Anyone ever shot a yacht race/regatta?

[Daytona]

Greetings,

Looks like I'll be covering sailboat regatta at the end of July - should be a pretty swanky afair. :cool:

Anywho, I've been on a few ocean going vessels (outboard motorboats) but never a sailboat, and don't know the first thing about them. Neither have I have shot a sailboat race. I'll be riding in the chase boat with the press. Anyone ever shot a similar event? My travel case is water proof, so if splash water becomes an issue, I'll just put my camera away I guess... :confused:

Lens recommendations? I was thinking I'll probobly do most of my shooting with my 70-200L, and my 17-40L.

[cosworth]

Motion blur and motion sickness will be your enemy. Firstly you've done the #1 best thing. Getting on the chase boat. That's key.

You may want to consider a sea-band. Your brain will be in a completely different mode than what your ears feels. Be warned, even seasoned sea legs can get wobbly shooting on a boat.

http://www.sea-band.com/seaband.htm

If you have an IS lens take it. But, the 1740 is weather sealed so I'd make sure that was with you. I recently shot a lot of on boat and I was happy for the weathersealed body with the 17-40 on it.

Metering will be key and shoot in RAW. Shoot a lot of spare sky for any sky replacement afterwards. Luckily white balance will be dead on swith so many white sails around.

[Daytona]

Motion blur and morion sickness will be your enemy. Firstly you've done the #1 best thing. Getting on the chase boat. That's key.

You may want to condire a sea-band. Your brain will be in a completely different mode than what your ears feels. Be warned, even the seasoned sea legs can get wobbly shooting on a boat.

http://www.sea-band.com/seaband.htm

If you have an IS lens take it. But, the 1740 is weathersealed so I'd make sure that was with you. I recently shot a lot of on boat and I was happy for the weathersealed body with the 17-40 on it.

Metering will be key and shoot in RAW. Shoot a lot of spare sky for any sky replacement afterwards. Luckily white balance will be dead on swith so many white sails around.

This is all very good advice - thanks much! Perhaps I'll borrow an IS zoom lens from CPS before I travel.

[DaveG]

Greetings,

Looks like I'll be covering sailboat regatta at the end of July - should be a pretty swanky afair. :cool:

Anywho, I've been on a few ocean going vessels (outboard motorboats) but never a sailboat, and don't know the first thing about them. Neither have I have shot a sailboat race. I'll be riding in the chase boat with the press. Anyone ever shot a similar event? My travel case is water proof, so if splash water becomes an issue, I'll just put my camera away I guess... :confused:

Lens recommendations? I was thinking I'll probobly do most of my shooting with my 70-200L, and my 17-40L.


I think that you'll find that the 70-200 is going to be ALL that you use, at least while you are at sea. You'll have to make a value judgement as to whether you'd WANT to change lenses with the salt spray, rain and so forth. Some days it's OK and on some days it isn't.

Bring a good quality plastic garbage with you too. That's what you are going to put your camera bag in. Any rain or spay will be repelled by the plastic.

And pick your chase boat with care. Usually it's a full sized sailboat or a powered boat with a cabin. When I was working for a daily newspaper in Halifax I refused to go out to Chebucto Head in this more or less powered row boat. If that trashes the assignment then decide what's worth more, the cash you'll make or the gear that you'll ruin!

[primoz]

I didn't shoot all that many of sailing regattas but still... Wide lens won't be really usefull except for shoot or two. 70-200 will do fine, even though you will probably need something longer. Since there will be more then enough light you can get away with 1.4x or even 2x converter. Tender boats are not all that close to sailing boat as someone might think.
Usually press boats are not some small rowing boat, so usually there's not much of problem with water splashes but of course this is different from event to event so with a bit of bad luck you might actually be sitting in small wet boat.

[PhotoGeek]

The 70-200 should be all you need plus a CPL.

When the boats are going into the wind (you'll see them heal more) get some shots of the bows coming at you, from the rear downwind quarter (low side), and the crew sitting on the rail on the high side. There is lots of action and boats close together at the mark roundings in large fleets, so that is a good place. Take some shots from the front or back of the sailboats as they head downwind with spinnakers set. Especially downwind, watch for problems with the spinnakers if the wind speed is up and boats "crashing" as they go downwind with too much sail flown (you'll know - they look and are out of control). Try to get to the pin end of the starting line and a little ahead for some starting shots, especially if you see a boat taking a different approach than the rest. I posted some I did earlier this year in the sports forum under "sailboat racing" if you want some ideas from my first time.

