Endoscope.

[KINGFISHER 9]

Has anyone used one of these to check on props, tabs, weed etc?
..... Any good?

 

[BruceK]

I bought one with that in mind. I used it once but the water was so murky unless you were right up close you couldn't see anything. I found their focus range was something like 2cm to 10 cm which really limited it's functionality and in the end it was simply discarded into a drawer. The ones with a RC prehensile gooseneck that you can stick under the engines etc to search for dropped impeller plate bolts are much more useful. These ones you have to gaffer tape to a stick and you never get a stick with the right angles. Sod's law.

 

[dpb]

Have found mine usefull over the couple of years I've had it, considering it was only £20 or so.
Focus OK from about 5cm up.
Had problems getting it to work with some devices and apps though.
I guess its hard to compare though as there were quite a few types on the market at the time and I would imagine that mine is different to both Bruce's and the one you have pictured.

 

[Bouba]

So what if we could combine Kingfisher and BruceK’s idea and get one of these
https://www.pce-instruments.com/eng...-telescoping-pole-pce-ive-320-det_2202026.htm
A bit pricey but maybe someone could research for a cheaper alternative

 

[BruceK]

If DPB can furnish details of his it may prove more useful. The focus range was for me the big killer. If you cant see where you are poking and then when you do find whatever it is you are looking for so close as to render it useless then there is not much point. I had to read a model or serial number off my bell housing once or was it transom shield (the reason escapes me as to why now) but when I could read the numbers I could see maybe 4 or 5 at a time and the focus so short and the stick so long it was a wobbly blurry picture anyway and I had to take snapshot pictures to decipher..

 

[dpb]

It is a :
Firstwish Endoscope 2 Megapixel Inspection Camera USB HD Borescope Adjustable Waterproof Snake Camera For Android Smartphone and PC (5M(USB))

 

[BruceK]

It is a :
Firstwish Endoscope 2 Megapixel Inspection Camera USB HD Borescope Adjustable Waterproof Snake Camera For Android Smartphone and PC (5M(USB))

But yours has the same focus issues mine has according to their specs?

 

[KINGFISHER 9]

So what if we could combine Kingfisher and BruceK’s idea and get one of these
https://www.pce-instruments.com/eng...-telescoping-pole-pce-ive-320-det_2202026.htm
A bit pricey but maybe someone could research for a cheaper alternative

Ooh 'eck …. don't need one that much! I've got a couple of small cameras which are waterproof so might just lash one of them to a boathook and try that! The memsahib's little camera only cost about 60 quid so if it makes a bid for freedom it won't hurt too much!

 

[BruceK]

I think if you are serious about this a water proof Go Pro or one in a waterproof casing is probably the best option for hull inspection. At least then you can get a realistic picture of just how much growth there is over a decent sized area.

 

[KINGFISHER 9]

I think if you are serious about this a water proof Go Pro or one in a waterproof casing is probably the best option for hull inspection. At least then you can get a realistic picture of just how much growth there is over a decent sized area.

I'll try it … Haven't got a Go-Pro - the cheap camera is only a £60 Kodak supposedly OK to 10 metres as I remember and it must give better pics in clear water than an endoscope! My other 'waterproof' camera is a quite expensive Sony which I don't think I'll take a chance on! Getting it under the platform at the right angle might need some experimentation though.

 

[RupertW]

Go Pros are surely far too big to fit in 0.3cm gaps - I bought a 5m endoscope a few years ago and found it really useful for checking wiring and runs under the bilges and finding an freshwater leak. However the cheap one I bought had one good feature - a light of variable brightness, but one very poor feature was its complete lack of focus in 6cm - by definition in most confined spaces the bit I most wanted to see was much closer. The other pointless part was 5m because steering it needed a wire coat hanger stretched out (or something equally rigid but bendable) and you can't do that for much more than a metre or two.

 

[BruceK]

Go Pros are surely far too big to fit in 0.3cm gaps .

So are endoscopes

 

[KINGFISHER 9]

Be OK for looking at your prop though eh?

 

[Plum]

Has anyone used one of these to check on props, tabs, weed etc?
..... View attachment 75145Any good?

Tried but without success. Bought one on ebay which said it focussed fro 5cm to infinity but it didn't. Over 10cm no clear picture so in murky water it was impossible to find the prop with the camera on a long cranked stick. Hopefully someone can post a link to one that actually works.

Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk

 

[Bouba]

Has anyone tried a wetsuit

 

[dunedin]

I have used a cheap endoscope camera quite a few times. Got great video of folding prop operating correctly which saved a lift out - and paid back cost ten fold.
Also used twice to check hull after potential scrapes under water from a rogue rope and chain.

Recently replaced with a Bluetooth version - previous was a few years back and only available as USB

 

[NormanB]

Endoscopes are allegedly very useful for looking up old friends.

 

[RupertW]

So are endoscopes

You are right - it seems more like 0.7cm but the point still stands.

 

[RupertW]

Has anyone tried a wetsuit

Yes, but then it's even harder to get into the bilges

 

[hullabaloo]

I used it once but the water was so murky unless you were right up close you couldn't see anything.

I think if you tried it again in a bay, not the conwy river which runs at over 5 knots it maybe better ? :highly_amused: