When you roll - poll

[Jaxxon]

Sometimes I skull my paddle to determine that my angle is correct. When you have hit about 3000 rolls this will be second nature. Much like breathing. Do not open your eyes!

[baeloth]

I keep my eyes closed. When I was learning with a non-indexed straight shaft paddle I used to have to extend my hand out the blade to check the angle. I'm not saying this is a good idea. I agree that rolling with the force is the place to get to but using goggles in a pool or lake is a great way to start the visualization process. You should probably progress through closed eye rolling prior to starting river rolling. my $0.02.

Cheers,

[dq]

never even thought about opening my eyes!

[rasdoggy]

Since I wear goggles when paddling of course the eyes are open so I can see the paddle blade, rocks, fishes, swimmers etc. etc.

And before I get any crap about wearing them I got sick of ruining sunglasses and I practice rolling with my eyes closed too in case they flood which they don't.

[jmack]

Jaxxon has it right. skulling and eyes closed is the way to go. nothing you see down there is going to help you and skulling allows you to get up when you roll against the current. goggles and nose plugs are for pussies.

-Josh

[mike a]

Depends on how scared I am at the moment...

Eyes open will not help you if you are searching for a roll. You won't find it by looking, only feeling. If you are learning to roll, try feeling if your hands are clear of the water, then try feeling the surface of the water with your blade. If you are paddling hard water, you will be trying to survive at this point and your vision will be second to other senses (esp your ninja survival senses).

Don't know if I'm at 3000 rolls or not, but once you're good at it you won't notice. I can't remember a single roll this year, not to say I haven't done plenty. When you are getting worked, you won't remember what year it is, much less what side you roll on or other details. Btw, I don't playboat much during creeking season (or not at all), but it is great practice.

[gregular]

Like a few other posters wrote, using your eyesight actually detracts from using your other senses. For example, trying to roll in the right spot in a wavetrain is something you do purely by feel. If you're looking around, you won't be concentrating on the rise and fall of the boat. Also, if you are up against a wall, I suppose you would see it, but feeling it seems more instinctive to me. When I feel the rub of the boat on rock on the left, I set up on the right. Plus, keeping your eyes closed in a nasty hydraulic could help prevent your eyelids from getting pealed back.

For beginners, looking may help. Once you've got the roll dialed, however, I would recommend keeping your eyes shut.

[rasdoggy]

Guess that make me fall in the pussy pile then, So when would you like to go hand feed some sharks ? Or are you to big of a pussy?

[VT_Eve]

Most of the "eyes closed" types I meet wear contacts like I do. It is not that I don't want to see what I might hit while upside down, it is that I find it more useful to be able to see when I am right side up to avoid being upside down again!

[DanOrion]

Rasdoggy-

I don't believe there's been sharks in these parts for about 68 million years.