181255 said:Being a mechanical engineer I have an idea that I am thinking about investing some time and $ into. Would other laser sailors be interested in being able to record them selves sailing their laser?
WestCoast said:sounds cool Ray, I just don't know where you'd mount it.
First thought was forward, of the cockpit, looking back and up, but you'd need a wide lense for that I guess.
You could mount it on the transom, looking up a bit, but how do you fix it down?
I think what might be coolest is mounted on the bow looking aft. The only really available fairlead is the bow eye. You could clamp something to that, and have it on a gimble so it stays level. You could see most of the sail shape, or the trimming motion at least, and the skippers placement and coordination through tacks.
Wouldn't need as wide angle a lense and it's out of the way. One pound or something on the bow isn't going to make anyone angry if they aren't racing.
Sunray said:Well, the steady-cam mount I was referring to would be for a chase boat----but I get your comments. I can imagine that heeling shot WOULD be a neat effect.
I was researching a bit after I saw this thread, and I went to an R.C. airplane forum (similar to this one). A lot of folks strap cameras to their planes.....I saw a few clips and they were alright. The cameras they use (it seems) transmit back to a base unit, but you need a ham radio operators license for the thing!!.. They all talked about spy cams, e.t.c. being the most logical, as they are small.
I would not want to transmit to anyone. I'm going to the local spy shop to see what they have. I would really like to set up 3 or 4 of them and edit it all down.
jim anderson said:I mounted a regular 8mm video camera on the bow of my C-scow one time. Winds were about 8 to 10 so spray getting the camera wet wasn't a problem. It was on the bow facing aft, sitting on a small tripod which was bungeed to the bow eye. It worked great, and because the camera and the boat bounce together the picture wasn't jittery. Because of that I don't think you'd need a steady-cam mount if the camera faced the interior of the boat. What was really cool was when the boat heeled way over - on the screen the boat stayed flat and the horizon turned to about 45 degrees because the camera leaned with the boat! Anyway, I think it would be a useful device especially for figuring out how clumsy I look doing a roll tack. Such a camera might help me do better at this.
How feasible would it be to transmit the video image to a nearby coach, so the coach could watch live and provide feedback?
jim anderson said:I mounted a regular 8mm video camera on the bow of my C-scow one time. Winds were about 8 to 10 so spray getting the camera wet wasn't a problem. It was on the bow facing aft, sitting on a small tripod which was bungeed to the bow eye. It worked great, and because the camera and the boat bounce together the picture wasn't jittery. Because of that I don't think you'd need a steady-cam mount if the camera faced the interior of the boat. What was really cool was when the boat heeled way over - on the screen the boat stayed flat and the horizon turned to about 45 degrees because the camera leaned with the boat! Anyway, I think it would be a useful device especially for figuring out how clumsy I look doing a roll tack. Such a camera might help me do better at this.
How feasible would it be to transmit the video image to a nearby coach, so the coach could watch live and provide feedback?
WestCoast said:top of the mast looking down would be pretty hot.
WestCoast said:we're going to need more cameras.........