Bob Evans Designs-VAULT

[Blair Mott]

In 1979 Bob Evans was designing underwater camera systems, documenting the underwater Natural History of the Santa Barbara Channel and designing Force Fins. These photos were taken aboard his vessel the "HAIK"

This camera was a black and white video camera that could record images to a depth of 500 FSW.

The Haik was his research vessel for 8 years while documenting life found under and surrounding the Santa Barbara Oil rigs and Northern Channel Islands.

 

[Bob Evans]

Blair, tomorrow it will be Spider Man....Fins. Love, Bob

 

[Blair Mott]

Bob -you mean- Spider Man...Fins?

If you look under this fin you can see that it uses the same design concept that Bob was using in the late 70's

Freedom of your foot.

The two fins actually both share up curved wing tips as well. If we go to the very beginning to the first ever Polyurethane Force Fin you can see that Bob was using part of the shin to transfer the strain of moving the fin through the water to the larger leg muscles. After numerous hours in the water he realized he could solve the problem by making an open foot pocket.

 

[dittrimd]

Blair and Bob,

Thank you so much for the historic photos, I love seeing the history documented!! Being a relative newcomer since I was 8 in 1979 when Bob was developing his underwater camera and have been using FF for only 11 years I love seeing how things evolved over the decades of development. Please keep them coming!

Mark D.

 

[ickis]

thats a bizzare (yet amusing...) piece of history
they remind me of the concept of "shinfins"...
i wonder whats next in this new thread (looks like its gonna be quite a good one)

 

[The Chairman]

Wow... tha-that's BOB??? He had hair!

What a wonderful trip down Scuba History lane. DON'T STOP NOW. Keep posting these! (please)

 

[meesier42]

thats a bizzare (yet amusing...) piece of history
they remind me of the concept of "shinfins"...
i wonder whats next in this new thread (looks like its gonna be quite a good one)

I think you have it wrong, shinfins should remind you of these things that predate the shinfin by some 20+ years.

 

[teem]

Wow, keep the photos coming! It's always good to see the timeline (in photos) of the developmental process. It lends that much more personality and culture to the whole Force Fin experience.

 

[Bob Evans]

Teem, Thanks for your support, today I pulled out more images, they are flowing out like a fountain and I am glad to share them with you. Blair has his work cut out and I am Honored to work with him each day, Best, Bob

 

[sambolino44]

I'm glad your house didn't burn down.