Upcoming New Fins and Fin Technologies

[Iralub]

I bought a pair of Seawing Novas in about 2009 or 10 and this summer on a trip to Mexico, just before the last dive of the trip, the guide brought to my attention that one of the hinges had cracked; it was just myself and the guide so there were no spare fins to use, the fin failed about a third of the way into the following dive. I finished the dive with no other problems. When I got back home the local Scubapro dealer took my old fins and handed me a new pair on the spot. I really like the novas they've done everything I needed them to do, but I think I'll try a pair of the Cressi ARAs. It never hurts to have spares.

I'm pretty sure that the hinge cracking was a problem with the first generation and now they've fixed it.

I have Seawing Novas (full foot version) and they've allowed me to kick against moderate currents and keep up with people who insist on moving too quickly, despite my legs being very underpowered compared to most. Still working on a good frog kick, but with flutter kicks you get a lot of thrust for minimal effort, which is great for a small, short person whose muscle power is less than many/most.

 

[danvolker]

I dove Ron's new Bi-fin prototypes yesterday.....And I have to say WOW!
They are faster than my DiveR's when I want to go "scooter cruising speeds"...and when I want to go medium speed or slow, they feel very comfortable.
They are best at flutter and dolphin, obviously with their heritage....but Frog kick just fine....not quite as good as Dive R's( which frog kick as well or better than jet fins) and Ron's fins Helicopter turn well....Reverse kick will require me to develop a different kick shape....which is something I had to do with the DiveR freedive fins also....Ron's fins are different enough, so that I can't use the same kick shape I am used to for reverse kick, so at some point when I have more time, I'd see about what angles and articulations work the wing technology blade better for this.
I see these fins for hunters, or videographers, or even photographers doing wide angle of large marine life.
I spent some time following Sandra while she was doing a macro dive at the BHB with these, and going dead slow or hovering was very precise with them...It would be nearly impossible for a decent diver to silt with them. You would have to really try and do something stupid. But I don't see macro divers , or divers that insist on swimming as slowly as they can, wanting Ron's tech, or even freedive fin tech. They just won't use it.


All in all, this is a fin I want to add to my "Golf-bag" of fins....and hope to in the near future. There are a lot of dives where this would be the "right club" for me

Today, the plan is to do some freediving with Ron, and I will be using the bi-fin with the extra stiff bade attachment....just to see if there is a benefit with this. As of this moment, we will do either the BHB, the pump house, or possible go out on Keylypso with Jim Abernethy....will know in a couple hours if anyone wants to join us

 

[REVAN]

I dove Ron's new Bi-fin prototypes yesterday.....And I have to say WOW!
They are faster than my DiveR's when I want to go "scooter cruising speeds"...and when I want to go medium speed or slow, they feel very comfortable.
They are best at flutter and dolphin, obviously with their heritage....but Frog kick just fine....not quite as good as Dive R's( which frog kick as well or better than jet fins) and Ron's fins Helicopter turn well....Reverse kick will require me to develop a different kick shape....which is something I had to do with the DiveR freedive fins also....Ron's fins are different enough, so that I can't use the same kick shape I am used to for reverse kick, so at some point when I have more time, I'd see about what angles and articulations work the wing technology blade better for this.
I see these fins for hunters, or videographers, or even photographers doing wide angle of large marine life.
I spent some time following Sandra while she was doing a macro dive at the BHB with these, and going dead slow or hovering was very precise with them...It would be nearly impossible for a decent diver to silt with them. You would have to really try and do something stupid. But I don't see macro divers , or divers that insist on swimming as slowly as they can, wanting Ron's tech, or even freedive fin tech. They just won't use it.


All in all, this is a fin I want to add to my "Golf-bag" of fins....and hope to in the near future. There are a lot of dives where this would be the "right club" for me

Today, the plan is to do some freediving with Ron, and I will be using the bi-fin with the extra stiff bade attachment....just to see if there is a benefit with this. As of this moment, we will do either the BHB, the pump house, or possible go out on Keylypso with Jim Abernethy....will know in a couple hours if anyone wants to join us

Thank you for taking the time to help out with the testing and evaluations, Dan. Good fin design is achieved through an obsessive compulsive testing campaign to hone in on the good performance traits for the equipment. Your feedback is valuable and appreciated.

Ron Smith

 

[danvolker]

[video=youtube;kbscaFZ2BIw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbscaFZ2BIw&[/video]


Here is a look at Ron's monofin AND his new bi-fins, at the Pumphouse off Singer Island.
He is a bit light, as he thought I would have weights to give him....but beyond that, this should showcase how effective these fins are in the high current tide change.

Best if viewed at 1080p60

---------- Post added November 7th, 2015 at 08:16 AM ----------

The Pumphouse dive is usually spectacular. The biggest reason few divers enjoy it, is the currents. Most divers are afraid they will be swept out...or that they will be unable fight the current if it reverses ( with the tide, it always will reverse )
In this video, you see Ron swimming directly into full tidal flow in several points, and it means as little to him as it does to the fish that live there.....and this is how it should be for all divers....we should have the technology, to move around like this.
It is not that we need to swim at 6 mph to race from one spot to another...it is that we should be able to move around effortlessly in amazing places like this

 

[REVAN]

This is a review of the DOL-Fin Orca Mk-2 just posted by a customer in Sweden who bought this monofin in late September (don't worry it's in English): Review Orca Mk2 - www.creathlete.se

Also, a little forum cross-pollination: This is an independent review of the DOL-Fin Pilot that was just put up on the DeeperBlue website (a site popular with freedivers). https://forums.deeperblue.com/threa...al-monofin-par-excellence.104601/#post-951683

Somewhere, I have some data for scuba diving performance with an old DOL-Fin monofin design that is no longer made, but not sure if it's worth digging it up. What I really need is some current data with the new stuff, which will surely perform better. There's just not enough time to do everything....

 

[REVAN]

This is an updated DOL-Fin Pilot review that was embedded in a larger thread that can be referenced for more information.
https://forums.deeperblue.com/threads/extreme-dolfinism-g2.100667/page-36#post-951726

 

[REVAN]

This is a picture (though not a very clear one) that shows what is hydrodynamically different about these fins. Note the inflection in the curvature of the fin blades. You don't see that on other scuba fins. Hydrodynamically, it's like there is another set of fins behind the first set of fins. :cool2:

 

[REVAN]

Here is a slightly better picture of the new bi-fin's blade action.

 

[REVAN]

This thread may be of interest to anyone who was watching this thread: Diving Performance - Beyond Drag (article Series And Discussion)

Video of the bi-fins in action with an experimental streamlined scuba kit:

 

[BDSC]

I guess I'm not sure what the purpose of the video is?