Ultralight board mounted camera pole - how to build thread

[clay]

The first test of the bamboo pole broke right off the bat, getting out my board flipped over and the bamboo pulled right through the attachment bolts.  I will re-imagine how to connect it.

[clay]

[clay]

I tried the lighter version of the carbon camera pole after reinforcing and adding more attachment points.  It held well and being 8 ounces lighter I felt more comfortable trying more maneuvers, a reentry landed a bit hard and one of the attachment points broke off, an actual plastic piece that was epoxied inside the carbon sheared off.  All the carbon remained solid.  The gopro remote stays on after charging and I forgot to turn it off, also the SD card was almost full so I only recorded about a third of the session and missed my best and biggest waves including when the camera pole broke.   Still a super fun session and the one bomb I caught really whetted my appetite for SUPing in some larger surf. 

[magentawave]

This is so cool! Like i said in that other thread, I normally don't like to watch gopro videos taken from the nose (unless it's in the tube) because it looks retarded, but your pole contraption makes watching these videos enjoyable and interesting. How many inches from the deck of the board is the lens?

[clay]

This is so cool! Like i said in that other thread, I normally don't like to watch gopro videos taken from the nose (unless it's in the tube) because it looks retarded, but your pole contraption makes watching these videos enjoyable and interesting. How many inches from the deck of the board is the lens?

Thanks again, I appreciate the feedback.  The lens is right around 27" above the deck.

[clay]

Hi,

I have committed to finding a way to use bamboo (or other plant), for various reasons: less toxic, renewable, affordable, biodegradable...I have been watching videos of traditional canoe and boat building and find the ingenuity amazing, and really cool that they build from stuff that grows in their village.

So I built a steam wood bending box, and a form to bend the bamboo against and to hold the shape.  The first simple bend test went great, and I had high hopes for success on the full test.  The sharper bends I wanted were to much and the bamboo walls crushed every time - even with being packed with sand.  More research and now I think the sharp bends are accomplished by shaving the walls or even cutting notches and then gluing after being bent, I suspect this will weaken the strength and not work for me. 

Attached are pictures of the steam box, bend test, and wood form.

Now I am on to the next idea which is to try what the bamboo bike frame builders are doing...

[clay]

I wrapped the lighter thinner pole cam with some carbon tape to see if that would help with the camera shake, it doesn't look like it to me.  Regardless I had a great really fun session, all around beautiful day in the water.  I had a wipeout at the end of this video and hit the pole and one of the attachment point sheared off, totally worth it as it was a fun wave. 

[magentawave]

You are really on to something with that taller pole. Is that Pleasures you're surfing in the video?

[clay]

Thanks.  Sometimes when the pole breaks I feel disappointed and then I remember I didn't think it would work in the first place and I certainly didn't believe it would work in head high or bigger surf.

Some of the other videos were at pleasures, last one on the west side.

[Wetstuff]

That was a nice wave to bust it on!  Clay, good to see someone 'use their hands' to advance an idea rather than MasterCard.  Steam box was a good idea.   

Jim

[clay]

I finished a second attempt at a bamboo pole, and the first test is successful as it held up well in the surf. 

I tried a different mounting system, I tied the pole to the board using jute twine, and instead 5 big mounts I used a dozen micro mounts.  I didn't tie the mount securely enough to the board and there is noticeable camera shake, hopefully on the next test this will be gone.  The weight of this pole is a few ounces more than the carbon, that could be solely to my inexperience with epoxying hemp as it seems to soak up the resin more than carbon.  All in all I'm stoked that it works and is solid and affordable and renewable and easier to work with.  The bamboo was free, the hemp was a less than a dollar, and the total parts cost was around $12.

Building this bamboo pole taught me that I can probably make this out of plants that grow in my neighborhood, and working with wood gave me all kinds of ideas.  Next on the build list is a bamboo toddler skateboard, and a bamboo board bike trailer.  Stoked!   

[clay]

Had a great session this morning, super fun and challenging and humbling.

I tightened the mounting of the bamboo pole cam to the board and it appears to reduce quite a bit of the shake.  Next build I will change the side supports a bit to make the pole more stable in all directions and hopefully no shake.  And remember to prep the gopro housing so I don't get water drops.

And stoked on my new Stretch board which is a bit smaller and 30L less volume. 

[clay]

Well the bamboo pole held up well for several waves and I was caught inside and hit with about a dozen waves or more when the hemp joints cracked and the pole fell off my board.  The bamboo itself is fine shape with no damage, I am redoing the hemp joints now.

The bamboo pole in this video is about 8-10 inches higher off the deck, I though I might cut it down and then ended up leaving it just to see how it looked and worked.

[WhatsSUP]

Freeze frame at second 0:22 is a spectacular shot!  That'd have to be small framed photo in the man cave for sure!  And love the music!!!!

VERY cool Clay!!!

[clay]

Thanks Whatsup, I posted that shot to my Facebook before I edited the video as I liked it as well.