Eskimo Roll (Kayak Roll)

The roll is a self-rescue technique in which a capsized paddler brings the boat back upright without exiting it. The key action is a hip snap that rotates the boat under the body, supported by a sweeping paddle stroke that provides a brief brace at the surface. Being able to roll lets paddlers recover from a capsize quickly in surf, whitewater or open water.

The technique has long been known as the Eskimo roll, but many paddlers and organisations now prefer 'kayak roll', 'combat roll' or simply 'roll', because 'Eskimo' is regarded by some Inuit and other Arctic peoples as outdated or offensive. The skill itself traces to Arctic kayaking traditions, where reliably righting a capsized kayak in cold water was essential to survival.