Hobie Island mast camera mount & wind indicator

I've seen a few photos and some video footage taken from the masthead of Hobie Island kayaks and I love the view that it provides. However, I could find no information on the web regarding the actual design of a mount so I decided to go ahead and create my own. Here it is below.

First thing to state is that if you fit the Genuine Hobie Spinnaker kit to your Adventure Island this mount won't fit!, sorry.

My biggest concern was attaching a mount o the mast itself, it needed to be none damaging and preferably without any modifications to the mast itself. These masts are not cheap!, damaging one or weakening one, quite simply wasn't an option. At the top of the AI mast is a plastic insert that is used to locate the sail securing strap (photo below)

I noticed that with the strap fitted through this plastic insert that there was still approximately 3mm of clearance between the strap and the plastic lugs. I decided to try to utilise this gap to locate and secure a camera mount to the mast. I located a piece of aluminium of the correct thickness and cut off a long strip of the correct width, filing it down to a 'sliding fit'.

My first attempt (Mk1) saw me fold the aluminium strip over on itself, allowing it to slide through the plastic mast mount before securing it with a nut and bolt as shown below.

Despite being a close fit in the mount, the bracket moved more than I liked so I added a heavy ty-wrap to lock it into position.



This worked extremely well and I thought I had a good working solution. However, the more I played with it I noticed that if it was subjected to a decent knock it would vibrate for 1-3 seconds which I deemed unacceptable.

The basically made the Mk1 scrap metal, so I moved onto designing a strengthened Mk2 version.

The horizontal section that supported the camera really needed to be solid with zero flex. The only way that I could effectively achieve this was to add an upright section along this horizontal length, thus preventing any noticeable flexing. I also took this opportunity to modify the upright section, extending it to permit the fitment of a wind indicator. I purchased a Little Hawk Mk1 for this purpose. This is a very simple indicator that attaches to a vertical surface using two small self tapping screws.

Below are a couple of photos of the welded and painted bracket. Being aluminium it's very lightweight yet  its design makes it very rigid.

It slides into the top plastic mount on the AI masthead and it secured into position with a heavy duty ty-wrap as per the Mk1. It really is as simple as that and it's a very solid fit!, simple but effective as they say.

Note that a GoPro mount is fitted, I've used a nut and bolt as I envisage that the main bracket will remain fitted at all times, though you could use a 'wing nut' for quick removal of this mount if preferred.

The Hawk wind indicator mount can be seen fitted in the above photo. This is a permanent fit.

As mentioned, the bracket assembly is secured to the mast with a ty-wrap. Removal and fitment takes seconds!

The Hawk wind indicator pushes in when needed and the GoPro is also attached on as as-required basis. The whole mount, wind indicator and GoPro can be assembled and fitted in a minute, literally.

Below is the Hawk wind indicator fitted into its bracket.

Below is the GoPro secured to its mount.

Below is the fitted 'Mk2' mount complete with camera and wind indicator.

I'm going to be testing it very shortly and I'll post up some of the results - fingers crossed!

New camera – Olympus TG-4

Out with the old and in with the new!. I decided to replace my ageing (still working) Olympus 795SW after 6 years of service with the new Olympus TG-4. Let's hope it lasts as long as its predecessor. Obviously technology has progressed since I purchased the 795SW. The new TG-4 packs a host of features as well as much improved image quality and size.

On the negative side it’s a little bulkier and there’s no lens protection as standard (bar a fixed glass cover). The latter can be addressed by purchasing the Olympus conversion lens adapter ring (CLA-T01) which comes with a removable lens cap. The ring is good as it also permits the addition of after market lenses (fisheye and telephoto). It’s threaded (41mm) so filters can be fitted. Here it is fitted with a polarising filter, float and lens cap, what I currently expect will be the standard setup.

I also picked up a UV filter for standard (cheap) protection and an ND4 filter if I fancy getting arty with blurred water photos, etc. I’ve always enjoyed adding photos to my reports and reviews, hopefully this new addition will enhance all future articles.

Full review to follow is a few weeks once I’ve clocked up some serious time with it.

Rigging the Hobie Outback for photography

If you’ve followed my blog entries over the past few months or years, you’ll have noticed that I enjoy taking photographs and making movies. I enjoy populating my fishing reports with images and to ensure that any reviews or DIY guides are suitably illustrated. I’m not a fan of reading reports or articles with no images to back them up, each to their own I guess, just my personal preference.

I have anything up to three GoPro cameras mounted to my Big Game kayak, so when it came to rigging the Hobie Outback I also need to take the photography aspect into consideration. It does take me quite some time to plan and rig my kayaks, however, I sit back and take everything into consideration and try to produce the cleanest setup possible that caters for all rigging possibilities.

Some time ago I upgraded my cameras to GoPro Hero 2 items, I also took the opportunity to fit wireless backpacs which permitted all cameras to be operated remotely. This had the advantage of being able to mount a camera where access afloat may prove an issue. Once I’d pondered the various possibilities I tried to tie them in with the other rigging aspects that I needed to accomplish. This is where the GearTrac from YakAttack really started to come into its own. If you’ve read Part 1 and Part 2 of ‘Rigging my Hobie Outback for fishing’ you’ll be all to aware that I’ve already heavily utilised GearTrac on the Outback.

I have three main camera mounts that can be fitted to my kayak, there’s the Panfish Portrait, the DogBone mount and my extendable camera mount.

