PFDs, Kayak Rolling, Tech Wars & Rain
Published April 7, 2006 | 
lets take the boat outwait until darkness
let’s take the boat out
wait until darkness comes – pg
One of the ways I choose a topic for the daily post is to look through my search reports and see what kind of information some people are looking for when they stumble upon the site. If it’s something I’ve never addressed, I’ll write it down on my “future” list. So here’s a short one, “Rolling & PFDs”
Yes it is easier to learn rolls without a PFD. You can move around much better without the extra bulk. Surprisingly that added floatation in the PFD is not always helpful. However, if you’re out paddling and not just sitting in a pool or by the beach, you need to wear your pfd. Personally in a “safe” environment such as the pool or on my local beach with others around I will always practice rolling without the PFD. Especially new “traditional” style rolls. (I have not begun to wear a Tuilik) However, then I work to translate them back to wearing a PFD. Just because you can do a roll without a PFD, don’t just head out feeling you can do it with one on. You’d be surprised what a change it is. Having said all that, the rule is “ALWAYS WEAR YOUR PFD”. And, if I’m anywhere other than a pool or where the water is above my chest, I do.
So un-named stranger who was hoping to find the answer here. . I hope you come back, AND this was the answer you were looking for!
- d
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9 Responses to PFDs, Kayak Rolling, Tech Wars & Rain
You are in luck. The new Macs with Intel chips can now run Windows using the new Boot Camp software that Apple just released:
http://www.apple.com/macosx/bootcamp/
This means you can enjoy all the benefits of the Mac but have the option of switching over the Windows if necessary. I think you are likely to find that you are more productive in the Mac environment.
The Boot Camp software requires you to reboot when you switch between Windows and Mac. Reports are that the next version of the Mac operating system will contain virtualization technology that will allow you to toggle between OS X and Windows as easily as you now switch between windows. The next version is due at the end of this year or early next year at the latest.
To the above poster… Yeah but with with Mac’s now having an Intel platform, they are equally as susceptible to virus attacks as PCs. OS X is a good OS though.
Derrick, I love AVG and Ad-Aware. I ditched Nortons and Mccaffee software a long time ago when I too went through some virus catching sessions.
Alright Derrick, go with your original thought. Get a Mac. I am doing web development on one, it is fine. You will find that it beats a PC hands down for usability. I have a Sony Vaio and a 17″ Powerbook. I test websites on the Vaio to make sure I’m playing nice with Explorer, but otherwise…it blows chunks. It’s ugly, loud, heavy, it just plain sucks.
There is new virtualization software also that will allow you to run XP (since Vista is vaporware) AND Linux on top of OS X so you don’t have to reboot. For test purposes it should be fast enough. Plus, this tech should be native in the next version of OS X.
And yeah, the Intel macs would be vulnerable running Windows, but if you are developing, you only need to test on your localserver, so just don’t take Exploder online.
Like the Beale paddle, I doubt you will regret a Mac. If you do, you can just give it to me.
Switch, dude. The grass is greener over here.
Problem with antivirus is that the virus can get loose and spread faster than they can make a vaccine for it. That’s going to be a problem on any OS. As Mac market share increases, we’ll start seeing problems too, I’ve no doubt. But until then, yee-haa!
BTW, I’ve found it easier to roll w/ my PFD once I got the roll down in the pool. Am I not doing it right? PFD seems to float me to the surface a lot easier.
Thomas
Hey,
Thanks for the info Thomas! Yeah, to a point the extra floation does help bring you up. I agree. In fact Mary has a hard time getting under the boat with a pfd on. It wants to hold her there at the surface!!
It’s certainly an issue of personal experience to some extent. But I think the key is “after” you learned it in the pool. Then once you get used to the feel of the pfd you can take advantage of that extra floatation.
Some of the issue is with the roll you are trying to learn and how you approach it. As you know one of the first things you do when you roll is tuck. Well, me not being as svelte as others can’t easily “kiss the deck”. I can without a pfd, but when I add it, I’m hosed. In addition as I learn more traditional rolls I find I need to be able to control my torso movement through the water. The PFD again just interferes with that movement. (at least at the learning stage)
Also in many traditional layback type rolls sliding your body on to the deck is a real finesse move and often right where you’ll succeed or fail. If you have to “lift” your back because you need to get the pfd UP and onto the deck, the chance of completing the roll goes way down. In an extreme example, imagine Cheri Perry doing a straight jacket roll with PFD? I’m guessing it would be next to impossible. PFDs also get in the way when you learn forward finishing rolls. Something I’m just dabling in now. Again the bulk can get in the way. You can compensate once you know the roll, but I wouldn’t want to learn it that way.
But. . it’s all just personal experience and opinion. .
Yeah, you’re probably right there. I have not tried to learn a new one with the PFD on in a while. But last summer with the reverse sweep roll, I could not get it all summer. First time I did get it, it was in the pool with no PFD–but otoh, once I learned the “trick” it as just as easy with the PFD.
Case in point, I can hand roll on my good side with no PFD, but not with it on. (yet) I didn’t think of that before.
TD
Here’s an existing virtualization solution that will allow you to run Windows and Linux on your new Mac without the need to reboot.
http://www.parallels.com/
I think that there are other solutions out there as well. This is a rapidly evolving area and I hope Apple incorporates a virtualization solution in its next OS version.
I was rolling with a tuilig for the first time in Sweetwater – I wasn’t expecting the amount of flotation the thing provided, while allowing a noticeably wider range of motion than even my quite-nice, non-interfering Lotus pfd.
It was cool!
Congratulations. I have been delaying the purchase of the IMac since the company launched the new chip. Although the price is steep, ranging 1 Wenley monetary unit (1=British boat), I might choose a new Powerbook.
Which one are you considering?
Three things that should never be discussed in a kayakers blog, politics, religion and prefered OS:-)
As a web admin I work with many developers most of which use non MS OS’s. Most don’t understand why someone would intentionaly use Windows. Of course it all comes down to the fact that the OS doesn’t make that much of a difference, it’s the apps you use that make the difference.
Note that any Unix based OS, Linux, Mac, BSD, etc… do not suffer from the vulnerabilities that Windows does because of how they do the multi-user environment. Not impossible to infect Unix, just much harder and less damaging.
Back on topic, Jack Gillman had been teaching me some forward finish rolls in the pool and I thought I had at least a chest scull down until I tried em with my drysuit on. Turns out that my drysuit is a little too short for me, making it hard to lean as far forward.
As many people have said before, always practice your rolls in all the possible gear you’ll be wearing. I’ve seen Pat Slaven and Steve Heinzerling both fail at their rolls when they first tried them with a tuilik on, the extra flotation held em on the surface(good or bad?)
stevie