Don't forget your rum. All regattas feature that essential equipment. If you are susceptible to sea sickness, get some ginger caps from the health food store and start eating them before going out. If you start to feel crummy, look to the horizon and not in or at the boat since it helps to look at a fixed point to regain your equilibrium (sea sickness is an equilibrium issue, not a stomach issue). Keeping busy helps a bunch.

[Wilt]

I've been on racing sailboats, and also on the race committee boat as the photographer. LONGGGG lens is what you need. Considering that you will be 'in the same light' as boats close enough to shoot and get crew in the photos, meter a grey card or use incident meter, then set you camera on M and manually dial in the f/stop. Just be aware of changes to light, if they occur during the race.

DO NOT have orange juice before you go out. As skipper and as crew I have seen multiple crew get sick during races, and these were veteran race crew who ordinarily did not get sick, including me!!! The acidity of orange juice is the common denominator.

[Wilt]

On one of the few races where I ever got sick (even with ocean racing) once I 'got rid of' the orange juice, I felt fine and could down a beer almost immediately afterward! Yes seasickness is an equilibrium thing, I have seen enough cases to know ORANGE JUICE can be the trigger to seasickness.

[BillClarke]

I am a sailer and race out of Marblehead MA. Here's what I would advise:

As you know sail boat racing is an intensely competitive sport - particularly with larger boats. Skippers and crews are much more interesting to watch than a bunch of boats sailing along on a sunny afternoon. The closer you can get to the on-board action (without being on board) - the better.

Before the race clear things with the committee boat so they know who you are and what you are doing

Also get the names and emails of the boat owners. Great opportunity to sell your shots to boat owners after the race.

Your chase boat should be a power boat - higher speed the better. DO NOT try to chase in a sail boat - unless you think you are three times faster than every boat in the race!

Know the course and the rules (in general). The best shots are generally the starting line and the weather mark (the first 'turn' ) when the boats set their spinnakers rounding the mark. Great opportunities for MAJOR and dramatic screw-ups at both locations.

On the start, shot from behind the line with a long lens to flatten things out and pick up detail on board. Lots of drama and close tension here. Stay as close as you can without getting in the way.

There will be great action at the weather (up wind) end of the starting line since this is a favored position that the boats will fight for. It also lets you look down the line at close competitive action as the boats struggle for the best start. Usually lots of yelling here and max tension. Some boats may make contact - or close to it.

Try shooting down the line from the weather (up wind side - usually the opposite end from the committee boat) - zoom in on tight shoots. You will be behind the boats with crew and skipper not hidden behind sails. Sailing is not about the boats - its about intense competitors in a team sport.

Focus on the skipper and the crew - the boats will take take of themsleves in the shots - particularly at the start and around the marks.

The big boats start first so get out there early and decide which fleet you want to follow. Don't try to follow all fleets, unless you want to stay in one place.


Soon after the start the boats will begin to separate as each skipper selects the side of the course his thinks has the best wind. Use this time to position yourself at the windward mark where the boats will around and pop their spinnakers. Stay close here because there will be lots of close action as the boats squeeze each other out rounding the mark. Try to stay just downwind of the mark (maybe about 50 years) with out getting in the way of the race.

In general there are maybe three or four layouts for race courses. Know which is being used and position yourself accordingly. In general, try to stay up wind of the boats (do not let the sails hide the skipper and the crew).

Unlike auto racing, the finish of a sail boat race is not as interesting to shoot. Boats are spread out and competitors are not closely packed as they come across the line.

It is absolutely critical to know which boat won in each class. This can be harder than you might think - because of handicapping, protests, did-not-finish and all kinds of other non-sense and confusion. You want to get a picture (candide is best) of the winners.

Yacht racing is great fun and offers amazing pictures and great direct selling opportunities to boat owners.


Bill Clarke

[mpilar]

Wow Bill, I sailed out of Marina del Rey, CA and was going to post some pointers, but I think you covered everything.

