I just started boating this summer I have my role down, and I can roll with out my paddle. I want to drop of this water tower into a lake and the tower is 11ft out of the water. The water is plenty deep. Is there any special way to do this cause I dont want to have my last adrenaline rush I am only 16. I have a Dagger Juice,

Hmm well MAKE TOTALLY SURE there are no objects under the water.

check this for details on how to seal launch
www.jacksonkayak.com/jktechniques05/seal-launch.cfm

thanks a lot that really helped me out. There are not objects so I should be clean to go I just wanted to make sure I wasent goign to break my spine or somthing crazy. Thanks for the site. Peace


Logan

its pretty easy, ive done it off diving boards/ a bridge, unless u have a good ledge to push off, go with a launcher for your first few trys, drop off at like a 60 degree angle

anybody got any tips for dropping in sideways, i dont seem to slide enough and end up landing on my side rather than on the hull
darren

Never been too sure about doing it sidewards higher risk of doing your spine in big time!!!

i had a lucky escape on La Durance in the Alps. 8ft slide into 10ft drop and i had a dodgy landing according to members of the group.

haha these emotions are entertaining

Mostly, if you're dropping into deep 'green' (non-aerated) water, the objective dangers you face are in terms of hurting your spine.
The dagger Juice is flat-hulled to some degree, and if you land flat, you can load your spine up with too much force.

These two articles talk about how to land from height safely in a kayak:

www.chrisj.winisp.net/articles/waterfalling.htm
www.chrisj.winisp.net/articles/boofing.htm

as you are landing sideways, there seems to be somethign wrong with either you coming off the lip or while in freefall.

i am guessing your jumps aren't higher then 30ft at the moment it is most likely that you are already comin goff the lip wrong.

wither you are inserting too much effort into a boof stroke or you loosing your angles while getting into the forward deck position.

look at following to get your balance right.

at the start...get a good look, focus on the line, visualize yourself (and the boat) making every stroke and see yourself landing and paddeling out aswell..
all small details in the approach, the lip, the curtain and the landings are important. a small curler on top might push you offline if your stroke isn't in time.
balance...you said you are boating only since this summer...you need to get a good feel for balance (vertical/horizontal) for your angles to attempt higher falls. so go out an play/boat/get trashed...
boof...practice this one as many times as possible (just on waves if you want) to get your stroke to hip balancing right and correct.
basically your last stroke on the lip will offset your balance and you need to counter this with your hips...as said, you need to be aware off this before it actually happens..
abs..they are needed to hold your boat in position..so train them..
there're ways to rebalance your boat while in flight, but this mainly depends on your ability of balance/focus. everything you do with your body(remember the black kayaking book;) will have an effect on the hull...so turning, leaning, or similar will change the angle off your boat not only while in water but also while in mid air (a small move there will make the boat turn much faster though).

enough ...guess you'll get the balance right but it needs some exercising to get it straight..

[quote:615fd1c65b="DazLikesAir"]anybody got any tips for dropping in sideways, i dont seem to slide enough and end up landing on my side rather than on the hull
darren[/quote:615fd1c65b]


Dont do ne thing bigger than bout 1m side ways thats just dodgy
stick to forwards and backwards

I would say just lean into whatever the object ur dropping off sideways is, dont do anythin passed ur capabilities though. Just dont push your luck!

when seal launching sideways i thought that the idea was to land on edge so as not overload your spine with pressures.

i've never seen it done sideways... apart from a guy at my club that did like a handstand on the bank then threw himself in (whilst in his boat obviously). not that this is particularly helpful or relevent...

hi

If you are meaning to go in sideways of the sluice at HPP Nottingham, i have known quite a few to dislocate their shoulders from doing this. Thats because they sit on the concrete above the gate and drop in facing up the course putting a high brace in as they fall. The combined force of going in and hitting the water pops it out right away.

As regards to the spine, if you lean forwards the force of falling down is transfered through your butt and out the back of the boat. If you sit up or slightly back the the force travels through your butt and up your spine,causing compression. not nice.
My advice if you go in sideways be careful!