Drone footage of Tartan 37 sailing the Columbia River

[hamburking]

Originally Posted by Macblaze

Ah the things you can do with a good budget :-)

Here's a video my daughter made with her existing ($90) waterproof camera held in place with a velcro mount.

https://youtu.be/0c2ed29Y630

Sure, a big budget makes things easier, but lack of money should never stop you either.

Having said that...I can't wait to get a drone!

[TheThunderbird]

I suggest you try sailing those conditions with a more reduced Genoa, and maybe full main

The boat has a substantial drift leeway, that is it moves some degrees down the wind as compared to the true bow

:-)

[Strait Shooter]

Originally Posted by TheThunderbird

I suggest you try sailing those conditions with a more reduced Genoa, and maybe full main



The boat has a substantial drift leeway, that is it moves some degrees down the wind as compared to the true bow



:-)

Show us a video of what you mean!

[alpinista55]

Originally Posted by TheThunderbird

I suggest you try sailing those conditions with a more reduced Genoa, and maybe full main

The boat has a substantial drift leeway, that is it moves some degrees down the wind as compared to the true bow

:-)

Boy, I've watched the video a hundred times, and watched again today trying to see any significant leeway, but I really couldn't see what you are seeing. We sail the boat quite often in very similar wind (18 - 25) and I usually take one reef in the main to keep her on her feet and minimize the weather helm. That said, I will usually reduce the 135 genoa first, just because we tack the boat so often (every 120 seconds or less). The wind is almost always directly up-river and the river is between a quarter to three quarters of a mile wide. Throw in several short tacks to avoid shipping, and tacking the full 135 genny gets old fast!

[Caribsailors]

Cool! Thanks for sharing..

[Kenomac]

I enjoyed your video. We're just waiting for the industry to produce a reliable waterproof drone. My wife gave us a drone for Christmas in 2014, but we've postponed the purchase until drones are perfected to where it can land in water, and not fly off to Never Neverland.

I wish other members would share more sailing videos.

Thanks

Ken

[alpinista55]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

My wife gave us a drone for Christmas in 2014, but we've postponed the purchase until drones are perfected to where it can land in water, and not fly off to Never Neverland.

Im not the videographer, but I do know that he was using a very high-end model with a 4k video camera to get the results he wants. The drone alone was about $10k, with the camera adding another few thousand. I would manage my expectations on the capabilities of a consumer or even prosumer market drone system. His, for example, was able to keep station above the boat and was totally stable in gusty 25 knot winds, and could stay with us while over a mile distant from the operator.

[CS Cruiser]

Very nice, makes me anxious for spring!

[svGenesis]

Very Nice....subtle brag about tacking upwind/upriver....Impressive work!

[Ocean Girl]

Originally Posted by alpinista55

Totally agree, Macblaze. So many similarities. Both sailing and climbing are all about using skills and technology to travel through a hostile environment in safety and relative comfort. I still do a lot of long distance backpacking, and the planning, preparation, and tools I use for that activity are very similar to what we go through before setting off on an offshore passage.

I'm working with some young guns in the mountaineering world to merge the two disciplines. Were planning a sailboat supported climbing expedition to SE Alaska where I will ferry the climbing team to Icy Bay, and they will do a tidewater approach to their climbing objective. Best of both worlds!

This is really cool. My dad owned T37 hull#2, sailed it RTW and he was an avid mountain climber. He held the record for the youngest person to climb the Grand Teton at age 16 (1943 ).

Great vids, thanks so much for sharing, it was really well done.

[alpinista55]

Originally Posted by Ocean Girl

This is really cool. My dad owned T37 hull#2, sailed it RTW and he was an avid mountain climber. He held the record for the youngest person to climb the Grand Teton at age 16 (1943 ).

Great vids, thanks so much for sharing, it was really well done.

Hi Ocean Girl. We've chatted before. That would be Tigger! A famous boat among us T37 sailors. I have Sharon's book on the bookshelf on Betty Lou. Wow, 1943! That was the golden age of mountaineering. My climbing career was a bit later in the 70's and 80's, mostly in Alaska.

Thanks for the kind words.

[TheThunderbird]

Given the parallax distortion of the drone point of view,it is no easy way to demonstrate it. Also, the river stream may be a factor.

In any case, I suggest that you first, and further, reduce your Genoa, before reefing the main.
And also, sheet it in more tightly. A loose sheeting of Genoa increases the leeway drift on tacks.

PS why not filming when going downstream !? :-) :-) :-)

[GILow]

Originally Posted by alpinista55

His, for example, was able to keep station above the boat and was totally stable in gusty 25 knot winds...

Yes, that struck me at the time of watching. I was very impressed by the fact that the drone was obviously flying into a serious wind. Given what was visible at sea level, once you factor in the additional speed away from the ground effect it becomes even more impressive.

For comparison, the Volvo Ocean race guys on Dong Feng used a drone at one stage, but it was just a "toy" (but a cool toy) and they only used it when they were practically becalmed.

Lovely video, but I think I may be showing my age in that I felt the "scenes" were cut a bit short for me. I could quite happily have watched longer segments between camera angle changes. But I guess they are mixing and cutting for a younger market segment than I represent.

Thanks for sharing.

Matt