Aerial Footage of our Ericson 32-200 Under Way

[Skabeeb]

Shot this last Sunday on Pensacola Bay.

It's a little shaky in the beginning.

YouTube - Sailing on Pensacola Bay. Beautiful October morning, kite cam footage. Ericson 32-200

[Ex-Calif]

Pretty cool although the link in your post didn't work for me. I had to find you in YouTube and select the video.

How does the camera rig work? How do you fly it and get it to point the direction you want?

I have heard a lot about eh GoPro and currently have no camera. Looks like it is very flexible.

[Skabeeb]

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

Pretty cool although the link in your post didn't work for me. I had to find you in YouTube and select the video.

How does the camera rig work? How do you fly it and get it to point the direction you want?

I have heard a lot about eh GoPro and currently have no camera. Looks like it is very flexible.

It's a large kite with a homemade camera rig called a picavet (google picavet). It holds the rig along the line and keeps it balanced. The GoPro uses a fish eye lense so you're pretty much guaranteed to get the shot.

[DennisM]

Looking pretty!

[roverhi]

So you're saying the camera uses the kite line for sighting the camera??? The image of the boat is remarkably steady despite the kite line making pretty erratic constant movement. Really neat to see your boat underway. Something that you almost never get to see from this perspective. Will have to look up that picavet rig.

Anyone used one of those helocopter toy thingys to take pictures. Briefly looked at a four rotor device being marketed by Brookstone. Links to an iPad and downloads video through an onboard lens via WiFi or something. Cost wasn't too bad, under $300, though don't know how worthwhile it would be as it seems like something you'd tire of quickly. Maybe get a bunch of boaters together and do a joint buy or rent it out for one day excursions.

Now we have to discuss sail trim, LOL.

[Skabeeb]

Originally Posted by roverhi

So you're saying the camera uses the kite line for sighting the camera??? The image of the boat is remarkably steady despite the kite line making pretty erratic constant movement. Really neat to see your boat underway. Something that you almost never get to see from this perspective. Will have to look up that picavet rig.

Anyone used one of those helocopter toy thingys to take pictures. Briefly looked at a four rotor device being marketed by Brookstone. Links to an iPad and downloads video through an onboard lens via WiFi or something. Cost wasn't too bad, under $300, though don't know how worthwhile it would be as it seems like something you'd tire of quickly. Maybe get a bunch of boaters together and do a joint buy or rent it out for one day excursions.

Now we have to discuss sail trim, LOL.

Thanks Peter!

It took me about two hours to build the picavet. I used some aluminum strapping and eyebolts I purchased at Ace Hardware. There is about 30' of line running through the eye bolts and through a flat washer in the middle.

The picavet is suspended from the kite string about 30 feet below the kite. This contraption keeps the camera level (or aimed). I used my GoPro camera that I use on my dirtbike. It actually was all shot upside down! I had to turn it around in the software in post production.

As far as the sail trim goes, my wife was at the helm and we were on our way back to the marina from an overnight trip. We were both completely exhausted and didn't care about the trim...lol!

We just put brand new sails on the boat last week and I can’t wait to shoot another vid with the new cloth (it matches the bimini)!
Rick

[Skabeeb]

Originally Posted by DennisM

Looking pretty!

Thanks Dennis!

How have you been?

[SkiprJohn]

Very Nice!

Rover Hi,

I posted a video on Roughwater 32 of my friends boat being launched. The video was shot with a camera strapped to a hover craft that you described.

kind regards,

[Cruiser2B]

Very nice shot!

As far as the GoPro goes, the new one looks very exciting Hero 3, with the additional features of Wifi and back screen. I use and love the Hero 2. It takes stills, HD video and offers multitude of ways to mount it, for the price its pretty hard to beat. I also use a Canon T2i but I am always scared of getting it wet.

I surely wouldn't try a kite shot with my canon

[Skabeeb]

Originally Posted by Cruiser2B

Very nice shot!

As far as the GoPro goes, the new one looks very exciting Hero 3, with the additional features of Wifi and back screen. I use and love the Hero 2. It takes stills, HD video and offers multitude of ways to mount it, for the price its pretty hard to beat. I also use a Canon T2i but I am always scared of getting it wet.

I surely wouldn't try a kite shot with my canon

Ours is a Hero 2 I think.

Here's a link to the rig I made. Basics-Picavet - Kite Aerial Photography Electronic Resources - KAPER

[Skabeeb]

Originally Posted by SkiprJohn

Very Nice!

Rover Hi,

I posted a video on Roughwater 32 of my friends boat being launched. The video was shot with a camera strapped to a hover craft that you described.

kind regards,

Do you have a link?