A yacthman's video guide of Greece

[videopilotbook]

Hello my name is David, and I’ve been sailing around Greece for the last ten years now.
It is after this long experience that i got the idea to share my
passion for these waters with the project VIDEOPILOTBOOK.
http://www.videopilotbook.com/, is a yachtsman's Video guide to the Ionian coast, bays and islands of Greece, a valuable aid to navigation in this area.
It is in fact the first Video guide on the web and all free to consult.
Then, i wish you...good sailing!

 

[rivonia]

This is very good and it should be very helpful to other sailors. It now needs to be MARKETED. Make everyone aware. Maybe ask the RYA and other associations if they may be interested. Just my views.

 

[charles_reed]

The idea is a good one - i looked at the video of Fiskardo (a port I know well) and the video appeared to only cover the approaches and the NW side of the inlet - nothing at all about the port proper.
It would be unfair to judge the whole on this small part, but I have to query, as to the market it's aimed.
For me it would not replace Heikell - it might serve as a guide for first time charterers, deciding their summer cruise.

 

[Tony Cross]

I just took a look at Sivota, a place I know well and which is full of hazards for the new visitor. The Video Pilot mentioned none of them! It's nice as a guide to the area, or even a travelogue but for me it's useless as a pilot. It doesn't show you where you can moor or anchor, it doesn't tell you anything about the depths - and there are some shallow spots in Sivota where you wouldn't want to risk a stern-to moor in a big yacht with a spade rudder. It didn't even cover the dog-leg entrance so you'd know to look out for fast boats coming at you as you round the bend. So it's a very nice piece of work and a very useful guide to an area you don't know but it's not a pilot.

 

[rivonia]

Having read the above oppinions and had another look at the videos. I have to admit that I was a tad too hasty with my views. I now admit that they would not be good for use as a pilot. But would be useful as an overview of the areas.

 

[sailinglegend420]

These are not video guides, they are just some amateur playing with a camera and badly editing some often wobbly and very long moving pictures to some nice music. These are probably commercial tracks that will not have been paid for, so these "videos" could not be marketed as they are. There is no narrative and they are certainly not videopilotbooks.

I write as an ex BBC filmaker who used to make VideoGuides and Ski Resort Guides to destinations around the world. To do this properly requires an good understanding of picture composition and editing, and can take a lot of time and effort. Todays hi-tech HD cameras don't make the programme for you. Sorry David!

 

[videopilotbook]

Videopilotbook is a guide that does not want to replace the official pilot book but integrate it with video, much better than pictures!
Basically was built to integrate the navigation app that already have all the information.
CLEARLY THERE ARE MANY THINGS TO IMPROVE (is only one month online), but I'm working for this, and of course the quality of the video is not professional, but I'm not the BBC, NBC, CNN ... I'm just a sailor that want to share my passion for this waters.
I think it's an aid, and all free to consult
Best regards
David

 

[vyv_cox]

Sorry, have to agree with the others. The idea is a good one but it needs far more focus on each place, shorter clips, maybe some text on each clip stating just what is being looked at. The Levkas bridge passage is crazy, two minutes of the transom of the boat ahead. Suggest that you get someone whose native language is English to do some proof reading, some of your wording is incomprehensible.

 

[Sarnia]

Hello my name is David, and I’ve been sailing around Greece for the last ten years now.
It is after this long experience that i got the idea to share my
passion for these waters with the project VIDEOPILOTBOOK.
http://www.videopilotbook.com/, is a yachtsman's Video guide to the Ionian coast, bays and islands of Greece, a valuable aid to navigation in this area.
It is in fact the first Video guide on the web and all free to consult.
Then, i wish you...good sailing!

Watching your video guide of places I have visited, they are very good, you do not profess to be a professional, though your productions I have watched are certainly not amateurish, (compared to my shaky efforts that is) I enjoyed them, as others have pointed out they are not a pilot replacement, nor intended to replace the pilot information or charts we rely on, which you have confirmed.
Critics rarely ever do anything themselves, and some of the criticism is a little unfair of your efforts to provide this sort of guide, I look forward to any refinements or editing improvements you intend to make, well done, as a guide to places I have yet to visit I will certainly view them from your prospective.

 

[videopilotbook]

Thanks for the reply, Sarnia
you understand very well my point of view.
Fortunately, although there are many things to improve, many people have enjoied Videopilotbook.
I currently have 400 visits daily from all over Europe, the video "Nidri town" has been viewed 2291 times, even though made with a classic Go Pro.
I hope with this website, also to give a little help to tourism in this country, hit by an great crisis.
Best regards
David

 

[Tony Cross]

Watching your video guide of places I have visited, they are very good, you do not profess to be a professional, though your productions I have watched are certainly not amateurish, (compared to my shaky efforts that is) I enjoyed them, as others have pointed out they are not a pilot replacement, nor intended to replace the pilot information or charts we rely on, which you have confirmed.
Critics rarely ever do anything themselves, and some of the criticism is a little unfair of your efforts to provide this sort of guide, I look forward to any refinements or editing improvements you intend to make, well done, as a guide to places I have yet to visit I will certainly view them from your prospective.

Some of us do do things ourselves, you might want to check out my pilot for Crete at http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/25934908/Crete%20Pilot.pdf. I stand by what I said, it's a nice video guide to an area you don't know well but it's not a pilot.

 

[Sarnia]

Some of us do do things ourselves, you might want to check out my pilot for Crete at http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/25934908/Crete%20Pilot.pdf. I stand by what I said, it's a nice video guide to an area you don't know well but it's not a pilot.

Could not agree more Tony, certainly not a pilot as we know them, but I felt some encouragement for so much effort and time for the free benefit of others deserves recognition (soldiers die for it babies cry for it) and desevedly so, I also cruise some of the areas, fairly new to them, but will now also visit others as a result of watching the video.
Thank you for your link re Crete, amazingly comprehensive and informative, the generosity of fellow boaties never fails to amaze me, we have not got as far South yet but wish to in coming seasons, looks amazing as so much of Greece does.

 

[Sarnia]

Thanks for the reply, Sarnia
you understand very well my point of view.
Fortunately, although there are many things to improve, many people have enjoied Videopilotbook.
I currently have 400 visits daily from all over Europe, the video "Nidri town" has been viewed 2291 times, even though made with a classic Go Pro.
I hope with this website, also to give a little help to tourism in this country, hit by an great crisis.
Best regards












David

Your very welcome, hope you continue the good work.
I agree any help we can give to Greece in this way rather than successive bailouts, must be good in the longer term, I certainly hope they can get their act together, not holding my breathe unless they can reduce borrowings, build an economy sufficient to generate the taxes needed and used sensibly and not as previous vanity projects.
Many thanks, enjoying the vicarious sunshine from the videos until I return to Greece.

 

[Max K]

Good start so don't be put off by some of the negative comments here.

I know that area very well and have sailed and or lived in it since the late 70s. Some of your clips are a bit over-long especially the northern cut into Gaios. Paxos! You should also include some shots from the shore, especially in the marinas and harbours.

Hope to see an edited version soon but at least you've tried it. I would offer it to the charter and flotilla companies because their customers would certainly benefit, if not their yachts!

Max.