Hovering vs. the fin pivot

[Upwelling]

I was wondering if these two are essentially the same. If you can fin pivot properly then you are neutral. Is it the same with hovering? thanks

 

[notabob]

Well, when you're hovering, your fins are not touching the bottom at all. So it's not really the same thing. As far as bouyancy, technically you could be considered neutral in both cases, however if your fins are in the sand, then you're probably out of trim and clouding up the water around you. Ideally you want your torso to be the lowest point in the water, not the fins.

-Roman.

 

[WaterDawg]

yeah Hovering is much harder, because you do have to have good trim, But it s much more usefull and efficient than the fin pivot. Try to hover and get closer and closer to the bottom w/o touching it or using you hands.

 

[Ron Brandt]

Keep practicing that hover

After you have tryed it the way your instructor did the demo practice this horozontal (ie:finning position)and stay motionless two feet off the bottom of the pool.

This will do wonders for you and essental if you get into uw/photography.

BTW: Have you grabbed that flutter board yet ?

Ron Brandt

 

[ScubaPete]

when doing your fin pivits your allways touching the ground so you cant go down any farther. So you have quite a bit of play because your only controling your upper body not your legs. I for example have no bouyancy in my legs. So when I hover my legs want to sink... Many people have to use ankle weights to keep there legs down.

 

[ScubaRider]

I’m with you! How do you keep your leg from falling (buoyancy)?

 

[ScubaPete]

I try to add weighyt to the front of my body to make my waste the pivet point. If I get enogh then I can stay pretty level.

Try Wrapping some ancle weights around your first stage. They will lay on your tank and hold your body down. If you dont have any just barrow some from a budy for a dive. They should let you use them.

 

[jbd]

move your tank up a little bit on the BC. Another thing that may help is to flex your knees to a 90 degree angle and switch to the frog kick. Bending the legs at the knees shortens the lever arm created by you legs and moves your center of gravity forward.

 

[SubMariner]

A fin pivot means that a part of your body will be in contact with the bottom at all times. Basically, you put small amounts of air into your BC until you rise up onto your fin tips as you INHALE, and come back down to the bottom when you EXHALE.

The next skill UP from this is the hover. Many times people start by establishing neutral bouyancy with a fin pivot. Then they keep adding a little bit of air into their BC until they are completely off the bottom. The prime criteria during the hover is that you do not scull with your hands or feet while in mid-water. In addition, you cannot touch the bottom or break the surface. Again, tidal volume in your lungs (inhale & exhale) plays a key role in this skill.

BTW, you can hover in ANY position you like, as long as you meet the previously mentioned criteria; it doesn't have to be the "sitting buddha" position.

Hope this helps,

~SubMariner~

 

[Upwelling]

Ron Brandt once bubbled...
Keep practicing that hover

BTW: Have you grabbed that flutter board yet ?

Ron Brandt

Ron,

No I haven't had a chance yet but I did go back in the pool. My hover is better now, although I'm not able to stay perfectly motionless the whole time, but I'm not like a yo yo either =)

Thanks everyone for teh excellent advice.