ski doc orbit stabilizer accessory

[Lars]

I was wanting to get better video as I felt like my current video was nearly unwatchable, even with an old phone that doesn't have the stabilization built in. I found a cheap chinese tripod stabilizer and wanted to share as i think it's a good improvement.

This is a before video, taken with a iPhone 6s and wakeye app, 60 fps

and here is what I added (shipped directly from China):STO-Universal-Wire-Rope-Anti-Vibration-Mountand this tripod mounting screws kit:screw kitto get this setup:

and here is after video, same phone/boat/app:

[lpskier]

The link is to random parts, no the shock absorber.

[Lars]

@loopski there are two links, second is to the randomizes parts, first is to the cable shock absorber.

[BrennanKMN]

Looks really good for a cellphone! What I can say with 100% confidence is the GoPro Hero 10 with the image stabilization is game changing. It is basically hand video, just a little zoomed out, but 4k changes that easily.

[Horton]

what @BrennanKMN said.Same with Hero 9 ( and I would guess some older models)

[vtmecheng]

It definitely helps but the springs look to be a little too soft and with too much available displacement. That is why the video shows so much shaking at each turn. What you want is just soft enough to dampen our high frequencies but stiff enough with lower deflection capabilities that the low frequency hit from a rope shock doesn’t cause large motion. It needs to be designed in a window.

I just made this and it works fantastic with phones. The camera mount on top was replaced with a screw down type. The 1/4 inch vinyl tubing seems to provide just enough motion and damping. I played with different lengths and number of tubes. The height is easy to determine, this is a 2” pvc pipe cap on top. Four tubes seemed to work best on our 2021 Prostar. More was too stiff (I started with the 6 in the picture) and fewer caused too much shake at rope hits.

[Slalom.Steve]

@vtmecheng - how much $ for you to build me one? (serious question).

[vtmecheng]

About $25 in parts. Really simple to make.

[Wish]

What’s said above is correct. It needs to be juuust enough dampening of high frequency vibration. This was a mount for under a drone that would carry a GoPro to reduce high frequency vibration. Rubber posts between plates. Found on Amazon for $13. Ditch the portion that hold the GoPro and add a few nuts and a bolt.

[03RLXi]

@vtmecheng is your mount put onto the skidoc? If so what's the slot for?

[vtmecheng]

Yes, this mounts to a skidoc. The slot is for access to the inside to hold the wing nuts in place when tightening and let me add or remove tubes easier during the adjustment process. It’s possible that I could shorten the tubes up a bit and still get a good result but I’m not worrying about perfection unless I find this has too much motivation with shorter line lengths.

I am sure a GoPro or dedicated camera without the phone stabilization would be a great answer but they aren’t $25. This also works for other skiers if they want to use their phone.

[vtmecheng]

Also, thank you @tap and @Xpropman for the idea to use vinyl tubing on this. They had posted similar devices a few years back.

[skierjp]

@wish do you have a link or part number? Also do you have a pic of it mounted to the Ski Doc?

[Wish]

I’ll get the link up but it’s just the nut and washer pictured is all that’s needed to mount. Remove phone or camera holder from SkiDoc. Place stabilizer on bolt of SkiDoc and use nut and washer pictured to secure bottom plate to bolt. Camera/phone holder gets screwed on bolt coming out of the top plate. The plates and posts have to be assemble. Bit of a pain but doable. Need to assemble before mounting as it’s take maneuvering to get all 4 posts through tiny plate holes.

[Lars]

Looks like this is @Wish 's link: https://www.amazon.com/Hobbypower-Anti-vibration-Phantom-Vision-Walkera/dp/B00MGIZSMY

yeah that's pretty slick too. I saw that when I bought but wasn't sure it'd be a good fit. Could use that hardware kit I linked to use that too. The cables are adjustable on the one I got too so I can make it more or less soft.

[03RLXi]

Cheers @vtmecheng I bought a used skidoc end of last season and haven't had chance to use it yet (I'm in NZ so season starts mid-late next month). Like many I'm a bit budget limited so will first try my iphone 6S and a mighty 10+year old Sony 1.3megapixel camera we have sititng in cupboard doing nothing. If vibration problems I'll try your fix then if still not ideal will beg my CFO and Santa for a Gopro.

[APB]

i love my skidoc. i shoot my vid on .9 no vibration. i tried the wakeeye app and it was so horrible. i dont understand why everyone insists on it. yes you have to start and stop the cam but is that really that big of a deal?

[vtmecheng]

Quick update. Pulled a heavier shooter yesterday at 28 off and there was a bit more shake at the turns due to rope hits than I wanted. I’ll either need to shorten the tubing a bit or reduce weight off the top (driven mass) to improve that. The problem is that both changes will increase the natural frequency of the system, possibly bringing back some of the issues with camera stabilization induced jelloing. We will see.

[03RLXi]

@vtmecheng maybe try cutting your top cap to become a top plate and then add weight until you find the sweet spot? The top being a plate rather than cap would make it easier to swap tube lengths too.

[vtmecheng]

@03RLXi I thought about doing that. The pipe part of the top results in greater rotational moment of inertia, meaning it will want to keep rotating. I may start by flipping it over just to see how it works. No harm in trying and it will prove if it works better. I do like that it essentially has a protective cover around the tubing but that’s not essential.

[03RLXi]

Here’s the first video ever from my ski doc. Taken using a very old Sony Cyber-shot DSC-L1 camera. Think it was purchased in 2005. The video is a mighty 640x480 and up to 30 fps. I’m pretty impressed by the result. The camera and mount does well all considered.

My skiing not so great! That’s only my second ski this year but I really thought I was doing much better having listened to a lot of Spraymakers podcasts and making changes. To be fair I haven’t seen any video in last few summers so maybe it is actually a big improvement and I was really really bad prior! Skiing at 49kph / 30mph.

[ETskier]

I get amazing quality from an 8 yr old Samsung Galaxy 5s, shot at 1.5 zoom.

[rico]

Go Pro is great if you have time and want to use the video. I use my iPhone on skidoc and review the video after ski ride, then delete it.I would be interested to see how a Osmo Mobile 6 gimbal would behave on a ski doc.

[rico]

Ok, so I got a DJI Osmo Mobile 6. The idea is to get instant videos to review without having to transfer videos, use cables, computer...

I connected the DJI Osmo Mobile 6 to a ski doc orbit using the tripod mount. I used the DJI mimo app.

My expectation was that the DJI gimbal would not track fast enough and still shake, but the results was surprisingly good.

I did not have time to play with it too much but here is a video of @charlieskiwest at 28 off braving through the 55 degree water.

As you can see there is significant shake from the rope, and the Osmo 6 handles the shake really well.

Charlie Osmo Mobile 6 Test from Eric Francois on Vimeo.

28 off over Ski Dock

The main issue I am having, is that, when you press record and spin around the island, the gimbal switch from landscape to portrait mode. I contacted DJI to see if this is fixable though firmware update or settings.The pros are: - A really fluid video - You can control record / start / stop / zoom / focus... from the fixed gimbal.I will keep you posted on what DJI says and will take some more videos and pics next week end. I also want to try with the iPhone app and possibly the wake eye app...