learn how to back deck roll a kayak

This video is about how to backdeck roll. This isn't the first roll I usually teach beginner kayakers, and isn't my primary roll, but it's an important one to know. This will always be the safest roll to use if you flip over leaning back (which happens to most of us often). It's much safer to simply go with a back-leaning flip into a backdeck roll than have to set up underwater on the front deck. A few safety thing to keep in mind: 1 keep your elbows IN when you practice this roll--you should never reach your arms straight out over your head like superman. 2 ALWAYS practice any roll by focusing on using your hips to roll the boat under you without pulling on the paddle. 3 if you know of people who have cut up their faces rolling on the back deck, there's a good chance that they aren't people who practiced using this roll quickly and using safe technique, so practice techniques that will keep you protected: keep your paddle and elbows in front of your face, and try to look ahead of the roll to the side. I've found that when I'm accidentally upside-down leaning back in a shallow rapid that my elbow pads and hands tend to take the hits instead of my head/face because of lots of practice with this roll. 4 get good at doing this roll (and every roll) on both sides--it'll almost always be easiest and quickest to roll up away from water that flipped you (if you flipped left, quickly roll up on the right blade). This was shot with a gopro 2 in a special scuba housing with scuba lens and a Canon 5d Mark III. ENJOY! Stephen

learn how to back deck roll a kayak sentiment_very_dissatisfied 14

Kayak 12 years ago 146,083 views

This video is about how to backdeck roll. This isn't the first roll I usually teach beginner kayakers, and isn't my primary roll, but it's an important one to know. This will always be the safest roll to use if you flip over leaning back (which happens to most of us often). It's much safer to simply go with a back-leaning flip into a backdeck roll than have to set up underwater on the front deck. A few safety thing to keep in mind: 1 keep your elbows IN when you practice this roll--you should never reach your arms straight out over your head like superman. 2 ALWAYS practice any roll by focusing on using your hips to roll the boat under you without pulling on the paddle. 3 if you know of people who have cut up their faces rolling on the back deck, there's a good chance that they aren't people who practiced using this roll quickly and using safe technique, so practice techniques that will keep you protected: keep your paddle and elbows in front of your face, and try to look ahead of the roll to the side. I've found that when I'm accidentally upside-down leaning back in a shallow rapid that my elbow pads and hands tend to take the hits instead of my head/face because of lots of practice with this roll. 4 get good at doing this roll (and every roll) on both sides--it'll almost always be easiest and quickest to roll up away from water that flipped you (if you flipped left, quickly roll up on the right blade). This was shot with a gopro 2 in a special scuba housing with scuba lens and a Canon 5d Mark III. ENJOY! Stephen

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Most popular comments
for learn how to back deck roll a kayak

Lacy Swart
Lacy Swart - 7 years ago
If you capsize leaning back could you still do a normal roll or is it better to learn a back deck roll if you capsize leaning back
Lacy Swart
Lacy Swart - 7 years ago
Katie ok thank you:)
Katie
Katie - 7 years ago
Lacy Swart a normal roll will usually work, but this is quicker and doesn't require a set up.
dessler deslock
dessler deslock - 7 years ago
This guy has a 0° degree paddle it is easy to do it with a ° degree paddle on both side. But very difficult with 30° or 45° degree paddle on the left side
Matt Ballard
Matt Ballard - 7 years ago
finishes filming voiceover. realizes its out of focus. convinces self that "it'll be fine". (it's not fine)
구영식
구영식 - 7 years ago
nice video.
구영식
구영식 - 7 years ago
good!
gaboto kayak
gaboto kayak - 8 years ago
Hi. This tutorial served me to learn by myself the back deck in pool. I hope I can use it in the river if necessary. thank you very much. greetings from Buenos Aires.
Robert Cole
Robert Cole - 8 years ago
You do Realize this is the Best Back Deck Roll Ever dont ya.........................
I have lost count of how many times I have watched & shared this, its also the basis of my tuition of the back deck roll & the arguments are spot on.....................

Dont stop Insructing.
SteepVisions
SteepVisions - 8 years ago
I finish my backdeck in the front...
Frank Ladd
Frank Ladd - 7 years ago
I was wondering about that because it looks so similar to the Greenland or Sea Kayakers reverse sweep roll that finishes on the front. It seems that at the end he flips the paddle and swings back. I think instinctive rollers usually change things a bit to work for them and they naturally find the quickest way up without needing any set up.
pat ohara
pat ohara - 9 years ago
Hi Stephen, I Just got back from the ACC kayak school with my two children and was wanting to know if the use of paddle bags would help to develop the confidence, muscle memory, and body mechanics during there roll sessions? thanks pat

10. comment for learn how to back deck roll a kayak

Enrique DB
Enrique DB - 9 years ago
THANK YOUUUU
Moto Vinios
Moto Vinios - 9 years ago
Ekaterina Dyachuk
Ekaterina Dyachuk - 9 years ago
Thank you!!!
Callum McMahon
Callum McMahon - 10 years ago
after a year of trying and doing everything wrong it finally came to me and now its my most solid roll
Stephen Wright
Stephen Wright - 10 years ago
NICE!!!
EMcG
EMcG - 10 years ago
Thanks Steven, this'll help a lot.
Nathaniel .J.A
Nathaniel .J.A - 10 years ago
awesome ! gonna go give it a try
Stephen Wright
Stephen Wright - 11 years ago
Leon, Thanks for watching! I do use a backdeck roll a good bit. Any time I flip over leaning back, it's what I do. Otherwise I generally just slice to blade towards the surface with my head and hip snap from anywhere. Enjoy1
paddle for people
paddle for people - 11 years ago
Very interesting back deck roll lesson! I'll perfect my roll this winter, learning this style and hand roll. Thank you Stephen!
dontsupportwar
dontsupportwar - 11 years ago
The thing that helped me most learning the sweep roll was to keep my eye on the blade so my head comes up last. I seem to be bring my head up too quick or something with the back deck roll. ugh soo frustrating.
Christie Sondrup
Christie Sondrup - 11 years ago
Right on! I randomly clicked on this video and realized it was shot at the Golden Rec. Center where I learned how to roll! I'm taking this as a sign to practice the back deck roll next!

