Wanna go for a ride? - Dave Kalama Downwinder Video

[Admin]

Thanks for the suggestions guys.  I will try those.

I think that a normal lens or light zoom would be much better.  These wide angles are great for self shooting at close range and still picking up some backround, but for shooting others, they flatten and reduce too much.

Headcam is great for shooting downwind, espically from a low angle.  What we need is a few of us dogs with head cams out filming.  You might be surprised though, how easy it is to lose your swell when you head is aimed somewhere else.

[Easy Rider]

AWESOME.
I want to do that some day soon.

As for the "looks like he is pissed at the water" comment - it reminds me of what Pat Richard (many time Canadain and US Rally driving champ) once told me in some driver training - - "You have to drive with anger to rally fast!"  that and "treat the car as your bitch"

[diesel]

Admin,

How much wind was blowing that day?  Just curious because the bumps look small.  Really good video.  Naish should follow Dave on a 25 - 30 mph day on the Maliko run and capture some footage.  It is tough to get good footage of downwind because it always looks smaller on film.

[Admin]

Admin,
How much wind was blowing that day?  Just curious because the bumps look small.  Really good video.

It was a mixed bag.  The start was consistant, but probably only about 20.  It picked up to pretty windy later on.  The wind swell was waist high at best at the beginning, getting towards chest to shoulder high later on.

The problem was that I was/am thinking that the gopros will not save a file if the battery dies or if card space runs out.  So, we stopped the cameras after about 25 minutes and restarted them.  We did not stop them again quickly enough, so we didn't get anything from the second portion of the run (when it got better).  There would have been some cool stuff in there, because the swells got bigger, but also they became much broader and there was room for us to follow them side by side.

Lessons learned: Shorter clips, Normal (not wide angle) lenses, Best batteries.
 

[1tuberider]

Is DK wearing a leash?  How long is his board?

It looks like DK is stroking to catch a wave when he is already at top speed.  Then after he is in it looks like he is turning to stay with the wave face and when the ride is over it is time to catch another one. His catch the wave strokes appear to be short and fast which is how I work in the surf zone to catch a wave the biggest difference is I am using that stoke to get up to speed quickly and DK is at top speed already getting a burst from it to launch down the face.  Awesome. 

Randy, can your hull be used in higher wind conditions?  Looks like pucker time when the bow is plowing. It is amazing how fast you guys were going and the swell riding took it over the top. 

Pretty awesome.

[Admin]

Is DK wearing a leash?  How long is his board?

Leash?  Ummmmmm, for safety's sake, let's go with...yes  His board is the Naish Glide 17 foot.

It looks like DK is stroking to catch a wave when he is already at top speed.  Then after he is in it looks like he is turning to stay with the wave face and when the ride is over it is time to catch another one. His catch the wave strokes appear to be short and fast which is how I work in the surf zone to catch a wave the biggest difference is I am using that stoke to get up to speed quickly and DK is at top speed already getting a burst from it to launch down the face.  Awesome.  

If you click on the Vimeo logo on the video it will take you to the vimeo site.  There you can download the uncompressed QuickTime video and watch it in full screen at much better quality.  That will give a clear visual on how he catches and follows the swell.  I think it is pretty cool, but I am biased  

Randy, can your hull be used in higher wind conditions?  Looks like pucker time when the bow is plowing. It is amazing how fast you guys were going and the swell riding took it over the top.  

I am really new to OC1 and I have so much to learn.  I have been going almost daily for the last 2 months and have been using this boat on whatever conditions we have been getting.  Having a 21 foot boat sure makes you remember to angle and sure slaps you when you don't.  At first I was completely scared that I was going to kill myself on bigger swells and crack my boat.  I was backing out of stuff that would be no problem on a stand up.  These things are only 20 lbs, and they seem like they would be snapping all the time, but they can take it.  I have been really lucky to go with and follow some great paddlers in canoe like Jack Dyson, Theresa Felgate, etc, and just following them has been awesome, because I get to see what lines are possible.  As with anything, the already great paddlers think that canoe is easy, but of course its not.  There is so much to it and just like stand up downwind, every little thing you pick up gives you that rush of pure joy.  In my mind this is a great accompaniment to SUP.

[TiltPilot]

I've never been interested in downwinders until now.  that was a great video.

[sylvano]

I am very impressed by the speed and the rythm ok DK paddle strokes!
in a part of the video, it looks that the movie goes in speed motion!
Waow.

[robcasey]

Justine Curgeven in Wales has shot a number of action sea kayaking videos using vertical posts on both ends of the boats to give a slightly higher camera pov. waterproofed cables go to the cockpit where the camcorder is.  Check out her site and vid clips..  http://cackletv.com/

Looking at doing a downwinder on Puget Sound by Seattle today. Blowin 17kts from the north. But a bit colder than Hawaii, more like 35F.