Can this hole affect performance? anyway to fix it?

[TMHeimer]

That fin will likely fail (tear out) at the most inopportune time on an expensive vacation trip on the best dive of the trip. Time to get some new fins.

If the hole was in the fins from new as a defect (??) as stated in the other thread you started then it is unlikely to affect performance but I still think it may lead to a tear or debonding.

N

Point taken. Buy a new pair for that expensive trip. Use the old ones locally 'till they crap out.

 

[Hoag]

A couple inches of Duct Tape on the top & bottom of the fin & you're golden. It might not be pretty, but it'll work and if it comes off, it is easily re-applied.

 

[John C. Ratliff]

Image attachedView attachment 687602

A couple of points. First, this isn't a "rib," but rather a more flexible area to allow more flex in the fin's blade. This should increase the "cupping" action of the fin. If it "fails" completely, it will simply allow more flex, and probably actually increase the efficiency of the fin's blade by allowing more "cupping" action. It's similar to what split fins do, but split fins actually do this along the entire length of the blade, whereas this is only on the last 1/3 of the fin's blade. The way these are made, I would not expect it to "fail," but rather to stay the way it is. I doubt you would even "feel" a difference if it did fail totally, but it probably won't.

SeaRat