sea has thought through the
variety of situations a sea paddler might be in.

Though I did the groundwork in the pool, it was going surfing that got
everything rather more together. Simply a case that it's not if you go
over, but when, so you get lots of practice of rolling "in anger". And
after quite a bit of swimming at first, you generally make the rolls.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
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