With little wind at the start of the week, we set to making a water housing for a video camera. I got hold of a small video by JVC, it was the smallest we could find, added a clip on wide-angle lens so it should get all the action from the end of the boom. All I needed was to get it waterproofed, think Steve from F-Hot Mouldings would like to go into hiding when I get an idea.

We made a fibreglass box to fit the video and then made a moulding to hold the video in place. We used Perspex at both ends, the front permanently fixed with the rear held on with a couple of catches. Shaun butchered and old washing machine for some rubber to seal the rear, and the box was ready for a test.

Having first tested it in a bath we were confidant that it would keep the water out, but where to put it. A mast mount would be the easiest, we already had one we made earlier, but that was too easy. A boom mount, looking forward seemed like a good idea.

We gave Steve the job for making the boom mount, and we knew he’d come back with something special. Just take a look at the pix, full carbon and it still keeps the boom clear for duck gybes etc.

Bank Holiday Monday brought wind, but the forecast was for it to drop by noon so it was early door if we wanted to catch the wind. With the tide out, Clacton was the only sensible choice but it looked like it Shaun, Dave and myself were the only ones willing to get out of bed early.

Having not sailed for a while no one was in a hurry to test the video until we’d had our fill. That was the first mistake. The forecasters had got it right for once, force six at first but dropping quickly by lunchtime, and were we’re having too much of a good time to come in until the wind had already started to drop.

I hit the beach first and fitted the camera to my boom, not that I had a chance to get going. Being on a bigger sail it was easier to put Shaun on my kit to do the testing, he’s small enough to still get going. He did a couple of runs and then let Dave have a go, not that there was enough for him to really get planning. Once back on the beach we though the video into the one-foot breaking waves just to ensure it really was watertight.

The housing works well, but need to find something to keep the lens from steaming up, plus something to stop the water droplets from staying on the lens as well.