The Kayak Roll, Classroom

Location:
REI - Albuquerque
1550 Mercantile Ave NE
Albuquerque, NM, 87107
See map: Google Maps
Start Time: 
Thursday, September 17, 2009 - 6:30pm - 8:30pm

Rolling a kayak is surprisingly simple.  It has nothing to do with strength, age or IQ, and more to do with following a few simple laws of physics.  The good news is, these simple laws can be broken down, taught, and mastered by anyone. 

With the right technique, we don't even need a paddle to roll the kayak, or a spray-skirt.  Rolling a fully-loaded touring kayak with days worth of gear is no problem at all.  However, you've probably never tried learning something upside down, under water.  Professional instruction can increase the fun, decrease learning time, decrease risk for injury and increase chances for success. 

In this 2-hour classroom discussion, we'll review two kayak rolling videos: Rolling a Kayak, by Ken Whiting and The Kayak Roll, by Kent Ford. These videos will introduce the student to the two most popular methods of rolling a kayak, and cover many fundamental concepts and myths, while providing a visual representation of how to roll a kayak.

Price: 
$0.00 Before Tax
Kelly is a great instructor. If you live in the Albuquerque area and want to learn kayaking, attend one of Kelly's classes.
Mark Nissan
I have taken the Intro, Roll, and the Whitewater Weekend courses. They've all been informative, supportive, and fun. It has been a progressive learning process and I do like your emphaisis on offensive paddling rather than defensive paddling.  The Intro to Kayak (Level 1) class is a perfect foundation.  I am probably going to retake the Intro class because there was a lot in there that I just could not absorb at one time; WAY beyond an 'intro' class!
Marty Teugel  -  Fish & Wildlife Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes.  A lot of great material is covered in the classroom, and you'll learn a lot by attending or repeating the classroom lessons (and they're FREE!!).  However, the classroom material is completely independent of the pool lesson.  It doesn't matter which one you attend first.

The Intro to Kayak clinic is the foundation for everything I teach. It's a required prerequisite for the 2-day Whitewater Weekend clinics and the 2-day Touring Kayak Weekend clinics. The Kayak Roll is a good next step after the Intro to Kayak clinic, although not a requirement for the Whitewater or Touring Kayak Weekend clinics.

While learning to roll is a good skill, it's not the best place to start.  Rolling is a defensive measure.  Good boat control, judgement and an accurate assessment of your skills will keep you from rolling most of the time. 

You'll learn boat control in the Intro to Kayak and subsequent clinics. Those who complete the Intro to Kayak class have a much higher success rate in the Kayak Roll clinic.  A few hours in the boat learning to do smooth and controlled wet exits from a skirted kayak will be money well spent.  If you've spent little or no time in a decked kayak, your mind will simply be too distracted by flipping over and getting out to learn the Kayak Roll.

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