Thought the camera hadn't taken the videos the other day, but somehow I'd missed them in the files. Here are a few showing loading and unloading the Jeep, as well as a proper test of the auto bilge pump, and one just mucking around. Still keep forgetting to tilt the TX mounted camera back,- must lock it in the right position. Vids are a bit rough as they are edited down from long ones. Image stabilization is not the best. Still waiting on another good day to try and perfect the towing and steering.

JB

Bought a cheap mini camera on Ali Exp to replace a few old ones which had died. They are not the best video by a long shot, but are fun to put in a wheelhouse etc, to capture action where a normal camera (Go Pro etc) won't fit. We used them a lot on planes years ago, before FPV, and at least got videos from the planes in the air, where otherwise you would have no record, (unless you had someone else with you to video the flight.)

You can even hide these or disguise them as something else on the deck if you want to. The camera I bought ( NZ $15 delivered) is a poor copy of an EKEN camera (which HK sold 10-12 yrs ago, and which were quite good for the time), but they do work ok in good light. I have modified a few of these small cameras of various types, by replacing the battery with an external one of larger capacity. I am using 3.7v Nokia phone batteries with 1050mah capacity at the moment, which gives them a much better recording time.

I have added the new one to the towboat 'accessories' and made a non intrusive mount on the back of the wheelhouse. I glued a Neo magnet in the back of one of the supplied mounts, and a double stacked pair inside the cabin, and added 2 2mm dowels to hold the mount from tilting. The camera can be mounted facing forward through the wheelhouse, or looking aft. The mount has a ball joint, so you can tilt the camera as desired. I'll be trying it out on the water, next good day . I have another mini camera which mounts inside the wheelhouse as well.

Pic (grab) and vid,-samples of quality (or lack of) inside with artificial light.
pics 3,4,5 new camera mounting
pic 6 external battery mod on keychain camera.

JB

I've set up this to see how well it works, as the cheap sound unit, which is supposed to be Siamesed with the throttle to the RX causes problems somehow,- just clacks loudly. This is set up using a second 6ch RX to remove it from the main 9ch RX. Seems to be working ok so far, but now I have to try and fit the relay box (black box port side) into the worm farm somehow.

Not sure of the range yet, so that will be another test to do. I did have it on a manual switch under the rear hatch, but wanted it remote for videos.

JB

The barge strakes and a change of towing position has cured the roundabout syndrome, and now it can be driven in a straight line. Spent a few hours with 5 cameras trying to get some better videos, but the tide was going out fast and with people asking questions and yelling at dogs, it was almost impossible. Edited out a few of the better bits, but ended up eventually with with not much room to manoeuvre and get a decent run. Also had to contend with real boats using the ramp occasionally.

At least people are interested which is a good thing, might encourage them to get their kids into the hobby.

Had another crack at loading the vehicle, bit harder going on backwards, but got there after a few tries. It takes a bit of effort to set things up for a video, - had 2 TXs, boat, barge, jeep and 5 cameras to try in different positions, plus 4 LiPos to charge, but I must like a challenge😁

JB

Boris the barges' birthday😁 Decided to make a friend for Boris, - started with a $5 digger from one of our big stores, and with a fair bit of hacking and re-modelling, plus adding some rams made from brass tube, control levers etc, ended up with a reasonable deck crane /hiab machine. I filled the boom recesses with polyester resin as well, to hide the rubbish and smooth them out.

Unfortunately too small to fit servos for movement, (unless I wanted to cut a big hole in the deck) so just an ornament to add a bit to the work boat look, I'm sure Boris is happy with his new friend 😁

JB

Finally got round to having a crack at towing behind with the workboat. Tide was out in the estuary but being a jet, the boat managed ok in places which were only an inch deep. Got stuck a few times but it doesn't hurt anything. Had to edit a lot out of some better bits of the video, as a homeless guy living in a car in the beach carpark about 150m away, was using a portable amp with an electric guitar, and blasting music out at about 80db, which caused YT to give a copyright notice. Spoiled a nice quiet afternoon.

It's getting really pathetic now, as you can't make a video wherever anyone is playing music/car radios etc which can be nothing to do with you, but you get a copyright warning from YT. This guy was really annoying, and other people near him trying to enjoy the beach must have been brassed off.

Might have to do it again sometime without the annoying background noise, and more water.
Pic 1 is from a previous effort.

JB

Another video from the barge to go with the last one. A bit choppy but it gives you an idea. Hard to keep yourself out of a video when it's from a boat, you keep forgetting it can see you 🙈
Fun trying to get it right though.
JB