Bummer on that launch. It's a shitty feeling as soon as you go sideways...I've always paddled out keeping the mirage drive bungeed on the bow. It's coming in that gets me. I leave the drive in place peddling and paddling like hell but I haven't been comfortable with it unless they're only ankle slappers...
This season, from the tips I've heard here, I'm going to try:
-jumping out on my landing sooner/deeper not waiting to get all the way in
-bringing less crap
-landing with a big
on my lap...
-smoking a big
when it all comes together