Custom downrigger weight with the ability to use with gopro?

[Fisher_dude]

I picked up a gopro and was going to make my own housing to tow behind the ball but then I figured why couldn't I cast a "ball" with an opening to install a gopro in. I'm a pretty handy guy and have about 100lbs of lead sitting at home but I haven't cast metal since high school with a forge and foundry. Melting the lead is the easy part, it's making the actual mold for it that I'm drawing a blank. I assume it would have to be a bullet shape with a flat back and maybe a rudder on the bottom?? I'd just be worried about it spinning. Any ideas?

 

[Clint r]

I'm not sure how to do it, but I'd buy one if you can figure it out.

 

[Fisher_dude]

Yeah. I've seen the pvc ones but was worried about the blowback from the extra drag.

 

[albernifisher]

This is what I did last year, crude but it works.

 

[albernifisher]

This is what I did last year, crude but it works.

 

[Nakoda boater]

Do you have any footage of that set up?

 

[Fisher_dude]

How was the drag? Did you get some decent footage? That would be pretty simple but I'd be worried about stuff hitting it and breaking it off.

 

[albernifisher]

When we used it in bamfield the water was so green we couldn't see anything past 10 feet. Browns bay chum derby was some good footage but its been deleted. The blowback wasn't too bad but we weren't fishing past 60 feet

 

[Fisher_dude]

Anyone ever tried pouring lead into a mold made from PVC? Can the pvc handle the temp from the lead? Was thinking of making the pvc housing and then filling the front full of lead. Just have to figure out the pivot point.

 

[wildthing]

don't use pvc to pour lead into unless you book your room at A&E and have the medics close to hand....

if your going to make a mold do it in tin can bullet nose the front and have a hollow rear for the cam to sit in
make a bracket or platform for the cam to sit affix on with fiberglass or bondo
think torpedo ?????

 

[Big Green Machine]

Pouring lead, yikes, have to be careful for sure.

 

[Fisher_dude]

I was thinking about making the mold out of stainless and then possibly machining a square into the back for the camera to sit. Same profile as the tow behind pvc one but all out of lead.