Norsamik Nerfalallugu – “with a norsaq, lying on one’s back”
This is probably the best norsaq roll to start with. Once you have become comfortable with layback rolls using a paddle you should be ready to try the norsaq rolls.
It would be easy to say just do the roll like you did with a paddle but now just use a norsaq… But that isn’t really what is going on in this roll. This roll is the start of learning a hand roll, an elbow roll and eventually a straight-jacket roll. It is all about learning the power of your spine, head, hips and knee.
So when you learned your standard Greenland roll the set up position was pretty simple drop the paddle in next to the kayak and just roll in, right? No longer is this good enough.
A: Tuck forward, get low and long and forward. Why is this important? As you move from paddle to norsaq to hands to elbow to no hands, you are basically reducing the lever that will help you rotate the kayak. It becomes more important to reduce the amount you need to lever up or against.. Getting low and tucked forward reduces the moment on your mass and allows the kayak to rotate with less force. Think about this when you set up. The lower and more streamlined you are the easier the kayak will rotate around it’s axis and roll up without you doing anything other than starting the roll. When I start a norsaq roll that is forward facing I like to first wrap my offside hand under the kayak, and then I like to dip the norsaq in on the off side. These two motions set me up for the best possible position when the kayak is upside down.
B: When you roll in and float up on the opposite side, think about reaching with both hands up to the sky and the air. Your offside hand is an awesome counter balance that will help you as soon as you can get it over the point of rotation, and your onside hand is a massive lever machine that will sweep the paddle very wide and very deep to provide huge righting moment when you need it. To maximize both of these get them into the air, then spread them apart perpendicular to the kayak.
C: Now swing your arms aft into a crucifix position, get your on side arm wide and pushing down, and your offside arm wide across the aft deck and acting as a counter balance. It is helpful during this phase to try and look at the norsa. This causes your head to stay low, and reduces the resistance it can cause to the righting moment of the norsaq.
D: As in all layback rolls the last thing you do is slide your spine onto the back deck and bring your head there afterwards.
