Introduction The tail-race has a long history of use as a slalom site. The New Plymouth Kayak Club had working bees to install rock groynes by hand to create eddies in the early 1980's. They organized some slalom events. The tail-race has been used for slalom training camps. The course is recognized by good slalom paddlers to have potential. The sketch
This sketch is to scale 1:500. Blue areas are slow moving water. It shows all the rock groynes. They are labeled R1 (first on true right bank) etc. These groynes are already in place (built by club back in the 80's). We have turned R4/L4 into the play-wave. We are in the process of cleaning up these groynes to make well defined and deep eddies-they must be cemented (at least at the ends) to make them permanent. The groynes are being raised so they just flush at high water level. This makes them tidy and helps cure the cement. Proposed new groynes to finish course. They will make the steep part more exciting. R8/L8-propose to build up to create a squeeze, build up behind, and a slight drop and improve eddy out below L8 (need to be able to eddy out in a long boat and paddle out cleanly) R9/L9-propose to build up to enhance existing eddies and a wave cross between them. Note R9 is 2-3m upstream of the corner. R11/L11-propose to have a well defined exit flow that is good for stern squirts and crosses high up without hitting rocks. Good for learners and for instruction. These groynes would be built from small rocks (hand shifted) and cemented- that is they can be removed later if necessary. No digger involved. Cement is easily broken up with a sledge hammer. Digger Will need this to repair flood damage to green peninsular. Maybe for some deepening of one or 2 eddies, or removal of a couple of large rocks.   |
Slalom site at Meeting Waters |