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GoPro camera pole on the boom or rack fitting advise.

Posted: Sun Nov 13, 2016 7:58 pm
by Joeerskine
To improve my sailing and get some footage I want to put my GoPro off the back of the boat on the book or rack.

What advise do people have for a pole, type of material, length, OD?

And

Fitting to the boom/racks how? What materials ?

Thanks in advance :-)

Re: GoPro camera pole on the boom or rack fitting advise.

Posted: Sun Nov 13, 2016 8:40 pm
by DangerBoy
If you only want to use to analyse you manoeuvres then mounted on the tiller looking forward is pretty good, doesn't really give any idea of speed though.

Re: GoPro camera pole on the boom or rack fitting advise.

Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2016 1:36 pm
by campervan
I use an aluminium pole (old optimist boom) thats about 80 cm long. Best position is in midline just above rudder cassette, so it is attached to the rack. Have a look at Chanonry Skiffs on Facebook and you will se some of our footage.

Re: GoPro camera pole on the boom or rack fitting advise.

Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2016 10:21 pm
by EdWilkinson
This is the method I use for attaching a camera pole to the end of the boom. The angle gives a good view across the windward side of the boat, since the camera tacks with the boom, and is high enough to see boats and sea state ahead. It has been more difficult than I expected to find a method that does not shift or detach after a few hours on the water. My VIRB is quite heavy at 370g with case and mount, which gives it a lot of inertia swinging at the end of the boom in a gybe to break the mounts. I didn't want to drill any holes in the boom obviously!

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The camera pole (selfie stick?!) I use is 750mm long with about half protruding beyond the end of the boom. This puts the camera over the gantry, which might (hopefully) be safe from a port tacker. A longer pole would allow you to see more than your feet when at the back of the rack, but is then more vulnerable and increases the inertia in a gybe. The pole is no lower than the boom so as not to reduce head clearance, and the hose clip screws are on top so I won't catch one if I headbutt the boom. The clew strap fits between the boom and the camera pole.

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The parts I used are:
2 x Jubilee Stainless Steel 316 Hose Clip (85mm - 100mm Hose Diameter) Part #: 4XSS316
2 x Stauff ZR518 Black 9005 plastic saddle clamps. I ordered these from Stauff Southampton.
18mm ID Carbon Fibre Tube (Roll Wrapped)
Camera tether line
PVC tape wraps to protect the tube from the clip
Road bike inner tube to protect the boom from the clip (It works but looks a bit messy)

The saddle clamps are made of an elastomer so they deform to the diameter of the boom and tube when the hose clip is tightened. The tether passes through a hole drilled in the end of the pole (knot also acts as an end stop for the camera mount on the pole), along inside the pole and is tied around the boom at the inboard end.

Re: GoPro camera pole on the boom or rack fitting advise.

Posted: Fri Nov 18, 2016 11:28 am
by DangerBoy
I've been wearing a helmet cam more recently for VRsport.tv and while it was a bit odd at first I think the first person view is best if you are trying to get the experience across, while the static is better for training review purposes.