Ultralight gopro mount for paddle shaft

[PonoBill]

I've used the gopro bar mount on my paddle--what a drag. So I made up a couple of these. One for me, one for Beasho. I figure anyone charging into Maveriks with a camera on his paddle deserves one of these. It's just a 60 percent section of a bit of Ke Nalu shaft left over from cutting a shaft down, a standard gopro stick-on mount and a couple of stainless steel pop rivets. I had to file the edges of the rivets to clear the slide-in attachment. Of course this won't do much for reducing the weight of the camera, but I'm working on that too. A featherweight 1080p camera. Couldn't buy one so I'm building it. 



Snaps onto a Ke Nalu shaft. I wouldn't trust the snap fit, so I'll use a couple of plastic ties or a wrap of tape. I think plastic ties will be better since they can also secure a lanyard.

[Beasho]

Fraggin Cool looking forward to it.  Many Thanks!!!!!!

PS:  Why didn't I think of that???

[capobeachboy]

I have a lot of KeNalu scraps so I'm going to have to make one of those too Bill.  Thank you for the design & engineering and let us know how it works.

[eeck62]

Thank you for the idea Bill, not having the screws sticking out of the roll bar mount will be a lot better!

[OUTSIDEWAVE]

show it with the go pro  on it so we can see how the  camera is aimed.  maybe a sample video Cause I save my section of shaft because I  just knew it be useful some day  1 saved thing down about 1000 to go

[DavidJohn]

Great idea Bill.. I might have to make one... 

I like the way it will distribute the load over a bigger area on the shaft.. and I'd rather use tape rather than cable ties..

[eeck62]

Bill, thanks for the idea.  I had a couple minutes to sit down and make one with 1/8" by 1/4" aluminum rivets.  I did not have to file the rivets to get the go pro mount to slide in and the entire mount fits very tight on the paddle shaft.  I had to pound it off with a block of wood on the test fit.  I am hoping to give it a try in the morning.

[PonoBill]

My most recent one has smaller stainless rivets and I drilled into the ends of the middle bar of the mount to make sure the retaining clips seat home when I slide the camera on. Didn't have to file it either. If you make the tube section more than 60 percent it gets quite difficult to mount and remove. I have to slip a sharpened dowel under my new one to get it off. Make the mount more secure, but a PIA to mount and dismount.

[Beasho]

Paddle mount is great.

I attempted to make one prior to receiving PonoBill's.  The Pono design snaps on where-as mine has to be taped.  Mine was attached with braided fishing line rather than rivets. 

The one that I built weighs 20 grams, Pono's 30 grams.  What I do now is to pack the Pono mount into my Camelbak.  It snaps on and very tightly. 

I typically DON'T like to have the mount on my paddle all the time.  But with the Pono snap-on design I just pull it out, clip it on and start filming.  I have a lanyard on my camera that wraps around the shaft just in case.

The photo sequence at the bottom was taken when I happened to stumble upon an awesome day.  This wave lined up beautifully but then snuck up on me.  The board was in the wave and when I eventually submerged the nose of the board clipped my right forearm just below my wrist.  It ripped the paddle right out of my hand and I am still sore 2 weeks later. 

I was worked pretty well and had to hunt for my paddle.  It was 'face down' and I was expecting to find it without the camera or with the camera dangling.  Not at all.  The camera was intact attached to the paddle and still filming.  The design held fast.

Chalk up one successful beating and recovery for the PonoBill clip on paddle mount.

[surfafrica]

Hey guys,

I'd love to see some more pics of these if you don't mind.  A view of the bottom?  A shot of it mounted on the paddle?  One with a leash or other protection in case it falls off? Anyone make any improvements to the design over the past while?

I have some shaft scraps and think I'm going to give this a go (and then use it with a GoPro Session).

[surfcowboy]

This solves my issue of liking to take the cam off too. I'm also looking for a smaller camera (session?) that I can pocket in Hawaii when locals are around (hey brah, no film here)

[surfercook]

Sweet mount! I was not getting it at first thinking the mount was riveted right into the paddle shaft. But from Beasho's pic I see it's the extra cut off piece that most hang on to (as I did). So I'm cutting the shaft to a 60% piece, snapping it onto the shaft, and affixing it w/either zip ties or tape? I'm agreeing the bar mount is a pita with the screws sticking out.

[Beasho]

Delayed response:  Yes the Pono mount wraps around shaft and clips nicely to the paddle. 

You have to use a clip on mount for the GoPro and make sure to include a lanyard.  Essentially the lanyard is a 6" loop of braided fishing line 200# through GoPro mount.  Pass the loop over the paddle shaft and then slide down and clip on to the mount.  This way if the mount fails or anything breaks the camera should be attached to the paddle shaft, flopping around but not lost.

[surfafrica]

Thanks guys.  This is great.  I just ordered a GoPro Session (got it for $225).  I'm looking forward to piecing one of these mounts together over the holidays. 

I'm thinking there should be some sort of awards on here for best SUP DIY projects.  I've benefited from a tail handle & a travel case.  ...looking forward to the camera mount and whatever other ideas come to light down the road.

[hbsteve]

The zip mount is very light weight.  There is a square rubber gasket on the bottom that be turned either way.  That way you don't have to connect so many pieces to get it pointed in the direction you want.  And the top part has grooves for the zip ties going both ways also.