Hey guys.
I can already backdeck roll, but not without get wet...i'm just wondering if anyone can give me advice on how to back deck roll and keep nice and dry.
Are there any specific things that need doing?

Cheers,
Finn:grin:

I just pretend the paddle is like a push up bar as im going round and push down on the paddle.

Oh right. Ok well i'll give that a go.
Thanks

also, study this video very carefully and watch precisely what each paddle blade is doing and why:

playak.com/media.php?src=dmlkZW9zL1RlY2h...IC0gRHJ5IFJvbGwubXBn

Thankyou:)

The new EJ's video has a good simple explanation for the dry roll, see if you can find it, might help.
Any way, couple of points:
Use the feather of the paddle to your advantage - if you paddle righthanded, the roll should go left to right - this way both blades come up during the movement and don't dive.
Try if it works for when you start with the paddle parallel to the kayak just next to you body - you turn your upper body to the left, cock the wrists up and place both blades onthe water next to you. Then you start leaning back and do a circular motion with the paddle while sort of pushing on it (just like M0nkeymann said). Swing the kayak over your head as soon as you can and come up on the other side. You can come up in forward or backward position - which ever you like. Looks cooler to finish forward...
Hope it helps, let us all know how goes.

Will do! Cheers all

Also, work on really throwing your boat around yourself. Once you go for it, commit and try to use your momentum to your advantage. Hope this helps

Wicked, well thankyou everybody!

my coach told me to just try to keep my elbows more straight. that really helped me. the other thing that helps is keeping the whole roll one fluid motion. this helped me!

good luck!!

Kicks wrote:

my coach told me to just try to keep my elbows more straight. that really helped me. the other thing that helps is keeping the whole roll one fluid motion. this helped me!

Hmm. Better to keep yer elbows bend -it will protect your shoulders in powerful water.

Tuomas wrote:

Kicks wrote:

my coach told me to just try to keep my elbows more straight. that really helped me. the other thing that helps is keeping the whole roll one fluid motion. this helped me!

Hmm. Better to keep yer elbows bend -it will protect your shoulders in powerful water.

You could not be more right Tuomas, excellent word of caution!

i only say that because i thought that the question was about rolling with your head \"dry\", meaning out of the water. when i see someone do a backdeck roll with his head out of the water, i don't see their hands close to their body. I agree that doing a backdeck roll with your arms compleatly straight in moving water would be a stupid idea.

i have yet to hurt myself doing a back deck roll in moving water.

LEAD WITH YOUR HEAD. This is how I got my dry head roll. If you can get your back deck roll with your head wet you are doing it right. To keep your head dry your issue is not your paddle or body position... it is your head position.

For example, if you are starting your roll on your left (like most paddlers), start with your head turned so that you can see the RIGHT sternedge out of the corner of your left eye. Your head should feel like you are straining the neck muscles a little because your head should be turned as much as possible to the left. As you start your roll make sure your head never leaves this position. Now, as your are falling over, try to get your head under and across your back deck as fast as possible by KEEPING YOUR HEAD TURNED AND LEADING WITH YOUR HEAD. The rest of your roll is the same. The faster you can do it the higher your head will be out of the water.

Keep that head turned and look where you want to go!

Cheers,
Cory

Thanks everybody
I'll put all this into action when i hit the water next.

A word of caution: practice with your helmet on. I've whacked myself in the head numerous times while vigorously pulling my boat over me. It would have been very embarassing to have knocked myself out and drowned in flatwater.

The Back Deck Roll has evolved a lot - even over the past five years. If you look at older videos you will notice that the technique is different.

Specifically look at the starting positions, where the paddle blades are in relation to the body.

5 Years Ago: Look at this 2001 sequence from Ken Whiting:

www.paddlermagazine.com/issues/2001_4/article_125.shtml

Look how far back he goes to set up this roll.

This Year: This video from ExChile, 2006 really shows the progression and difference from what was being taught 5 years ago. Here the paddler actually starts the roll from the normal forward rolling position !!!

www.exchile.com/KayakSchoolRollIdentifier.htm

The current idea is to lock the paddle blade down on one side of the kayak and move the kayak (lower body) over the upper body in one quick and smooth motion. This avoids all of the blade positioning discussions and where your body, head and paddle need to be in relation to the kayak. If you start the set-up from the normal paddling position the kayak has no choice but to come over the body.

Once you figure that out the back deck roll can be perfected to this (video Jeroen posted earlier)

playak.com/media.php?src=dmlkZW9zL1RlY2h...IC0gRHJ5IFJvbGwubXBn