BP/W is just a tool

[Splitlip]

Scott:

Are you still using the Garas?

I only use them on private boats. I have not mastered using them on charters.

 

[danvolker]

Dan - What is your current long-blade fin recomendation for scuba usage here in the Palm Beaches?

Scott,
I have tried every major freedive fin for scuba. The Best for a fit cyclist is the C4 Mustang, but for the money, the BW Special from specialfins.com is by far the better deal....and by deal, I don't mean cheap...the BW specials run around 200 Euro....but the C4's are waaayy more !!! The difference is that the C4's can give a little more back at max crusing speed...only really noticable at max crusing speed or max speed. On the other hand, the BW specials are tough fins....you can abuse them almost like normal fins, whereas the C4's have to be treated very carefully at all times...no giant strides ( you dive in head first), you don't let anyone step on them, and you are careful how they get packed when transported..that said, mine have lasted over 2 years now, of heavy use....But the BW specials will outlive them by many years to be sure.
www.specialfin.com under spearfishing fins, and then bw specials...they are blue.

The Freedive shop in Riviera Beach sells them...Flfreedivers.com ... which by the way, is the best shop for a scuba diver to buy fins, masks or wetsuits from in all of Florida, in my opinion
They only sell what they think is really top notch, and they dive and freedive everything they sell.

Regards,
DanV

 

[Scott L]

The Freedive shop in Riviera Beach sells them...Flfreedivers.com ... which by the way, is the best shop for a scuba diver to buy fins, masks or wetsuits from in all of Florida, in my opinion
They only sell what they think is really top notch, and they dive and freedive everything they sell.

I love that shop, especially since Rob Murphy joined the staff. Thanks!

 

[Scott L]

Scott:

Are you still using the Garas?

I only use them on private boats. I have not mastered using them on charters.

Yeah, I have had the same pair since 1999. I use on charters without any problems simply by walking to stern then donning....

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Scott:

Are you still using the Garas?

I only use them on private boats. I have not mastered using them on charters.

i've taken freedive fins and chopped off the last 5 inches with a jigsaw and made a full foot "scuba" fin that seems to retain MOST of the kicking efficiency but makes the fins considerably more manageable with scuba gear on a small boat.

 

[horsenail]

I totally agree with you, however, we did use the back plate style BC for our stock gear at a dive shop in the Caribbean for years catering to shore diving.
Good points are you can surface swim out to the drop-off and lay back or sit like a chase lounge and enjoy the view, quit spectacular.
The bad news is it will float you face down if unconscious or in trouble.

 

[maxnico]

Thank you Divedoggie for your thoughts. I can't yet figure out why divers get religion but once they do, their god is the one true god. I just got back from a warm water dive and the 7 foot hoses were getting entangled all over the boat and the backplate harness did not fit in the tank holders etc, etc. I love all my equipment but I am finding it is situational. I am in agreement with you but since that is like having two gods, we better duck

 

[TSandM]

How does a backplate harness not fit in a tank holder? The tank is behind the plate, and the tank is what goes in the tank holder. I have had problems on occasion with the cambands being at a height where the "arms" of the tank holder want to go, but that's not using a backplate; that's just where I like to put my tank.

And if the hoses were getting tangled all over the boat, the owners of said hoses don't know how to coil them up and store them neatly.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Hmm...I wonder if an Air2 would fit on a freedom plate rig?

The plate really doesn't have anything to do with wether or not an Air II can be used, it has to do with the wing and the corrugated inflator hose. An Air II can be used with any of the generic inflator hoses that many of the wing manufacturers use.
You may however need to get a longer one than is currently in fashion on most stock wings.

 

[fnfalman]

The plate really doesn't have anything to do with wether or not an Air II can be used, it has to do with the wing and the corrugated inflator hose. An Air II can be used with any of the generic inflator hoses that many of the wing manufacturers use.
You may however need to get a longer one that is currently in fashion on most stock wings.

I was trying to make a funny.