Down-winder vid with super high camera mount.

[DavidJohn]

Nice one DJ!

Hey, what kind of water pack are you wearing?

Thanks Jeremy.. It's a bum bag pack from Kathmandu.. Light and simple.. Holds two bottles.

I often have a bottle of water and a can of coke.. and maybe food or camera/phone in the center pouch.

DJ

[DavidJohn]

DJ ... Is this the same mount as before (pic It seems like a fact in other thread) only taller extension?  I thought you were arranging one out to the side a tad.  

It seems like a fact of life that as you go higher you'll get more wobble.  I guess deciding what is the highest watchable point is the challenge.  When you stopped paddling and let the other guy blaze by, it was pretty steady...certainly steady enough to watch.  But paddling and gliding yourself started to push the envelope.  What do you think is the best height?

Thanks Bill.. Same mount.. but I can put all sorts of pipes and joins on to it to change it around.

I'll take a few pictures to show better what I mean.. and measure what height mine is.

DJ

[DavidJohn]

That is a great perspective DJ.

Hey if you fall off does the camera set up stay in place?  If it totally came off it may be a problem getting it all back to the beach.

I have not had a fall with it yet.. It should be ok.. I've stayed dry till the end the last few runs.. (Touch wood).. 

I use heaps of tape on it now and it's not coming off till I take it off.. Tape is cheap and easily removed.. 

I wouldn't use it in the waves unless you were pretty confident that you aren't going to fall.

DJ

[DavidJohn]

I took my GoPro2 out on a paddle and when mounted to the tail of my Bullet, there is a lot of vibration in choppy conditions.  The original video was irritating to watch.  I rendered the video in Sony Vegas using the stabilization feature and although the sky had a bit of jello effect, the overall shakiness of the video improved.  DJ, have you tried to stabilize the video?  In some programs, it's a really complicated or lengthly process but from what I've seen on youtube, it's worth the effort.  Love the POV.

Thanks.. I'll have to look into that.

DJ

[Takeo]

HM,
I got the Delkin Fat Gecko with extension. The mount is solid. I paddle in a lot of less than ideal conditions, not much downwind like you and DJ. The GoPro does fine in downwind but like you said, the Bullet vibrates in certain chop, and the video get jittery. My vids are boring compared to yours but I still like watching and sharing um, upwind and all, ha!

[supthecreek]

Well... now I feel like I've taken a downwinder.
Thanks DJ

[viatormundi]

DJ,
I think I saw a SB Ace Pro in that video. For being a flat water board, how is it in downwind runs?

[DavidJohn]

DJ,
I think I saw a SB Ace Pro in that video. For being a flat water board, how is it in downwind runs?

Yes that is the very new Starboard 14' Ace Pro at the 40 sec and 4 minute marks.. I asked Cam how it went and he said that he much prefers the normal Ace over the Ace Pro.. He said it was a bit on/off at times with its speed where the Ace is more progressive with its speed.. He sure was flying on it but Cam is one of ours strongest paddlers and he would make anything fly.

DJ

[JonathanC]

DJ,
I think I saw a SB Ace Pro in that video. For being a flat water board, how is it in downwind runs?

Yes that is the very new Starboard 14' Ace Pro at the 40 sec and 4 minute marks.. I asked Cam how it went and he said that he much prefers the normal Ace over the Ace Pro.. He said it was a bit on/off at times with its speed where the Ace is more progressive with its speed.. He sure was flying on it but Cam is one of ours strongest paddlers and he would make anything fly.

DJ

I felt just the same about the 12'6 x 26.5" BOP I used on the same run, fast and fun and surfs beautifully but the rocker line felt wrong for downwinding (which of course its not designed for!). The spot where the board released was super critical, because of the low nose rocker I was forward to get onto the wave but had to move back to prevent it pearling, but move back too far and it stalled. There was a 'sweet' spot but compared to the Ace or the Open Ocean it was much more critical.

Once surfing when you were really on the face the BOP was a blast, actually much more fun than the Ace. I could see it being great on a really big day where getting onto the wave is not the issue and its all about the fun of surfing the face. I'd love to try the BOP in real waves, think I'd go the 28 wide if I got one and probably the AST, slightly more weight would give it that smooth 'gun' feel you want on a big board in real waves.

The Ace has this uncanny ability to easily get onto the wave and stay on it, regardless of waves criss- crossing over or chop or even where you are standing. You have to learn to trust it and just let it do its thing, your job is simply to move back enough so that the nose doesn't really boof into the wave in front, even then it will often give a 'parisian' shrug at your incompetence and stay on the wave anyway...

Since we have had a few good downwinders lately and I've been trying different boards out I've been dreaming of the 'ultimate' for our downwinders. Its basically an Ace 14 x 25 rocker line but with a slightly wider tail that surfs like the BOP and an easier deck to walk around on. The Ace Pro 14 x 25 is coming over next week, lets see how that goes!

Getting out on the Open Ocean for one of the runs after not having used it for ages thanks to my Ace it felt like an old friend, the Golden Retriever of downwind boards, dependable, easy going and good turn of speed when you need it, but basically cruisy. It just felt super stable and so nice to surf, funny thing with that board, its so well sorted that it goes much faster than you think because it removes the drama. In really big conditions its exactly what you need, in 3 or 4 foot and 25 knots at my weight its almost too easy!

[balance_fit]

Yesterday's DW'er was awesome and I got to see just how high I can go with my home made GoPro mount.

It's a bit wobbly at times but still watchable.

DJ

May be wobbly at times but you shure had a solid good time ! We wish to have such nice dw conditions here. It's either north shore (windward) conditions were the wind blows sideshore and the swell pushes you back in or short period south shore swells (which i prefer) with offshore winds.

How many frames per second are you using? I read on a mountain bike forum that if you go really high on the fps number, the wobbly-ness could be diminished. My olde Go Pro doesn't have adjustments for fps. Just trying to get me another reason to buy one...

Glad to share the moment with you guys and gals.

Be well

[1paddle2paddle]

even then it will often give a 'parisian' shrug at your incompetence and stay on the wave anyway...

Fantastic metaphor.  If boards could talk many of us would be embarrassed by what they have to say. Perhaps some arrest warrants would be issued as well.

So, would the Coast Runner be the "talent boost" pedal we've all been searching for?    Flatter rocker than the Open Ocean = more glide but stable enough to handle serious water?

[balance_fit]

So, would the Coast Runner be the "talent boost" pedal we've all been searching for?    Flatter rocker than the Open Ocean = more glide but stable enough to handle serious water?

Seems that the Coast Runner will be a nice complement for the ACE. Rough water stability with speed for the flatter sections. Would love to hear more from the SB experts in respect to it.

[1paddle2paddle]

Balance_fit, my thoughts precisely.  Love the ACE for flat water but its just too tippy for our standard downwind run.

[Argosi]

Great video DJ. I was mentally paddling to catch some of those bumps. You had some really long runs when you connected a few of them.

JonathanC, thanks for your comments on how the Starboard boards compare in downwind conditions. It still seems to me that the Ace 14x25 is still be best board for under 30 knots. Yes, I wish it was easier to walk around the deck as well.

[Argosi]

Balance_fit, my thoughts precisely.  Love the ACE for flat water but its just too tippy for our standard downwind run.

When it gets too rough for the Ace, I would consider either the 2012 Naish Glide 14' or the Coast Runner. Haven't tried any of those 3 boards yet but that's just based on what I've heard from other owners. My dealer is getting its Starboard shipment in a few weeks so looking forward to trying out the new models.