best fin style for surface swim

[HeyMikey]

I'm getting ready to take the divemaster tests and wanted to get everyone's opinion on which style fin works the best for the 800 meter surface swim. I'd appreciate any pointers on improving my time as well!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

 

[RJP]

I'm getting ready to take the divemaster tests and wanted to get everyone's opinion on which style fin works the best for the 800 meter surface swim. I'd appreciate any pointers on improving my time as well!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

One of the keys is to pace yourself. If you get off to a fast start you'll burn too much energy early and fade fast. Net-net will be a WORSE time than if you started "slow and steady."

Are you doing the swim in open water? Laps or straight shot?

I did mine in open water, doing 8 laps from buoy to buoy of 100 yards each. You loose a fair amount of momentum and therefore time in having to stop and turn, so if you have the choice between 400yds out and 400yds back, go for that.

What kind of exposure protection will you be wearing? Of course you'll need weight to offset any positive bouyancy, but I would say that you want to avoid excess bouyancy regardless. I found that even with lead to offset my wetsuit that my legs were too bouyant with the result being that I had trouble keeping them in the water, if you will. I had to work to "push" them back down into the water at the top of each kick. If you have to wear a wetsuit you might want to wear slightly negative fins to offset this effect, though I still had the problem even with my Jetfins.

Personally I find a stiffer fin better for diving or surface swims, so went with the Jets.

Keep your arms close by your side to reduce drag.

Get a good breathing and kicking rhythym going, and don't push too hard. My lap time was essentially the same for each of the eight laps

I did mine in 15:04. If I had known I was gonna JUST miss getting under 15min I would have pushed a bit harder at the end - OR sandbagged a bit and come in just under 16.

 

[wunat]

I'm getting ready to take the divemaster tests and wanted to get everyone's opinion on which style fin works the best for the 800 meter surface swim. I'd appreciate any pointers on improving my time as well!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Guess you are preparing for the DM stamina test.

I would recommend to stay away from typical open heel fins for surface swim. They aren't as effective as full foot. The extra buoyancy from the dive boots makes your feet floats.

But when I did my test, I used the Jets. Though they are open heel fins, the negative buoyancy from the fin is way heavier which sinks my feet. The feeling isn't that different from using them while diving. They are very effective, at least for me.

Some of my friends used full foot split fins which logical-wise seems to be a pretty good fin for surface swim.

Anyway, whatever fin you use, consistency is a key in all stamina tests.

Hope this helps.

 

[bgillis]

I used my black Tusa Zooms and had no trouble breaking 14 minutes. Do plenty of pool workouts to get in shape. I found the best hand position to be locked together it front; it helps with your trim and breaks the water ahead of you. Be sure to keep your fins in the water and not let them break the surface. I found the 400 meter unassisted swim to be harder to make time on.
Good luck on your effort.

 

[dl348]

I also used the all black Tusa X-pert zooms for my DM swim tests. They're a bit stiffer than the 2 tone ones. I did my 800 in a 25 meter pool, so that meant 16 laps back and forth. I completed it in 14:37, I think I could have had a better time if the pool was longer therefore less turns but what can you do.

I would highly recommend these fins. Like someone else posted, don't let your fins break the surface of the water when doing the test, I think your time will be better that way. Also keep your arms along the sides of your body. Good luck.

 

[CompuDude]

Hrm, I'm not sure I'd recommend splits for a surface swim, without dive gear, on your stomach. They lose some efficiency when you can't get the full stroke due to the surface proximity. They work great in regular dive gear while paddling on your back, however.

A good paddle fin, such as jets, is probably best for a long face-down surface swim.

 

[Footslogger]

I wore an old set of Mares Power Planas for my DM swim tests back in the early 90's. If I was going to do it all over again I would wear a pair of Force Fins.

'Slogger

 

[divemaster_jim]

One of the keys is to pace yourself. If you get off to a fast start you'll burn too much energy early and fade fast. Net-net will be a WORSE time than if you started "slow and steady."

Are you doing the swim in open water? Laps or straight shot?

I did mine in open water, doing 8 laps from buoy to buoy of 100 yards each. You loose a fair amount of momentum and therefore time in having to stop and turn, so if you have the choice between 400yds out and 400yds back, go for that.

What kind of exposure protection will you be wearing? Of course you'll need weight to offset any positive bouyancy, but I would say that you want to avoid excess bouyancy regardless. I found that even with lead to offset my wetsuit that my legs were too bouyant with the result being that I had trouble keeping them in the water, if you will. I had to work to "push" them back down into the water at the top of each kick. If you have to wear a wetsuit you might want to wear slightly negative fins to offset this effect, though I still had the problem even with my Jetfins.

Personally I find a stiffer fin better for diving or surface swims, so went with the Jets.

Keep your arms close by your side to reduce drag.

Get a good breathing and kicking rhythym going, and don't push too hard. My lap time was essentially the same for each of the eight laps

I did mine in 15:04. If I had known I was gonna JUST miss getting under 15min I would have pushed a bit harder at the end - OR sandbagged a bit and come in just under 16.

Ain't that the truth!
I had to do mine in a pool, it was the middle of winter, back in 2000, wore a pair a set of Mares Plana Avanti Quattros' awesome fin, but not good on the surface, I couldn't help but wonder if I'd been better off with a full foot snorkel fin,

 

[RPanick]

This may sound like heresy, but I've found that a bicycle kick on the surface actually works better than just about anything. I suspect its because the fin is naturally down under the water, and the push action with it actually works good. Its probably not any more efficient than it is under the water, but it doesn't loose nearly as much as the other kicks on the surface. It even works with splits, granted I think blades would probably work better here.

 

[hamsiss]

Rpanick is all right I've tried that before,
easy and effienct