Eskimo Rolling, 3rd

I learned to Eskimo roll, Pawlata style, from John Dowd's Sea Kayaking book, which covered Eskimo rolling in ~10 pages. In Pawlata rolls, you hold the paddle with one hand on the end of the paddle and the other on the shaft. My kayaking best friend helped me learn the Screw Roll, wherein you roll with your hands on the paddleshaft in the same place you have them while paddling. This came in very handy when I capsized once while goofing off and once while deflecting overhanging branches. Of course, learning to slide the paddle helps obtain the best leverage if you don't have total confidence in your screw roll. I bought this book to learn other kinds of rolls, including the hand roll. The book also teaches sculling support strokes which kayakers, myself included, should learn to avoid panicking after a botched roll, to buy time for thinking about the next roll attempt. Avoid deadly hypothermia--dress for the water temperature, learn when not to go out, don't go alone, learn to brace, learn to Eskimo roll, learn to wet exit and re-enter, take all precautions--then practice frequently. The price above seems high.

Kayak rolling is a difficult technique to learn, because it involves several steps, all carefully coordinated under conditions that invite panic. Despite the difficulty of teaching and learning the technique, I taught myself to roll with this book. Derek Hutchinson's descriptions are clear and informative. He gives descriptions of a wide variety of techniques; though many are of historical, rather than practical, interest, they're all worth a good read. He includes a number of first-person accounts, some of which are funny and some of which are cautionary. This book is one treasure in my paddling library!