I just got my latest gizmo running, a headcam with a dv cam as recorder. The first time I tested it I managed to get into a hailstorm with gusts up to 20 knots. I recorded a nice "wild thing" run during 2 minutes.

Check it out on the following link:
http://www.acat.vallagruppen.com/svenska/bilder.htm

Choose "save as" on the link (2004 "Wild thing" video). The file is 7 Mbyte and is 1 min and 30 sec long with picture size 720x576. File type is for windows media player.

I added a snapshot of the video as an attachement
/hakan

Nice video!

Thanks for the pointers on trimming the mainsheet too

Great video... so-so audio...heh. Needs some Mission of Burma! Seriously, that was a great video and surely went a long way in making me want to try an A-Cat if only I could find one in our area! Nice flat water speed.

Kelly

Great Video. The only problem is that it is to short. Will you be publishing more in the near future. Can you give specifics on the equip used to film it, others might just want to give filming a try too.

The DV cam and battery pack for the bullet cam is stored inside a waterproof bag with some paper to keep the moisture level down. The waterproof bag is inside the drysuit and the cable to the bullet cam is pulled out through the neck seal of the drysuit. The bullet cam is attached to the headband on your head.

I use a 80 min DV tape on long play wich gives me 2 hours of recording. Once the bag is inside the drysuit the DV cam has to be switched on and recording turned on. There are water proof lanc controllers that can turn on/off the recording while the DV-cam is inside the bag, but I haven't bought one yet.

The material is edited using Vegas studio and compressed to windows media video 9 wich gives you about 70 kbytes/sec of data for a PAL DV (720x576; 25,000 fps).

You need a DV cam with analog in and a weather proof bullet cam with a wide angle lens to capture more of the boat.

/hakan

The Dv-cam and battery pack is inside the waterproof bag. The waterproof bag has a neck band and the bag is hanging inside the drysuit.

So there is 2 hours worth of A cat sailing? Can we see more of it? Great quality video.

Jody Abrams

Looks like a great way to promote cat-sailing, take video like that during a race & run it on a big-screen in a shopping centre / mall with a rigged cat on the floor, been discussed in other threads recently.
This method of filming is what will attract others to the sport, on-board action, especially during racing, mark roundings, spinnaker launches etc. Great footage, go out & get some more !! Just might have to edit some of the audio on the hectic mark roundings

Cheers
Steve

Where was the body position of the skipper. Aft of the beam? Strap hiking? Kneeling aft?

Hi Hakan,

Great video,

Do you have some close up pictures from the mainsheet setup?

A drawing is welcome to.

I am asking this on behalf of one of my A-cat friends.

Thanks in advance.