Issue with ScubaPro Seawing Nova

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38el

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East Coast Warm Waters
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I posted this in another thread but felt it would get a better response having it's own thread. Please understand, I love my Seawing Nova's and have no plan to change. I just have had an issue that I list below and wanted to see if anyone else has had the same issue. Below is my post from the other thread.

I've had my Nova's since September. I love them but have had a problem with them and wonder if anyone has had the same issue. I'm retired and I try to make several boat or sink/spring dives each week as the weather and money permit.

First, I believe mine are properly sized, I've had them checked by several experienced divers. When I first got them, on a front scissor kick entry my following fin would come off my foot and ride up my leg. If I couldn't get help from a buddy before the descent, my dive was over as I could not properly remove the fin from my calf and place it back on my foot. I was able to use the one fin crossover kick technique to surface and was picked up by the dive boat without issue. This happened to me several more times on the same entry, forward entry. On the other times I let my buddy know to look for this problem and with some effort on their part, they were able to pull off my fin and put it back on my foot properly. They really had to work at it to pull the fin off my leg and over my foot before they could put the fin back on properly.

I think the cause of the problem is that I drag my rear leg as I enter the water so the fin enters the water top side down and with all the pressure (water resistance), it pulls the fin off my foot up to my calf. I have tried to practice putting the fin back on without help but I just can not seem to manage it. I suspect the bungee cord gives a little too much. I've tried on a size smaller and it is just way to small. I think the fix would be a metal spring option and recall depending how many divers have had this problem?

I have not solved the problem but I now have a work around and have made at least 50 entries without another problem with the fin riding up my leg upon entry. I now simply enter the water using the backwards technique or sit and roll depending on the situation.

Let me say that using the front entry, in about 20+ dives my fin rode up my leg about 3 or 4 times, maybe more. On the front entry I was taught to use the kick upon entry to slow down the force or the impact of hitting the water. When I relaxed more and didn't use a forceful entry kick, the fin never rode up my leg.

I would just like to see if anyone else has experienced this problem. Now that I know how it occurs, I continue to use the rear entry but if I needed to use the front entry I would be aware not to use such a forceful kick upon entry and certainly warm my buddy or divemaster I could have an issue and to check with me before descent.

Maybe I'm an odd ball. I do wish the bungee cord was a little tighter as sometimes when I kick against the current, I get a feeling that my fin is a little loose. I love these fins and they are also a little positive buoyancy which is nice when you must take them off to return to the boat.

Thanks
 
I have about 20 dives with these fins. I have had no problems. In fact the more I use them the better they work.
It sounds like either the fin is too big or your boot is ?....

What size shoe , do you wear. I wear a 11.5 - 12 & use a large in this fin...
 
I wear Deep See boots, size 10. My Nova fins are size large. The Med fins are too tight for me, or at least feel that way. Since I think I understand what is going on (I've seen pictures of the fin flexing but don't have them to post), I can see how the fluid dynamics can cause this. I'm disabled from injuries in the ARMY, 101st Airborne and my knees are shot. Diving is helping me to overcome some of my issues but they are old injuries and not from the current war but the forgotten one at the time. Just a slight change and a modified entry has fixed the issue with the fin riding up my calf. I have about 40 or more entries with the back entry and not one fin problem. I wish someone would make a tighter bungee cord or a stainless spring that is tighter. Again, while swimming or kicking, the fins sometimes feel loose but do not come off. I could try a better made rock sock as the tab on the Deep See to hold the strap is smaller than say a Pinnacle or other brands. It sounds like I'm the only one that has seen this problem. Due to my knee issues, I trained to use a one fin kick, you should try it sometime if you don't already know how to do it as their may be a time where you could lose a fin or you strap breaks. It is nice to have the skill in case you need it. I needed it once due to this problem and was glad I practiced and learned it.
 
You may want to try a different boot with a bigger 'spur' on the back of the heel. That is the only thing I can think of to solve your dilemma...
 
What you want is a size medium then what you do is use a longer size piece of bungee cord. this is the best solution as the fin is not very flexible around the foot and your foot gets pushed in too hard. I have the same trouble with the medium being uncomfortable but the bungee size increase fixes it and wont cost much.
 
Thanks for a good idea. Is it easy to take them apart and change the bungee cord? Any suggestions on procedure would be helpful. Thanks again
 

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