‘Q&A’

Question: I love my thin stick, but in the reading I’ve done, I’ve not been able to establish if they are faster than a fat blade. Do the Greenlanders use them only because they enjoy them or because they are faster as well? They are so delightful to use and easy to make I can’t understand why more people don’t use them. Thanks for any help you can give.

Answer: The speed of a kayaker has to do with many factors; including the kayak itself, but mainly, the technique of the person paddling it. The three main types of paddles are traditional paddles (Greenland sticks), European paddles (the Euro blade) and wing paddles. It is believed by many that of the three types, the wing blade is the fastest. Of the other two… it depends who you ask. I believe that it comes down to technique.

When I was in Greenland I only saw Greenland paddles. The purpose of the Greenland National Kayaking Championship is to preserve the traditions of the Greenlandic culture, and therefore, only traditional gear is used. However, the Greenland paddle is a remarkable tool, and so my thought falls to the common saying, “If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.” This might be part of the reason that the European blade hasn’t become popular in Greenland.

As you said yourself, “they are so delightful to use and easy to make.” I have found that my Greenland paddles works well in everything I paddle in, from flat water to surf, and I don’t use any other kind of paddle. Hope this helps.

Question: I was working on my Standard Greenland Roll, and an issue came up for me. I am in my skin-on-frame qajaq, wearing a wetsuit, sprayskirt and PFD and am using a Greenland paddle. I have a lot of buoyancy. If I start out my roll set-up moving forward, I’m fine. However, if I just roll over, I have a hard time getting into position to “kiss the deck” because of the buoyancy. Any suggestions or tricks?

Answer: Many skin-on-frame qajaqs can get “stuck” during the capsize. There are a few things that can be done to make the capsize a little easier. First, try removing your PFD or wearing one with less flotation. There are several on the market with CO2 cartridges (I wear a suspender type). Second, during the capsize try “diving” in as opposed to “falling” in. “Dive” with your chin tucked, so that your forehead touches the water first and your body follows. Capsize as close to the qajaq as possible, with very little extension out to the side (I like to think of it as rolling into the water). This will get your head and shoulders under the qajaq. If your qajaq is still not in a flat, upside down position, use your hips to bring it over on top of you. This may require a back and forth rocking action. It will put you directly under the kayak, where you’ll be able to curl up to the surface and finish your roll.

Question: Someone on your website asked about rolling when in motion. I have a question about this part of your answer, “Make sure you curl up to the surface into your set-up position, and check all the variables before starting the roll.” Are you saying that parts of your torso should be above the waterline, or do you mean that you are moving toward the surface, but most of you (except for perhaps the paddle and parts of your fists), are still beneath the surface?

Answer: Your underwater set-up position is a tucked forward position. While hanging upside down, reach your paddle up to the surface on the side of the kayak that you’ll be rolling up on. Your paddle should be parallel to the kayak and very close to it. Your paddle and hands should be on the surface or above it with your palms facing up. Your body should be curled forward so that your paddle is directly above your chest, with your shoulders square to the surface of the water.
Once you are in this set-up position, you can begin the sweep. During the sweep is when your body will unfold, moving from a tucked forward position to an arched back position, which will allow you to slide onto the back deck. During the sweep is also when you should lift your chin and place your eyebrows underwater.

Question: Recently I learned the Assammik Nerfallallugu (hand roll, front to back), and although I need to work on it to make the sweep smoother, I would be keen in progressing towards the elbow roll. Have you any tips in which I could focus?

Answer: The progression from Assammik Nerfallallugu (front to back hand roll) to Ikusaannarmik Pukusuk Patillugu (elbow roll), isn’t too difficult once you have the correct body movements for Assammik Nerfallallugu down. Work on fine tuning your hand roll, paying attention to the following (I will describe the roll as if you were working on a right side recovery):
- During your on-the-surface set-up, position your body to the far left side of the deck, twisting your body to get your shoulders as square to the water as possible (this will put you in a nice set-up position underwater).
- As you capsize, try to get your body to move in a U shape under the kayak, coming up with your face and shoulders as square to the surface as possible.
- Place your left hand over the left edge of the kayak deck (palm up), lift your right knee and hip and slide onto the back deck, keeping your chin in the air and your upper body relaxed.
Once you are able to do this without difficulty, you are ready to progress to the elbow roll. Following are some things to focus on (Once again I will describe the roll as if you were working on a right side recovery).
- During your on-the-surface set-up, put your right hand behind your head and twist your upper body to the left, turning your head and torso so that you are looking out to the left side of your kayak. Place your right elbow on the far left side of the deck (this will put you in a nice set-up position underwater).
- As with the hand roll, when you capsize try to get your body to move in a U shape under the kayak, coming up with your face and shoulders as square to the surface as possible.
- As soon as your face and shoulders are as close to the surface as they’re going to get, drive your right knee and hip up and simultaneously throw your upper body back, using it as a lever. Your back should be arched and your forehead should be deeper underwater than any other part of your body. Use your left hand as a counterweight by placing it palm up over the left edge of the kayak deck, and slide onto the back deck, keeping your chin in the air.
The power from this roll comes from your knee, hip and abdominal muscles on the recovery side (especially those muscles under your rib cage).

