Did my test of my water-proof (fingers crossed!!) digital camera, but couldn't resurrect the old "Pit Crew; underwater footage of your fins at speed" thread to post the results; hence had to create this one.
Tried video'ing the side-mirrors (as they're about the same size as a speed-fin) of cars passing at ~100km/h on the highway (while I stood behind my own car parked a couple of metres away in the break-down lane)....
..... success!!!
The focusing mechanism worked just fine and I could clearly see the side-mirrors all the way through the shots - the main problem to be overcome in the filming was (you guessed it) the camera-man!
It was fairly difficult to rotate the camera fast enough to keep the subject in-frame. However as long as you "lead" the subject a bit with the camera as it was approaching, it worked fairly well.
Cars passing within 3m was okay, and cars in the next lane over (about 5m) was just fine too.
But any closer than 3m was just too close to be able to rotate the camera fast enough to keep the subject in-frame.
So I'm guessing filming from the bank in about 10cm's of water should be fine as long as people pass 3m or more away (e.g. at a time a little above low tide?).
Guess this means I'll have to test it for real now down at Sandy eh?
Water clarity would be an issue at 3m wouldnt it? Would the turbulence created by the board as it passes cause issues for the focus? Be interesting to see the results. Pity the wind forecast for this long weekend is cr@p 
The water on the 'strip last Sunday looked very clear to me all the way up to the waterline, 'mind you, it was also bang-on low tide and I reckon the conditions were excellent without too much in the way of rolling chop.
If I can score similiar conditions I reckon getting some clear footage would be a good chance (at least for the first person past the lense - if a bunch of people all came past at about the same time it would stir up the sand and cloud the water).
Fingers crossed for next Wednesday (14th April) -> any of the 'Pit Crew likely to be out that day for me to film?
Cheers!
Ya, I,ll be in it for sure. You can get to see all the turbulance coming off the leading edge of my mangled speed fin.
Bewdy!
Will be away for Easter until Monday night, but will post again on Monday night or Tuesday to confirm when & where I'll be down there (especially as the forecast could change a bit over the next few days).
Cheers!
P.S. - also dropped Mal Wright an email in case he'd like to get some footage of TM's at speed.
Fingers crossed he'll be able to make it down to SP himself.
If not, I've let him know he'll need to get whatever fins he wants footage of to Daffy before Wednesday, or alternatively I'll pick them up & drop them off at Mal's place/business on the way to & from SP -> should this be the case, I assume you have fin-boxes capable of handling the TM fins?
Cheers.
Just heard back from Mal - apparently the fins he's interested in seeing footage of are the TM45 and TM48 -> and Sailquik's got them both already.
-> sorry "Mr Love" guess you'll have to stick with your "mangled" one. 
Check y'all later.
it will be interesting to see if you can get any detail of a fin at speed on that footage through 3m horizontal distance in shallow water... i doubt it, but worth a try for sure.
wouldn't flying sand landing in the water cloud it quite a bit?
good luck.
Boogie
www.C3-fins.com
Apologies for the delay in posting - my wallet decided to go walkabout, and have only just got home from retrieving it.
Therefore I'll be filling the tank tomorrow & heading down to SP - from the forecast it looks like I'll have to be down there early in the day (i.e. ~10am).
Well, time to put the camera on charge & head off to bed.
Check y'all down there at the strip tomorrow!
Cheers.
- well you were right; no footage taken (this time) as the water was too cloudy.
Hauled out the camera and walked down the strip to where most people were reaching their peak speeds - when I stood in the water about 15cm's off the bank I was only ankle-deep, and there was so much loose sand clouding up the water I couldn't even see the tops of my toes through it!
It's a real shame as there were a number of 40+ knot runs during the day.
D'OH!! If I'd had the forethought to bring down the camera the last time I was there (Sunday a week & a bit ago) I reckon I would've got some good footage as the water then was nice & clear.
Ah well, not to worry, it's just another piece of gear to pack.
Time to head off & repair my gear and finish off that speedboard I've been working on for what feels like the last decade!
'Till next time then, Cheers! 
I'm sure we're all wishing you better luck next time, it would be really great to know just what is going on underwater
Cheers Decrepit - will post it when it happens.
