Dash cam for boats

[Timx]

Having nearly been hit by a boat today, ( blind corner, their boat on wrong side, sharp turn under a bridge) I was thinking maybe getting a dash cam type thing for insurance purposes, I could of been almost t boned , as the canals are about to get busy with energetic excited hirers and owners, I thought if this is the start of things to come, better get some proof if things go wrong.

The odd knock, and boats getting too close to the side etc, is par for the course, but a head on, or t bone could do some damage, so I thought getting a cam at front of boat would be a good idea, has anyone else thought this, and any recommendations.

I have a bow thruster battery so could wire off that, and a cratch board. Any recommendations.?

[Guest]

27 minutes ago, Timx said:

Having nearly been hit by a boat today, ( blind corner, their boat on wrong side, sharp turn under a bridge) I was thinking maybe getting a dash cam type thing for insurance purposes, I could of been almost t boned , as the canals are about to get busy with energetic excited hirers and owners, I thought if this is the start of things to come, better get some proof if things go wrong.

The odd knock, and boats getting too close to the side etc, is par for the course, but a head on, or t bone could do some damage, so I thought getting a cam at front of boat would be a good idea, has anyone else thought this, and any recommendations.

I have a bow thruster battery so could wire off that, and a cratch board. Any recommendations.?

 

Well if you really must a waterproof go pro would fit the bill.

[Timx]

Just a cheapo to do the job, suppose a car one will do job, just wondered if anyone else had done this.

[blackrose]

I've thought about fitting a wireless vehicle reversing camera to the roof at the bow with the monitor at the helm just to see around bends a bit better, but not for recording purposes. 

 

If you want to film your journey I'd suggest contacting a couple of the narrowboat youtubers to see what they recommend.

[blackrose]

2 hours ago, Timx said:

Just a cheapo to do the job, suppose a car one will do job, just wondered if anyone else had done this.

 

Are you going to have one at the stern as well in case you get hit from behind? Could wreck your rudder... And you better leave it on 24/7 in case you get hit while you're moored up.

 

I think it's a bit of a waste of time. Assuming you have comprehensive insurance then if your boat is hit that badly your insurance should pay up whoever was at fault whether it ultimately comes from the third party's insurance or not. I don't really think the no claims bonus system is quite the same as car insurance.

Edited March 25, 2021 by blackrose

[Mike Tee]

You’d need multiple cameras to do the job properly - for example at least two more at the midpoint to cover any t-bone incident, so I think it would be a bit expensive - but that’s insurance, it’s all a bit of a judgement call. For me, I wouldn’t bother.

 

[Jen-in-Wellies]

What if you're the one causing the crash? Video evidence from your own boat could be used against you.

[robtheplod]

10 minutes ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

What if you're the one causing the crash? Video evidence from your own boat could be used against you.

But on the plus side you have the makings for a great YouTube video! 

[Jen-in-Wellies]

14 minutes ago, robtheplod said:

But on the plus side you have the makings for a great YouTube video! 

I'd watch it. ?

[Paringa]

I have a basic Nextbase vehicle camera wired to my engine on/off switch.

[Guest]

10 hours ago, Timx said:

Just a cheapo to do the job, suppose a car one will do job, just wondered if anyone else had done this.

 

Well if you are going that route you would have to mount it internally, otherwise the first time it rained.......

 

Most youtubers who film their journey's seem to use an externally mounted waterproof (not just water resistant) camera outside, this will considerably improve the viewing angle I guess. But as others have said I doubt it's worth the effort and cost given you can be hit from multiple directions. You would need to cover a 360 degree view from your boat, necessitating multiple cameras. 

 

Even most in car dash cams are only useful if somebody pulls out in front of you, that will normally be the only way you will gather evidence that the other party was truly at fault.

[Sea Dog]

2 hours ago, The Happy Nomad said:

But as others have said I doubt it's worth the effort and cost...

But they can shout "Dash Cam!" and "I'm gonna report you!", which will satisfy their inner East German Stasi informer. 

 

Imagine if the government had said we all had to carry a location device, have cameras fitted in our cars and went on to encourage us to report on each other. It would have cost a fortune and there'd have been a human rights outrage - somehow though, they have persuaded us into buying our own! 

 

 

[Paringa]

1 hour ago, Sea Dog said:

But they can shout "Dash Cam!" and "I'm gonna report you!", which will satisfy their inner East German Stasi informer. 

