First of all I want to thank everyone for the great turnout last week! I saw lots of students, lots of instructors, and lots of other folks just practicing. It was especially cool to see all the kids!

I'm hoping to see another great turnout tonight! Remember there's a good reason for about 90% of us to be there - there's always room for improvement and it's the single best thing you can do to become a safer boater. If you think your roll is pretty solid on both sides, try some of the drills I mentioned last week to raise the challenge bar. Practice the missed roll drill, get someone to test your bracing on both sides with surprise flip attempts, practice your breath holding, or help someone else learn to roll ... even if you're just spotting them or telling them to keep their head down

For you newbs: your pre-session homework is to watch a good roll video, or internet teaching videos, if you can. A positive visualization of the goal always helps. Also, please make sure your boat (or your newby friend's boat) fits well. Nothing sabotages a roll faster than a poor fit. You should be locked in the boat, rock solid with a tight fit in the hips, and a solid connection at the knees and feet. If the boat is too big for a solid fit, same problem. The boat should literally be an extension of your lower body. Foot placement should be adjusted so that minimal effort is required to keep the knees tight against the deck. If it's a new / borrowed boat, then foam, duct tape, and a towel (if needed to dry) are needed to dial in the fit. This is much easier to do at home in your warm dry living room if possible. Some newer boats have expandable hip pads that you add layers of foam to and velcro / strap in ... making this adjustment very easy. Last week we had a student with Jackson foot bags that she couldn't reach. These bags can be augmented toward you by stuffing the bow with foam in front of the air chamber of the bag. What you don't want to do with those foot bags is blow up the chamber with beads to add reach. The bead chamber is supposed to have the air sucked out and vacuum fit your foot profile ... or do like I do and start with it flat and gradually work your feet into it over time.

Hope to see you there!

Wes

Addendum:

Forgot to post some general directions last week but everyone found us somehow

Northside YMCA
381 W Loudon Ave
Lexington, KY 40508-3730
(859) 258-9622

Park in the far left lot, and walk down the left side of the building past the kiddie playground to the back pool door.

Wes

will there be a roll session tonite? if so will there be any chance of using a skirt that fits a mutant and a paddle? thanks

matt hagan

Dude, I didn't know you were a mutant. Sure, come on in, we've got a skirt to fit you.



Hanley

PS: I've definitely got a paddle you can borrow, but my skirt is a regular keyhole cockpit skirt and may not fit an extra large cockpit.