The only thing I would add is, I don't think you have much 'positioning' choice in the chase boat, but basically 10 times out of 10, it will be a powerboat that will position itself pretty well, especially with other press photographers on board. Going to weather, the yachts will be heeling alot making for some great action shots as well as around the bouys and downwind with spinnakers are the 'beatiful color shots'.

Living in a land-locked country in Europe now, I'm extremely jealous, you'll have a great time and I wouldn't sweat the sea-sickness much, most regattas don't happen so far from shore that you don't still have some point of refference for your confused ears.

Good luck!!
-Mike

[Wilt]

I wouldn't sweat the sea-sickness much, most regattas don't happen so far from shore that you don't still have some point of refference for your confused ears.

Good luck!!
-Mike

A number of the 'de-eating' episodes I have witnessed in my own crew (I being skipper/owner) have been on San Francisco Bay in fairly protected waters off Berkeley CA, not necessarily out in the open ocean! And I have seen this occur on relatively mild pleasure sails among landlubbers, too, in SF Bay...all with common element being orange juice consumption that morning before coming to the boat!

[bcdoug]

a little late to the game here, but i'll add a bit to the advice for future reference.

most starts in a multiclass regatta are rolling. the first class gets a 5 minute prep, and their start is the next class' 5 minute prep. this means you can hang out at the start line for 20 minutes, get the pre-start action (and there is a lot of it) for each class, all the starts, and still turn the chase boat back out onto the course in time to catch up with the fleet midway into the upwind leg. we can be at least 15 minutes before our first tack after the start depending on how close we are started to the beach or commercial shipping traffic. for the start i'd be at the committee boat end, which is usually windward, and try for shots of the bowmen calling the line for the skipper (i happen to be a bowman :D). an alternative to this which can look interesting is this same lineup, but to leeward of the boats so you get the bowmen peeking out in front of the foresails. this is normally a pin end idea.

when the last of the classes has started, make your way back up to the lead boats and you will have the opportunity to get some close shots of the crew on the rail. probably one of the most inactive times for the crew, but as a picture, having 10 or so crew in matching uniforms on the rail always impresses me. if you happen to have some big boats in the 50 ft range, try to get some shots of them tacking. generally boats that big have coffee grinder winches, and several crew grinding during a hitch will look explosive. if you can get two boats crossing on opposite tacks you have winning shot. the lead boat in that situation will surely want to gloat for a while after seeing it.

the windward mark rounding is always impressive. it's a meticulous ballet of changing sails and not losing speed, trying to shut out other boats, trying not to hit the mark or other boats. you have two options here: stay to windward and get the crew working during the kite hoist, or stay to leeward and get the kite filling and the jib dropping. either way you have to stay well clear of the boats as they make their roundings. the leeward position is even more tricky if there is a port tack boat trying to break into the freight train plowing in on starboard. you will pretty much become an obstacle, or just plain run over. gybes are pretty hot on boats with symmetical spinnakers. a-kites don't offer the same activity. gybing a sym involves a lot of bow work with the spinnaker pole and there are plenty of opportunities for a great shot. other than a gybe, the downwind run is kind of calm.

the downwind mark rounding is just as hectic as the windward one. that bow guy can screw up bad and the kite will end up behind the boat, wrapped in the rig, or under the boat. a good mark rounding will have the jib up and the kite down in very fluid motion, all while the boat is starting to heel hard in the breeze. lots of activity as the main is brought back in, the trimmers get the jib working, and the bow gets the kite stowed and readied for the next rounding.

unfortunately everyone loves a good car wreck, so be on the lookout for things like masts breaking, kites exploding, or broaches and roundups while going downwind. you can have a fantastic close up of a bow crashing thru a breaking wave, or a boat surfing downwind at 20 knots, but a knockdown or a rig failure will be the money shot.

remember that sailing is all about egos, from the size of the boat to port tack starting the fleet to forcing a crash tack to avoid a collision. skippers will buy anything that makes them look like a rock star. trust me. i spent a small fortune on 8X10s during a north american championship, and if i could find the photographer, i'd order even more, 10 years after the event!

anyone in san fran need crew for rolex big boat next year? i need a new watch.