I discussed applications of suction cups from Sticky Pod in numerous posts in this blog – mounting different cameras or GPS units on a kayak deck. A single suction cup works usually pretty good for small waterproof cameras like GoPro Hero or Pentax Optio. However, things are getting a little bit awkward if your kayak has a steep deck with a ridge in the middle. It is the case of JKK Supernova kayak where it is not so easy to level and center a camera on a front deck. I also wanted to set up the camera a little bit above the deck.

The problem was solved with the two suction cup mount. I used the following basic ingredients:
- two suction cups (you can order then directly from Sticky Pod or from Amazon.com, for about $3 each)
- aluminum flat bar (1/8″ thick, 1″ wide) from your local hard store, the length depends on your design
- three 3/8″ bolts, two 3/4″ long and one 1/2″ (or you may need some spacers) and one nut
- a piece of some cord for a tether
It took me about 10 minutes to cut the aluminum bar, drill 3 holes, smooth sharp edges and bend it to a shape.

I added a small knuckle (ball head) to my mount. It provides easy way to control the camera position and is really useful for Pentax Optio or a similar camera. I needed a tripod mount adapter for the GoPro Hero. The knuckle is really not necessary in this case since a hinge allows for up and down camera adjustment, but it is still helpful. The picture shows the knuckle from Sticky Pod. I am also using a smaller and cheaper one made by Giotto.

A bird’s-eye view? Well, it’s more like a low flying goose perspective.

I am testing GoPro HD Hero camera mounted on a telescoping mast a few feet above kayak deck. My camera mast remains the same as described a couple years ago in this blog. A reversed Gitzo monopod is mounted on My Sticky Pod platform with three suction cups. I am using a toy table tripod at the top end of monopod as a tripod mount for a camera. I used plastic ties and gaffer tape there, so no permanent modifications or damages to my carbon fiber monopod were made.

The pictures come from a recent paddling on Beaver Pond (Arapaho Bend Natural Area, Fort Collins) with JKK Supernova sea kayak. The camera mast was set up on a back deck of the kayak. I cannot mount the sticky pod platform on the steep front deck with a center ridge. I would have to figure out some more creative approach. I mounted the GoPro Hero with a single suction cup in my recent paddling with this kayak.

GoPro LCD Bacpac, a detachable LCD screen is really helpful in setting up the camera and reviewing shots.

The camera was setup on a fully extended mast, i.e., about 60″ (152cm) above the deck. The stability of Supernova was not really affected. It was a different story with a more tippy Thunderbolt kayak. I wish I could place my DSLR camera, Canon 5D, that high in a kayak.

A waterproof Pentax Optio W30 camera was mounted on a bow of my Sea Wind canoe with Sticky Pod suction cup and a mini ball head. The camera was set in a lapse time (interval) mode to shoot a picture every 4 minutes …

I recently bought Satechi TR-C Timer Remote Control for my Canon PowerShot G11 camera. It can be programmed as an intervalometer, so I can use G11 as my Pentax Optio W series cameras. Well, almost. G11 is not waterproof.

The Satechi Timer Remote Control is a pretty big device as seen on the picture above, but it works as advertised. The only inconvenience is that it has no memory, so after each turning off/on it needs to programmed again.

I set up the Canon G11 on my camera mast – a reversed photographic monopod on the top of a suction camera mounts (my sticky pod). Its design remain the same as described in a last year post (Kayak Video Camera Mast). However, I added a small ball head which gives me more flexibility in controlling the camera.

I took the entire setup and CLC Patuxent kayak (much more stable than my racing Thunderbolt) for a test paddle. A swinging LCD screen of Canon G11 which can be set up at any angle appeared to be very useful since my monopod extends really high up to 50″. With Pentax Optio I was forced to shoot blind at higher camera positions.

The camera together with the intervalometer worked pretty well. I enjoyed a shooting angle and perspective I could achieve with the mast. Unfortunately, the light was not so great at that day, so I used camera flash. Of course, it revealed every piece of reflective tape on my life jacket, spray skirt and a cup.

Related posts:
Kayak Video Camera Mast – Sticky Pod Combined with Monopod

I always carry one of my waterproof Pentax Optiocameras attached to a life jacket to document my paddling trips and races. The image quality is fine to display pictures on-line, but it may be not sufficient for commercial applications. Pictures shot with compact digital cameras usually show a lot of digital noise when examining at 100% view.

In November 2007 I started to sell my pictures through microstock agencies. It forced me to carry a DSLR camera for paddling trips. It is a little bit tricky in the case of a low volume racing kayak like my Thunderbolt-X. Most often, I just pack a camera with a tripod and shoot from land. However, I am also trying to shoot from a kayak cockpit or from a decked mounted camera.

A mast for kayak photography and video combining the sticky pod suction cup camera mount with a telescoping 50′ monopod.

Second paddling this week on ice free Beaver Pond in Arapaho Bend Natural Area in Fort Collins. Camera: Canon EOS 40D mounted with my sticky pod (3 suction cup mount) on a bow of Sea Wind canoe.