Affordable Camera Mount

[Walt Spevak]

Maybe I'm sharing old news on this one from Jon Deeutsch.  And maybe not.

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For a while people have asked how I mount cameras to the ILCA, so I’ve perfected my own design to start selling.  Makes it a lot easer to safely/securely mount a camera for training or sharing footage from.  At some point I might want to advertise them and thought the newsletter would be a way to do it.

Https://quoingear.com

-Jon

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Walt Spevak
415-298-1173 (cell)

[Al Sargent]

I just got my QuoinGear mount today. Looking forward to trying it out. Thanks Jon!

Also ordered the following camera gear items. Will report back once I try these out:

1. Insta360 camera: https://www.amazon.com/Insta360-Waterproof-Replaceable-Built-Stabilization/dp/B0DZCBYCNY -- 210 minutes of battery life, enough for ~3 days, so pretty much a full day of racing, assuming you turn your camera off between races.
2. SD card, big enough for 2 days at 200 minutes each. https://www.amazon.com/SAMSUNG-microSDXC-Nintendo-Switch-MB-ME512SA-AM/dp/B0CWPPMD8W
3. Lens guard: https://www.amazon.com/Insta360-X5-Standard-Lens-Guards/dp/B0DZGHZD6C
4. Tripod Mount, to connect the camera to the QuoinGear mount above: https://www.amazon.com/Aluminum-Conversion-Suitable-Insta360-Accessories/dp/B0DGL99B2W

The goal is to capture footage in clinics and regattas, when a stern camera doesn't work, and send to ISA Virtual Coaching for commentary. I've mentioned before -- it's a great deal and a lot of value.

The reason for a 360 ° camera is to capture footage when mounted on the boom; you need to be able to pan to keep the sailor in the shot. The reason for choosing Insta360 (over GoPro or other brands) is its longest battery life. The goal is to capture a day's worth of racing without having to open a camera on the water to change the battery, which is sketchy at best.

And yes, I did get a rubber mallet for my stuck trailer hitch, too: https://www.amazon.com/LOZAGU-Fiberglass-Flooring-Woodworking-Camping/dp/B0C5DXWQHL/

Best regards,
 
Al

asar...@stanfordalumni.org | +1 650 269 2176

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[Jim Alexander]

Hey D24,

I'm picking up this thread about cameras and mounts. My goal is to film myself for ISA, as opposed to capturing other boats during races. Al's tips about Insta360 are great, but expensive. 

I have an old GoPro Hero5 that was a gift long ago. It has a FOV of 118 degrees in "wide" mode at 12 MegaPixels. What do you recommend for mounting this? Can it be mast mounted and still capture enough for ISA?

The Insta360 X5 costs 700$. What do you recommend for lower cost options for a 360 or 180 degree cam?

I like the idea of boom mounting, or mast mounting just below the boom, but this might only work for a 360, not a 118-degree GoPro-type cam. Lots of folks have jury-rigged transom-mounts which I'm open to. What do y'all think? 

I like the idea of Jon Deeutsch's mount: https://jdeutsch.com/quoin-gear/

- Jim

On Tue, Mar 3, 2026 at 7:44 PM Al Sargent <asar...@stanfordalumni.org> wrote:

I just got my QuoinGear mount today. Looking forward to trying it out. Thanks Jon!

Also ordered the following camera gear items. Will report back once I try these out:

1. Insta360 camera: https://www.amazon.com/Insta360-Waterproof-Replaceable-Built-Stabilization/dp/B0DZCBYCNY -- 210 minutes of battery life, enough for ~3 days, so pretty much a full day of racing, assuming you turn your camera off between races.
2. SD card, big enough for 2 days at 200 minutes each. https://www.amazon.com/SAMSUNG-microSDXC-Nintendo-Switch-MB-ME512SA-AM/dp/B0CWPPMD8W
3. Lens guard: https://www.amazon.com/Insta360-X5-Standard-Lens-Guards/dp/B0DZGHZD6C
4. Tripod Mount, to connect the camera to the QuoinGear mount above: https://www.amazon.com/Aluminum-Conversion-Suitable-Insta360-Accessories/dp/B0DGL99B2W

The goal is to capture footage in clinics and regattas, when a stern camera doesn't work, and send to ISA Virtual Coaching for commentary. I've mentioned before -- it's a great deal and a lot of value.

The reason for a 360 ° camera is to capture footage when mounted on the boom; you need to be able to pan to keep the sailor in the shot. The reason for choosing Insta360 (over GoPro or other brands) is its longest battery life. The goal is to capture a day's worth of racing without having to open a camera on the water to change the battery, which is sketchy at best.

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/international-laser-class-association-district-24/CAP8fJnzAtNo2pGF-DkQOoC6hAzQkSnpVJdMD3Tv2EfyrHfzGpg%40mail.gmail.com.

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~~~
Jim Alexander

[Tucker Strasser]

I make these, the suction cup mount is marine grade rated at 110 lbs. Tube etc  is aluminum. 

Sent from my iPhone

On Apr 1, 2026, at 8:24 AM, Jim Alexander <rec...@gmail.com> wrote:



To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/international-laser-class-association-district-24/CAFnC_0qR6UfGYHVN8CA9%2BVK1oUr3a4n%2BhYo%3D8TDHzbXCMDxVtA%40mail.gmail.com.

[Al Sargent]

I use one of Tucker's mounts, and it works well. Reach out to him if you want a mount: rtswood...@gmail.com 

Couple of tips:

• Apply some water to the suction cup before applying, so it sticks better.
• Use a safety line to connect the mount to your traveler eye, and a second safety line to connect the mount to the camera (as shown in the photo).

I think your GoPro Hero 5 should work fine for ISA submission, so long as:

• It captures your traveler block related to the traveler eyes (a common issue is the traveler being too high and the blocks not being far enough to leeward)
• It has 720p resolution or higher 
• You can see the lower telltales, a few feet up from the gooseneck
• You can see waves on either side of the boat

The Insta360 is more for "crowded practices", e.g., clinics, where another sailor can knock off your camera, as well as for filming during racing itself. 

Best regards,
 
Al

asar...@stanfordalumni.org | +1 650 269 2176

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/international-laser-class-association-district-24/95806F09-01E1-4627-9C2A-B2B20130C13A%40gmail.com.