I swim like a U. Why?

[АлександрД]

Heavy fins is evil.
For movement more heavy fins you spent more force. When you spent more forces - you consume more oxygen. When you consume more oxygen - you evolve more carbon dioxyde. When you envolve more carbon dioxyde - you breathnig more frequently. When you breathing more frequently - you will finish your dive early.

Here just phisics - inertness. In the terminal points you should spent forces to start to move fin. In opposit point you should spent forces to stop you fin. It is not too big, but anyway it exists.

Try to use weight belt with 1-4 kg (2-9 pounds) of leadweights. Move weightbelt more close to haunch (to hip).

Sorry, if there is mistakes in writtings, english is not my native.

 

[M DeM]

Okay, so heavy fins/ankle weights are not the way to go. My first experiment will be plain old more weight.

Heavy fins is evil.
For movement more heavy fins you spent more force. When you spent more forces - you consume more oxygen. When you consume more oxygen - you evolve more carbon dioxyde. When you envolve more carbon dioxyde - you breathnig more frequently. When you breathing more frequently - you will finish your dive early.

Here just phisics - inertness. In the terminal points you should spent forces to start to move fin. In opposit point you should spent forces to stop you fin. It is not too big, but anyway it exists.

Try to use weight belt with 1-4 kg (2-9 pounds) of leadweights. Move weightbelt more close to haunch (to hip).

Sorry, if there is mistakes in writtings, english is not my native.

 

[northernone]

Heavy fins is evil.
For movement more heavy fins you spent more force. When you spent more forces - you consume more oxygen. When you consume more oxygen - you evolve more carbon dioxyde. When you envolve more carbon dioxyde - you breathnig more frequently. When you breathing more frequently - you will finish your dive early.

Here just phisics - inertness. In the terminal points you should spent forces to start to move fin. In opposit point you should spent forces to stop you fin. It is not too big, but anyway it exists.

Try to use weight belt with 1-4 kg (2-9 pounds) of leadweights. Move weightbelt more close to haunch (to hip).

Sorry, if there is mistakes in writtings, english is not my native.

Neutral buoyant lower legs is what our goal is.

The original post might have positively buoyant legs which cause his feet to float up and every fin stroke he is pulling them down. Too light fins/legs is just as bad as too heavy fins/legs.

If the diver total isn't too light, adding more body weight will unlikely fix floating fins. The ballast needs balanced.

I agree negatively buoyant legs is needlessly exhausting, but in the same way as needlessly positive buoyant legs/fins)

For myself, depending on my fins, I float like ```\____© or like this:
\
\____©

Confession, I posted because I wanted to have a reason to draw too.

Cameron

 

[tridacna]

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[The Chairman]

I'm not sure about your guys' trim, but damn: your ASCII skills are impeccable!

 

[gryan315]

You may have floaty feet. If you can try some heavier fins and they help that is a better solution than ankle weights.

I'm going to suggest that the opposite may be true and that he's already too bottom heavy. He's comfortable and horizontal while under propulsion, but when he stops he needs to curl his legs up behind him in order to remain comfortable in a horizontal position, which is shifting his center of gravity forward. Moving some weight up higher or using an ankle weight on the tank valve may keep the center of gravity in check.

Floaty feet is a definite possibility, though, see it all the time with thick farmer Johns.

 

[aquacat8]

Get in the water, get flat in ideal favored position (maybe like cave diver pic), hold really still (no really) and see how you tip.

 

[aquacat8]

If feet slowly rise move weight down or get Jet Fins or other heavy fins—not ankle weights, if you’re going to kick weight why not benefit from the power!

 

[Jack Hammer]

It took me a lot of time and focus to teach myself to point my fins backward instead of upward when I would hover. It had nothing to do with fin weight or trim, I just naturally find it more comfortable on my ankles for my feet to extend when relaxed, hence my fins would always point up. Try holding your fins level and see how it affects your trim, them make small adjustments as needed