Finning near the bottom

Soakedlontra · Oct 28, 2009

( I am not sure whether this post belongs here or not feel free to move it. I haven't read all the posts so maybe the answer is hiding somewhere in these pages...Forgive me but I don't have much time to read them all right now and I am pressed for time)

I am wondering if somebody could help me to figure out what kind of fin kick I am supposed to do if I swim one foot above a sandy bottom and I must not stir it up. I use a pair of original force fins (they look like the Delta)

I have been told recently that Force Fins always stir up the bottom while other fins don't...

Blair Mott · Oct 28, 2009

Soakedlontra,
Use a very light kick, slow down with the kick cycles- just slow and controlled. I use my ankles and flick my fins with my feet when I am diving in a closed environment- this is what works best for me. You can also use a frog kick , but it is going to be up to you what feels better. It is a tricky environment where you are diving-sorry everyone for not sharing, but I know where Soakedlontra is diving. You are using the right fins as longer fins can do a lot of damage where you are diving.
Good luck and keep practicing!

ickis · Oct 28, 2009

there is a modified version of the flutter kick as to not kick up silt- you bend your knees so that the sole of your foot points upwards and kick using gentle ankle movements.

Soakedlontra · Oct 28, 2009

Blair Mott:
Soakedlontra,
Use a very light kick, slow down with the kick cycles- just slow and controlled. I use my ankles and flick my fins with my feet when I am diving in a closed environment- this is what works best for me. You can also use a frog kick , but it is going to be up to you what feels better. It is a tricky environment where you are diving-sorry everyone for not sharing, but I know where Soakedlontra is diving. You are using the right fins as longer fins can do a lot of damage where you are diving.
Good luck and keep practicing!

Thanks Blair!

But can I move lightly without kicking at all? (Am I talking nonsense here?)

Blair Mott · Oct 28, 2009

Soakedlontra,
The trick is being absolutely Neutrally Buoyant with small flicks of your Force Fin you will move. Force Fins are made out of the very best materials and everything works with rebound and snap so with small flicks in one direction you get the power stroke and the rebound/snap that gives you more energy.

Polyurethane is an elastomer, a class of plastics designed to mimic the characteristics of rubber…. And then some. The special polyurethane formula used in Force Fins has been designed to maximize its SNAP. Some of us might remember it as a “super ball” effect. The energy that is put into flexing the material (as in kicking on the power or downward stoke) is stored then released as rebound energy. A kick with power and recovery is the most efficient, but Force Fin gives you even more. When the fin snaps back on the recovery or upstroke- , water is thrown behind at a faster rate than you can kick any other fin through the water. Propulsion during the recovery is unique to Force Fin and if your flick your ankles you will move-
Good luck on your next dive!

Soakedlontra · Oct 28, 2009

Blair Mott:
Soakedlontra,
The trick is being absolutely Neutrally Buoyant with small flicks of your Force Fin you will move. Force Fins are made out of the very best materials and everything works with rebound and snap so with small flicks in one direction you get the power stroke and the rebound/snap that gives you more energy.

Polyurethane is an elastomer, a class of plastics designed to mimic the characteristics of rubber…. And then some. The special polyurethane formula used in Force Fins has been designed to maximize its SNAP. Some of us might remember it as a “super ball” effect. The energy that is put into flexing the material (as in kicking on the power or downward stoke) is stored then released as rebound energy. A kick with power and recovery is the most efficient, but Force Fin gives you even more. When the fin snaps back on the recovery or upstroke- , water is thrown behind at a faster rate than you can kick any other fin through the water. Propulsion during the recovery is unique to Force Fin and if your flick your ankles you will move-
Good luck on your next dive!

OK! Thanks!

A lot of food for thoughts and action! I will try to put in practice all of this, hovering neutrally buoyant few feet above the worse muddy bottom that I can find on the island this week-end and see if I can do it.

Blair Mott · Oct 28, 2009

I just realized I did not mention that these ankle flicks are to the side- almost frog like- hope this helps.

Teamcasa · Oct 28, 2009

A ScubaBoard Staff Message...
moved to Basic Scuba

fnfalman · Oct 28, 2009

I'm not familiar with the Force Fin, but I'll just do some quick commenting on fins in general:

Solid (aka paddle) fins - frog kick. You can go to youtube and search for frog kicking videos and see how they do it.

Split fins - raise your calves up so that your fins are farther away from the silk then flick your ankle up & down very gently with very small movements.

If you are neutrally buoyant, then you will have forward motion. If you're too heavy and require industrious finning to keep you afloat then you won't be moving much at all.

Soakedlontra · Oct 28, 2009

Blair Mott:
I just realized I did not mention that these ankle flicks are to the side- almost frog like- hope this helps.

Ah!

But if I stretch my legs like in a flutter kick I can only rotate the ankle a little bit on the outer side!

Could you post a sketch or an image? It may help me to visualize better this! or is there a link where I can go to ?

Thanks!

Finning near the bottom

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