Riding the waves, to the horizon.

...a fast boat, a fresh wind, the sun, riding the waves of the

Atlantic Ocean.

 

Of course, I can imagine the happiness of being there just by looking

at this image...what does it tell you, instead? Comments and criticism

on this and any other of my sailing shots are more than welcome!

the function of the orange panel?

 

Yes, it looks like happiness to me too. You've captured the feeling!

heading out into a weekend adventure, a very enjoyable composition that places the man and boat in their context very well. terrific the way they are just below the horizon. love the brightness within the boat, the more subdued colors on the ocean and horizon, really brings the eye to where it needs to be, but still gives a sense of the ocean's majesty.

Bob, the orange panel is a daggerboard. The wind which is coming from the right of the picture, thanks to the sails, makes the boat move forward. But it also pushes her sideway. To prevent this effect and go straight, the daggerboard is lowered in the water to the leeward (in this case the left) side of the boat, so that it stops you from drifting sideways. The orange panel you see in the picture is out of the water, since is to the right, and the same side the wind is coming. The symmetric orange panel on the other side of the boat -not visible in the shot- was lowered in the water.

 

Ben, I am glad you like the composition: it took quite some time to get the shot I wanted. We were riding a roller-coaster and to get the composition I was after I had to lean out of the relative comfort-zone of the cockpit. Then, at each pitching nose down I was trying to steady myself and the camera (singlehanded both) and shot when her head was below the horizon and -possibly- some foam would spray from breaking into the waves. I am amazed the final result had the horizon off only of 2.3 degrees! I kept on hoping for a bigger wave, which of course came a second after I had gone inside the boat to look for a longer lens... I lost the wave. She got a shower.

Thanks for the explanation. First time I've seen them symetrical and through the deck like that.

 

Love it and am envious.

 

Keep havin' fun!

Well thought out and executed. I actually like the less dramatic wave because it's one more complimentary oblique element.

Bob, the Imram was designed with arctic exploration in mind, while retaining high sailing performances. This meant no deep keel for safety in uncharted waters. The daggerboard have the added advantage of increasing performances since they are not really symmetric (I kept some information hidden here above). The windward side is wing-shaped. The leeward side is flat. Once the thing is submerged, it not only stops the drift to leeward, but actually generates a lift to windward, what with a symmetric single keel is impossible: with this technique, the effective sideways drift of the boat is nil!

The through-the-deck design is beautiful. You can see the slit they come out from here.

Another great feature is that you can beach the boat and use them as support. Or you can use them to balance yourself shooting walruses (see bottom of the thread)

Carl, thanks for your comment. It is an epiphany of sorts: I had never considered the interplay of hulls, sails and spars and the patterns in the water as a compositional element. I did it with clouds, but never with water. I guess the reason is linked to the fact that visible waves mean increasingly uncomfortable conditions, and therefore reduced interest in picture-taking.

 

Next time I'll set foot onto a boat I will surely try to get something out of this advice! Thanks again.

Salvatore, the splashes (no pun intended) of orange and red are perfectly positioned. Since the subject, the boat and it's contents, are so bright and bold I'm a little uneasy about the subdued colors or lower contrast of the sky and ocean. It's a beautiful shot it just leaves me a little off balance. Maybe that's the intent?

 

Your bio picture is among the best I've seen.

Great photo from a wonderful portfolio. Congrats.

Do you use any protection (from spray) for you camera gear when sailing?

Jamie, I see your points, but trust me that those were the colours of that day. I will never cease be amazed by how many colours, and how often, the sea can take. Thanks for the appreciation of the bio pic (a larger version here). It's a crop from here.

Wayne, I used to an EWA Marine rain (and spray) cover for a videocamera, and I was impressed by its excellent build. In particular, the fact you have directly a glass in front to shoot from. I would use one for my camera if I would more often shot in wet conditions. Actually, with a bit of care, on large boats, it is rare to get a wet camera. In rough/wet weather, though, I'd recomend the EWA Marine one.

Thanks for the reply, Salvatore.

Life is to short for slow sailing and I don't like my drink sliding down to the leeward side, so I sail a catamaran (ha ha). Nice shot as just about all your work. You seem to live a very active and interesting life.

Jonathan, this beast was not slow at all... this summer we often averaged 10kn and peaked at 15-17kn...you would like her, it is rigged as a catamaran, after all!

What is the length?

 

Regards

Jonathan, she is just 41ft... This year we were quite light at about 6 metric tonnes. When we had all the expedition+survival equipment, and eight crew members, we should have been about 10tonnes... much lower in the water, quite slower.

All data are in the link of my previous post.