Force Fin Designs

[JMBL]

In 1982, We had not really worked out a good heel strap design since it was not needed. The Force Fin forces its self onto you foot. I will try to bring up this point because it is kind of important..think about it. Do a simple test for your fins..remove the heel srap in a pool test. Our first fun Photo shoot was Cayman Islands. Here you can see us all diving " STRAP FREE" . Was a simple way, slip on and just kick. Force Fin never came off.....#FORCEFINNERSUNITE

I've read that on your website and it's something I've not tried yet. I wonder if it would be same while frog kicking for example. One more thing to do on my post Covid bucket list.

 

[Bob Evans]

Big California surf would rip Force Fin right off after you stopped kicking to drop in. So Bill Meistrell developed the nylon strap with a ladder lock buckel. Here was one of the first Force Fin ads with Robbie Meistrell rolling down. The First Force Fin logo and packaging header. The Brother of the Churchill fins distributor made the logo. Many people would say Forge fin, so down the road we changed the Logo. Force fin became a licensed Product to Body Glove with royalities to me.

 

[Bob Evans]

Those final US Patent drawings done by Gordon B. Evans. Swim fin with Flexible Fin Member Having Movable Tips

 

[Bob Evans]

White or Black..? Our first White Force Fin 1981, 28 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara, California. Skate Wheel colors where happening..Open production mold sharing. ( Bob Evan Dsigns)

 

[Bob Evans]

No one at the time was making so many different colors Fins and for a long time we had the lead... even to the point of tie-dye colors...Robbie Meistrell here in Cayman Islands helping with a photo shoot of diving friends. 1982

 

[Bob Evans]

Happy Easter everyone..scanning away on the OPS Force Fin Project. When Jean-Michel Cousteau asked me to make a Fin for his Dive Team at Ocean Futures I jump at the Honor..here is Cindy at our Santa Barbara Home pool playing around with a freediving model attached to the OPS foot pocket. (copyright Bob Evans) OPS in action.

 

[JMBL]

Happy Easter everyone..scanning away on the OPS Force Fin Project. When Jean-Michel Cousteau asked me to make a Fin for his Dive Team at Ocean Futures I jump at the Honor..here is Cindy at our Santa Barbara Home pool playing around with a freediving model attached to the OPS foot pocket. (copyright Bob Evans) OPS in action.

Some impressive action here, especially under the ice ! I was wondering, as all force fin models seem to be short and compact, why did you shape that model so long ? What would be you opinion about the pros and cons of such a model ? Hope I'm not asking too much.

 

[Bob Evans]

Some impressive action here, especially under the ice ! I was wondering, as all force fin models seem to be short and compact, why did you shape that model so long ? What would be you opinion about the pros and cons of such a model ? Hope I'm not asking too much.

Thanks for asking...kind of very complex and will keep kicking till we hit that milestone in Fin Research..but found another example of the quick protype production method. Won a International design award and received a US Patent. Having created the first " Split Fin " ( I coined the name) one year before others I had many ideas on how to change performance levels. Fabric adjustable foot pocket and they floated...and were super light...

 

[JMBL]

Thanks for the answer. I'll be waiting anxiously for the Fin research chapter.

 

[Bob Evans]

Our first Force Fin size was ML and using our method of hand casting Polyurethane we needed many molds. Here Jimmy Gray is claying up flanges for two molds. 28 Anacapa Street shop Then began the hand shaping of the other Force Fin sizes. Normal rotation molding table used a around 20 molds.( one mold took a month to make) We could add in more molds for needed production of a certain size. It was HOT and had a chemical smell..At one point we had our own production plant in Hermosa Beach, California.