I didn't realise that was a option

[roland elsdon]

Just sent the recording of the ‘motorist’ who deliberately tried to run into us on the bike this morning. Local police love this stuff in Northampton. 
Great video of her 2 feet off the back of the bike in swerving and dodging in a 30 zone  past a school, then speeding up twice to try and intimidate before having to back off for parked cars. You can see the Cooper S badge on the front never mind the number plate. Then you see me stop get off and her ranting and arm waving.

But on the boat. No way.

[ditchcrawler]

13 hours ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

What if you're the one causing the crash? Video evidence from your own boat could be used against you.

So true, there are no white lines, give way signs on the canal, how do you define the wrong or right side of the canal, its not always on the right. It could be very difficult to prove the other boater was at fault unless your moored up.

[Grassman]

I have a Nextbase dash cam in the car which I take with us when we go away on the boat. I mount it on the glass window of the cratch and it has a very long lead which easily reaches the 12v TV socket in the saloon.

 

The main reason I use it is to extract clips of various parts of the journey to save, but it could be useful as evidence in the event of a collision from the front I suppose.

[Jen-in-Wellies]

I'm already pitching a new trash TV series to Channel 5.

 

Most Spectacular Canal Crashes

 

The best bit is that all the footage will be free.

[roland elsdon]

Our Nicholson’s still warns of loaded commercial boats taking the deep water on bends, or shock horror taking the outside of the radius , to stay in the channel.

You simply have to slowdown when it comes to hazard points, not fly about as if you can stop in your own length. Try stopping a 70 ft boat with a 3’3” draft at the rear and 2” draft at the bow.

De clutch

Engage reverse wind up.

wait

wait some more

continue waiting

after a period of waiting bow swings allow to stabilise.

de clutch 

re engage forward and steer against swinging bow

de clutch

engage reverse

hold back hard.

stern wave goes under back of boat

Hit bank fisherman other boat or anything else handy!
 

its just the way it is.

 

[Hudds Lad]

48 minutes ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

I'm already pitching a new trash TV series to Channel 5.

 

Most Spectacular Canal Crashes

 

The best bit is that all the footage will be free.

 

not World’s Most Spectacular Canal Crashes ?

 

you can then chuck in some footage from those Floridian lunatics mooring whilst trollied.

 

best bit, being on C5, you’ll only need around 20mins of actual content to pad out an hours prog due to all the “Coming up after the break” and then re-caps from the annoying Stephen Mulhern or someone of his ilk

[Jen-in-Wellies]

2 minutes ago, Hudds Lad said:

 

not World’s Most Spectacular Canal Crashes ?

 

you can then chuck in some footage from those Floridian lunatics mooring whilst trollied.

 

best bit, being on C5, you’ll only need around 20mins of actual content to pad out an hours prog due to all the “Coming up after the break” and then re-caps from the annoying Stephen Mulhern or someone of his ilk

 

You are right. I've not had a telly for several years now, so am getting a bit rusty remembering the format properly.

[David Mack]

3 hours ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

I'm already pitching a new trash TV series to Channel 5.

 

Most Spectacular Canal Crashes

 

The best bit is that all the footage will be free.

Quite a lot on youtube of ships crashing into other ships/jetties/bridges etc.  Once you've seen one or two of them the youtube algorithm shows you loads more!

[Detling]

On 25/03/2021 at 16:43, roland elsdon said:

Just sent the recording of the ‘motorist’ who deliberately tried to run into us on the bike this morning. Local police love this stuff in Northampton. 
Great video of her 2 feet off the back of the bike in swerving and dodging in a 30 zone  past a school, then speeding up twice to try and intimidate before having to back off for parked cars. You can see the Cooper S badge on the front never mind the number plate. Then you see me stop get off and her ranting and arm waving.

But on the boat. No way.

Good then I can send the footage of the guy who came up the left side past me and the lorry in front when we were stopped at the lights. Both in a left turn lane, both indicating left, when lights changed cyclist got angry with lorry because it turned left and he wanted to go straight on, he was lucky not to finish up under the rear wheels. 

[Sea Dog]

Phishing? Advertising? Reported.

[Guest]

5 minutes ago, slimus said:

You are right, dash cam can help you in such cases to justify yourself. Guys, if you have problems with wrong resume, ask for help cv writers, they are able to make modern professional resume. 

 

Go forth and urinate....

[Guest]

4 minutes ago, slimus said:

right on your stupid head!

 

It speaks English. So its a 'proper' spammer then, not a bot.

 

Cool.