Whether you’re racing offshore or a short race inharbour, nothing beats the thrill of capturing those epic sailing moments. GoPro cameras, with their rugged design and high-quality video features, are the go-to tool for recording the action. To truly make your footage stand out, it’s important to optimise your camera settings. Nothing’s worse than getting back on dry land and realising all your footage while triple headed is blown-out, salt crusted, and over exposed. Think strategically about your camera angles and mounts around the boat. Here’s how to take your GoPro game to the next level, ensuring you capture the best of your offshore racing experience.

Experiment with Angles

The beauty of sailing is that every race, every moment, offers something different, and experimenting with different camera angles can make the world of a difference in telling the full story. Like thinking about what sails to use in each breeze condition, think about what mounts to use in each condition. For instance, if you’re running downwind in a big breeze, mount the GoPro astern on  the windward rail. This setup will give you a dynamic shot of the boat slicing with through the waves, with the wind filling the sails. On the other hand, if you’re in light air, drifting slowly with little wind, opt for a handheld mount.

This allows you to get more interactive content with the crew, capturing the personalities and small, intimate moments that make offshore racing or cruising so special. If the breeze shifts and your crew is scrambling for sail changes, try strapping the GoPro to a chest harness on the bowman. You’ll get an up-close, action-packed view of the crew in motion, handling the headsail or adjusting the spinnaker. Don’t forget to try different modes on your GoPro, such as time-lapse or 360-degree capture, depending on the action. These modes can add variety and depth to your footage, providing a creative perspective on your journey. If you’re sailing through choppy waters or need to move across the boat in heavy breeze, turning on the stabilization mode is a must to keep the footage smooth and steady.

Manual Settings: Get the Perfect Shot

While GoPro cameras come with excellent automatic settings, taking full control over manual settings can significantly improve the quality of your footage. For high-action shots, like sailing in heavy wind, it’s ideal to shoot at a higher framesper-second (FPS) rate, such as 60fps or even 120fps. This helps to capture the fast-paced motion of the boat cutting through the water with crisp detail. If you’re shooting in standard conditions, 27-30fps is the ideal frame rate for general footage. For those late-afternoon shots or low-light conditions, consider slowing your frame rate to 27fps and increasing the ISO (light sensitivity) to around 1600. Be cautious not to push the ISO higher, as it can introduce grain to your footage. A wide field of view (FOV) can help in low-light conditions by allowing the camera to gather more light, making your shots more vibrant. GoPro models like the Hero 10 and Hero 11 also feature a Night Mode, which is useful for capturing those twilight moments at sea.

For a high-quality image, switch your camera to 4K resolution and select an appropriate ISO (100 for bright conditions, 400 for cloudy weather). Additionally, the 16:9 aspect ratio is excellent for stabilising handheld shots in windy conditions.

The Right Gear for the Job

Optimising your GoPro isn’t just about the camera settings – the gear you use to mount it can have a huge impact on the quality of your shots. There are various mounts designed specifically for offshore sailing, allowing you to position the camera in ways that are both safe and effective. For starters, a hand and wrist strap is perfect for keeping your GoPro accessible, allowing you to quickly capture moments as they happen. If you want to focus on crew members working hard on the boat, a chest mount is ideal for capturing their movements in the thick of the action. For a more dynamic view, consider a boom or bar mount to extend the camera out over the rail, giving a wider shot of the boat in motion. A floating handheld grip (like the Handler) is another great option.

It allows you to hold the GoPro at any angle, creating a personal narrative and allowing you to move around the boat while still capturing steady footage. For even more flexibility, a gooseneck mount can connect to any base, acting as a flexible monopod arm that lets you adjust the angle without needing to reposition the entire mount. Sticky adhesive mounts are also a lifesaver for creating multiple mounting points around the yacht. These can be placed on various parts of the boat, such as from the windward rail to the boom, ensuring you have the right angle for every situation, whether you’re capturing close-ups of the crew or wide-angle shots of the boat in full flight.

Plan Your Shots and Avoid Common Pitfalls

While spontaneity is key to good footage, it’s also important to plan ahead. The most action-packed moments during an offshore race or cruise often happen at the start, during sail changes, or when rounding turning marks. Think about where the camera will be positioned during these moments so you can capture the full intensity of the action. Check in with your other crew members and ask them to provide a piece-to-camera race update. What is the wind doing? Where are your fellow competitors? Have you seen any wildlife? Get comfortable in front of the camera and tell the full story of the race. Don’t forget to wipe your lens! Salt spray is inevitable, especially when you’re sailing in big breeze. A dirty lens can ruin an otherwise great shot, so keep a microfiber towel or dry gear handy to ensure your footage stays crystal clear.

One final tip: remember to lock your exposure. It’s easy to get carried away in the heat of the moment and forget about the settings, but exposure can be easily blown out when a wave crashes over the boat. A quick tap on the rear display will lock in your exposure and prevent the ocean from changing your settings mid-shot.

Backup Essentials

Lastly, make sure you’re fully prepared for an offshore adventure. Carry extra batteries and SD cards to avoid running out of storage or power. A 64GB SD card should be sufficient for a full day of filming, but it’s wise to bring a spare, especially for long offshore races. GoPro batteries drain quickly in cold or active conditions, so having at least one spare is essential, but the more you bring, the better. If you’re keen to share your adventure with family, friends or the CYCA Media Team, use the Quik app to download the footage directly from your GoPro to your phone. This is especially useful when you’re competing in a long offshore race with Starlink connectivity, as you can share your footage in real time. Make sure to send your footage to the media team in real time using the instructions below.

Are you interested in trying out a GoPro before you make the purchase yourself? Reach out to the CYCA Media Team (media@cyca.com.au) to borrow one of the CYCA cameras ahead of your next training session or offshore race. By thinking ahead, experimenting with different mounts and settings, and preparing for any situation, you’ll be able to maximise the potential of your GoPro and create truly memorable content while sailing. So get out there, capture the action, and let your GoPro tell the story of your adventure.