Answer: Actually, it tells me a lot. My best guess is that you’re not keeping your palms facing up. There’s a tendency to push forward with the paddle, ending with the knuckles facing the sky and the palms facing forward. If this is happening you’re using too much paddle and it’s hurting your roll. What you want to do is focus on turning your knuckles toward your nose as your body sweeps, and not pushing on the paddle. This will keep the paddle flat on the surface and you can focus on sliding your body onto the back deck instead of having the paddle dive and your body follow it.

Question: I occasionally get a rolling student who, no matter what I do, still jerks their head toward the surface at the worst possible moment and ruins the roll. Occasionally I even encounter someone who has their head on their shoulder but the body still jerks up. Do you have tips for breaking this tendency?

Answer: Try suggesting to your student to keep their eyebrows underwater. This will force their head back and put a nice arch in their back. If the student doesn’t respond well to that, then have them put their chin in the air. This will put them in the same position. Have the student come out into a balance brace position while you hold their kayak. Have them practice sliding onto the back deck with their eyebrows underwater. Take away the paddle while doing this, just so the focus isn’t on it. Also, you could try telling them to visualize being a floppy puppet with a string attached to the spot a couple of inches to the left or right of the belly button (depending on the side that the student is rolling up on). Have them touch that spot before attempting the roll. Tell the student that from the underwater set-up position to picture the string pulling this spot straight up and just let the body follow.

Answer: The main thing to remember when you capsize while moving is to tuck. Tuck forward and hang out for a few seconds. Hold your combing so that you can orient your position and try spelling something before you even attempt to set-up. My friend once told me that he spells “R-E-L-A-X,” before he attempts to roll up. I spell “P-A-N-I-C,” because it has the same amount of letters but it’s funnier. Remember that often taking your time with the set-up will actually get you on the surface and breathing sooner, because your chances of success on the first try are much higher if you really pay attention to what you’re doing. Make sure you curl up to the surface into your set-up position, and check all the variables before starting the roll. Chances are that you’ll be stationary (it’s difficult, if not impossible, to keep moving underwater with the weight of your body hanging under your kayak). Good luck.

Answer: I think that what I’m hearing is that you’re kind of doing a two handed norsaq roll, right? If that’s the only way this roll is working for you, then you’re using too much “arm” and not enough “body.” When I do this roll I find that the power comes from my abs. From your description, it sounds like you’re recovering on the right side of your qajaq, so I’ll describe it with that recovery:
- Extend directly out to the right side of your qajaq as far as you can.
- Reach up with not only your norsaq, but the top of your head as well. Try to get both out of the water. This should put a nice arch in your back.
- Meanwhile your left hand should be doing nothing. I hold the bottom of my qajaq. It’ll slide a bit during your extension, but just try to keep loose contact with the qajaq.
- When you think that your body is in the right position, focus all of your energy on the crunch. Basically, picture every internal organ squeezing into a spot a couple of couple of inches to the right of your belly button. Lift your knee to hit that spot, and slide your hunched upper body over the front deck. Your shoulders should stay square to the sea floor and then to the qajaq deck.
- With the norsaq, from the extended position, and while you’re doing all of the body movements described above, push it through the water to get some lift. Follow through until it hits the bottom of your qajaq. By this time, the rest of you should be up.
As with any roll, this really has way more to do with what you do with your body than what you do with whatever object you’re holding.

Answer: A hand roll is very similar to a butterfly roll. To progress to this really fine tune your butterfly roll. Make sure that your shoulders are square to the surface before righting your kayak and that your body is out to the side as far as possible, while keeping your shoulders flat. Also, as with any roll, make sure that you’re putting as little pressure as possible on the paddle (any roll has way more to do with body mechanics than what’s in the paddler’s hand). When you feel that you are ready to move on, work on a layback norsaq roll. To start, hold the norsaq in the center, just as you would when doing a butterfly roll. It’s the exact same roll, so all the same rules apply (flat shoulders, arched back, etc.). When this is easy for you, try doing the same roll while holding the smaller end of the norsaq. The Greenlandic name for this roll is Norsamik Nerfalallugu (Throwing Stick, Front to Back). Once this feels natural to you and you’re ready to progress, remove the norsaq and do the same roll. That’s your hand roll (Assammik Nerfallallugu).