Back deck roll

[SHGB]

I’m in a Pyranha ripper, running rivers mostly with a bit of sea surfing. For those in river boats not play boats, is the back deck roll something you use on grade 3 up or not so much? Looks a fun one to learn but day to day wondered how useful it is and how often you use it for non playboaters on white water. Cheers for replies

[Jakob]

I don't really use it on whitewater because I feel that it leaves my face exposed and also puts my shoulder in position which doesn't feel healthy. Only exception would be easy whitewater <4 after a messed up kick flip.

[Poke]

I use it on any grade water. It just comes down to the position you find yourself in when you're upside down. As Jakob says, it does open up your shoulder to getting knocked (risk of dislocation), but if you're upside down and lying on your back deck, you're much less likely to smash your face into rocks by rolling from that position (in which your arm covers your face) than you are sitting forward into a standard screw roll position.

It also tends to be much faster, so if you're in the middle of a rapid with a line downstream you have to make, being able to back-deck roll is certainly an advantage.

[Jim]

My normal roll is a reverse screw roll, similar to back deck roll but the latter is something you start as or before you go over. Mainly used in freestyle where you can use it to initiate moves where you flick the boat over the top of you without getting your head wet. Can't see much use for a back deck roll on a river unless you are into kickflips (which I guess should be possible in a ripper).

I find a lot of times I fall in for real it is after a failed recovery stroke so it is easier to wind up into a reverse screw from such a position than a regular screw roll. If your face is exposed to the river bed you aren't setting up properly, your body should be rotated towards the paddle side, your head turned even further and your face just below the surface facing upwards. As Poke says the most vulnerable bit is your off side shoulder but it will be much less deep in the water than your head is during a screw roll.

[SHGB]

Thanks for sharing your experience, think I’ll have a go at back deck and reverse screw roll and then play around with them on easy water

[Chas C]

You mention surfing, if this is in the sea then your probably already doing a back deck roll but not realising.

[Poke]

... a reverse screw roll, similar to back deck roll but the latter is something you start as or before you go over...

Really?
In my book they're one and the same thing.
I'm not sure anyone defines a roll on how you end up the wrong way up!

[SHGB]

You mention surfing, if this is in the sea then your probably already doing a back deck roll but not realising.

I’m only just trying out grade 3 and surfing at the sea, not big waves, if I tip I just wait for the wave to pass and do a sweep roll but interesting if a back deck roll is useful on bigger stuff.

[Jim]

... a reverse screw roll, similar to back deck roll but the latter is something you start as or before you go over...

Really?
In my book they're one and the same thing.
I'm not sure anyone defines a roll on how you end up the wrong way up!

Back deck roll you use both blades and can keep your hair dry if you do it well (I can't)