  

         PanFish Portrait                            DogBone                                       Monopod

The PanFish Portrait can be ordered with several mounting options, though mine is designed to fit to either GearTrac or a MighyMount, both manufactured by YakAttack. The DogBone fits to a 1.5” RAM ball, though the use of a ScrewBall from YakAttack permits the DogBone to again be fitted to either GearTrac or a MightyMount… clever stuff!. My own DIY extendable camera mount (monopod) was designed with a T-bolt in the base. Oddly enough with is a YakAttack T-bolt!, yup, it also fits the same mounts as the above items, though it also slides into most rods holders. As you can see all my mounts are exceptionally versatile and with a few lengths of strategically placed GearTrac, they can be mounted in multiple positions around the kayak.

The PanFish Portrait, as the name portrays, was designed to capture portrait photos, those big fish moments that we want to capture on camera. I chose to have it mounted as far up front as reasonably practical. As mentioned earlier, the cameras are controlled by remote so reaching the camera whilst afloat is not normally a requirement.

I mounted a length of GT90 GearTrac ahead of the front hatch, this is an ideal location for the PanFish Portrait. The angle of view on the GoPro Hero 2 can be varied from 90,120 and 170 degrees, allowing the camera to be set to suit its location and intended use.

Any of my mounts can be placed in this position, though the monopod is a little wasted in this location, however, the DogBone has potential to capture a slightly different angle and height.

 

There is of course the risk of getting water splash of the lens of the GoPro when mounted forward and low to the water. I’ve not tried the DogBone is the low position shown above, though the PanFish Portrait has not suffered despite nosing into several smaller waves. There again, what if it rains?!. It is actually possible to slide forward and reach the bow of the kayak. It’s not something I’d have attempted on my Big Game, though it’s a straightforward manoeuvre on the Outback.

I’ve previously used the DogBone is several ways, though I find it best suited to being mounted outboard of the seat, or deployed for underwater footage. I’d positioned some GearTrac behind the seat on either side, this proved to be perfect for mounting the DogBone, allowing it to fulfil both of these duties as required.

 

The photos below show other mounting combinations. I can mount the extendable camera mount onto the dry box as there’s a section of GT90 GearTrac fitted to it. I fitted a 1.5” ScrewBall to the GearTrac behind the seat and fitted a RAM Tube rod holder to it for illustration purposes.

I do this a lot and it permits me to position the camera well away from the kayak resulting in some interesting photographs and video footage.

  

People have often asked me how I achieve so many different angles when taking photos or shooting film from the kayak. It’s purely down to having 2-3 cameras operating at once from different positions around the kayak.

Photo Album – Updated

I’d previously used Photobucket to host my photos, however, their latest update has produced something I just simply can’t work with. As a result I’ve created a new account with Flickr and my rigging and fishing photographs can be viewed here. There are also a couple of links at the top of my website.

Extendable Cam mount

Ok, this idea isn’t exactly original as I saw this idea elsewhere on the web, however, I have tailored it to suit my own requirements. I’m a big fan of the camera mounts from YakAttack though I was wanting something much longer to provide some interesting camera angles. I was looking for something that would provide a good overhead view as well as a ‘birds' eyes’ type view from one side of the kayak.

The idea I’d seen on the web utilised an extendable camera monopod. These vary in price greatly though I purchased something cheap and cheerful with the idea of producing something that could be mounted in various positions around the kayak. To be honest I was expecting the item to be utter junk when the postman delivered it, though I was pleasantly surprised when it turned up a couple of days later. If I’d paid several times more than I had for this particular monopod I’d have been quite satisfied.

 

I’d decided to modify it to allow it to be fitted to the GearTrac that was already installed on my kayak. It also was quickly apparent that it’d fit into a flush mount or suitable tubular rod holder. The monopod came with a fixed head for mounting a camera. Sliding the foam back reveals three small pan-head screws, removing these allows the fixed head to be removed. Fortunately, I already had an insert that was threaded for a GearTrac T-bolt. This was reduced in diameter until it was an interference fit into the opening where the fixed head was originally mounted. This was secured in place using the original pan-head screws.

 

I also took the opportunity to slip some additional foam onto the monopod to effectively lengthen the existing grip. This provided a far steadier mount when slid into the flush mount rod holder on the kayak.

The other end of the monopod featured a pointed stud to provide additional grip when the monopod was used on a soft surface. I cut the point off this stud and removed the plastic ‘collar’. I had a 1” RAM ball which I threaded to suit the trimmed down stud on the monopod. The RAM ball was them screwed on to finish off the mount. The RAM ball allows a double socket RAM extension to be used providing great flexibility when positioning the camera.

  

The monopod is 54cm when fully closed or 170cm when fully extended and weighs in at just 360g (unmodified). Here’s the finished product.

   

Here’s a few photos below showing it mounted onto the GearTrac and into a flush mount rod holder. Some photos show it partially extended, others show it fully extended, with some photo showing it collapsed.

   

Collapsed – Mounted up front

   

Mounted on the GearTrac (fore & aft)

  

Mounted in a flush mount rod holder

I’ve had a little play on the water though I’ve still got a few angles that I’d like to try, that said, my favourite angle to date is when mounted in the flush mounted rod holder whilst fully extended as shown below. It’s actually a frame from a movie clip in low light hence the poor quality, though it gives you as good idea all the same.

I’m using a GoPro camera with an extended battery pack giving over 4 hours of life. With the camera angle set to suit, the camera can be switched on and the monopod extended. Adjusting the camera angle is easy enough by collapsing or removing the monopod, and the results are certainly different and most pleasing.