20. comment for learn how to back deck roll a kayak

Stephen Wright
Stephen Wright - 11 years ago
I finish lying back. Just easiest place to get level over the boat. Only once you're totally flat with your weight over the middle, do I sit up and/or forward.
Stephen Wright
Stephen Wright - 11 years ago
Zero degree should be the easiest to backdeck roll in both directions with...that's what I use :) If you're struggling with the paddle motion, focus on rocking your wrists back again AFTER you hit the upside down position, then reach out with one blade, while you let the other hand go over your hull to keep the paddle low-angle (into "normal" roll paddle position). it's normal to let the blade dive as you swing it out..then you're trying to roll on a vertical paddle..which is harder. enjoy!
askwhitewater
askwhitewater - 11 years ago
Excellent vid, very thorough. You mention briefly the feather on your paddle makes this a lot easier. I paddle a 0 degree feather and always blamed my inability to back deck roll on the paddle. Maybe i need more pool practice... Any suggestions?
701adventurer
701adventurer - 11 years ago
nice video, i get tired of all my buddies giving me a hard time because i use a back deck roll. i switched to it because i injured my shoulder doing a sweep.
Stephen Wright
Stephen Wright - 11 years ago
Mitchell, I like to get my weight completely off my paddle as quickly as possible when rolling. I found that if I scull it forwards while finishing the backdeck roll (or any roll), I'm a lot more vulnerable to failing the roll if the paddle hits a weird boil/eddy/rock. I like to get the boat 100% flat with my weight over the middle on the backdeck (where it's easiest), then sit up and paddle as a separate step. Hope that helps!
Mitch Messer
Mitch Messer - 11 years ago
Hey so the Chris Spelius back deck finishs at the front of the boat vs yours which u end up on the back deck, think u can comment on this Stephen?
Intikhab Alam
Intikhab Alam - 11 years ago
i'm very new but i'm agreed with you, awesome man!
Hernan E
Hernan E - 11 years ago
Ok, i´ll do it. Thanks for the answer =). sorry for my english ahah.
Stephen Wright
Stephen Wright - 11 years ago
Hernan, Nice work! The later ones look very good! I'd focus on doing a more complete hip snap on all your rolls. Think about trying to get the boat TOTALLY flat with your knees and hips before any part of your body or head start coming out. With most of the rolls in that video, you only get the boat about 2/3 rolled before you start to pull on the paddle and lift your body/head...see if you can get the boat 100% flat with your hips, so you have a more stable boat to get your weight onto :)
Hernan E
Hernan E - 11 years ago
/watch?v=e0egZXKACeo Thanks for this tutorial, please tell me what i`m doing wrong. bye

30. comment for learn how to back deck roll a kayak

Stephen Wright
Stephen Wright - 11 years ago
Anthony, Definitely finish the backdeck roll where you finish every other roll, which I think is best neutral or back. Get the boat all the way flat there, then sit up and be ready to paddle...this is just the lowest place that your center of gravity can be. If you have to move all the way forward while you're hip-snapping, the paddle is vulnerable to rocks, boils, or underwater eddies for longer--these can make you fail rolls. Don't worry about finishing back. That's correct :)
Anthony Meli
Anthony Meli - 11 years ago
I agree the video is awesome. I learned in two pool sessions or three days. I watched it every night of the three days and it help a lot, wish there were more. So some one explain on thing.... some people tell me how I have to finish at the bow and now sideways or lying back. My finish looks almost like a C to C finish. Is that wrong?
Stephen Wright
Stephen Wright - 11 years ago
Scott, we just scheduled another CW clinic for the 24th of March. Get some!!!
Scott Murphy
Scott Murphy - 11 years ago
Stephen. Just one more class with CW! I was signed up this weekend and had to go out of town. Peter, Mark, Stacy, and others all had nothing but the best things to say. I hope I get the chance to learn from you!
Stephen Wright
Stephen Wright - 12 years ago
thanks buddy!
Eric Jackson
Eric Jackson - 12 years ago
Oh yea- If you haven't had a class with stephen wright, you can now! Stephen has taught more kids at the highest levels (Keener) as well as adults, etc.. how to kayak than just about anyone in the world! His skills are unbelievable, and he knows how to have fun in a boat... this video is a testimony to his ability to teach-- watch and learn! :) EJ
Jodi Lee
Jodi Lee - 12 years ago
Great video. Definitely going to get my backdeck roll in 2013 and have a few more pointers from this video.
Charlie Duffy
Charlie Duffy - 12 years ago
Excellent instructional video. I was hard to find via the You Tube search Thanks
TheLethalMoo
TheLethalMoo - 12 years ago
nice tutorial! wish i had some pool that let boat sin round here, practicing things like this in winter is chilly on the brain?!

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