Cutting Free diver fins shorter for SCUBA

[Nemrod]

I have owned and used many different full foot fins over the years. I generally prefer them for boat diving and I have generally found them faster and more responsive that open heal fins. I have been going around and around over buying another set. I like the Mako fins and I have owned the equivalent of today's Mares Quattro Power full foot fin.

The Mares fin (the Quattro Power) is shorter than a free diving fin but much longer than a typical SCUBA open heal fin. It does not have removable blades. Since I am not really a free diver (though I can passable do decent free dives) and the only thing I am interested in killing (not against sporting and legal hunting) is lion fish, I think the Makos are too much length for SCUBA.

Can I cut the Mako down with a good result? And, since the blades are replaceable and cheap, not like I could not have two sets or at least undo what I did if I do not like the result. Mako could provide a "Cross" fin I wish?

I need more power Scotty, for open water diving in current and pushing my camera.

N

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Sure, I don't see why not.
I'm using Picasso Black Teams which are a mid range Free dive full foot fin with hard plastic (but flexible) blades. They're a bit on the stiff side and work well in and around the rocky terrain where I dive. They are budget enough, around $160, that I'm not too concerned about beating them up.
They also have removable blades so you could get several sets and cut them to different lengths if you wanted.
I'm sure Dan Volker will be along shortly and beg you to just use them full length and be happy

 

[sea_ledford]

At one point I had a pair of Esclapez fins that I cracked the tip of while doing giant strides from a boat one too many times. I ended up cutting the blades off just below the end of the side rails and used them for another year or so with no problems. However once Mares re-introduced the full foot quatro avantis, I switched over as soon as I could.

The mares were WAY better than the chopped freediving fins.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I have owned and used many different full foot fins over the years. I generally prefer them for boat diving and I have generally found them faster and more responsive that open heal fins. I have been going around and around over buying another set. I like the Mako fins and I have owned the equivalent of today's Mares Quattro Power full foot fin.

The Mares fin (the Quattro Power) is shorter than a free diving fin but much longer than a typical SCUBA open heal fin. It does not have removable blades. Since I am not really a free diver (though I can passable do decent free dives) and the only thing I am interested in killing (not against sporting and legal hunting) is lion fish, I think the Makos are too much length for SCUBA.

Can I cut the Mako down with a good result? And, since the blades are replaceable and cheap, not like I could not have two sets or at least undo what I did if I do not like the result. Mako could provide a "Cross" fin I wish?

I need more power Scotty, for open water diving in current and pushing my camera.

N

why do you think they are too much length for Scuba? Have you tried them in the water yet? They seem long when you first see them, but once in the water, you will adapt to them very quickly. It might take a few dives before you get a good sense of where your fin tips are, but after that, long blades will feel very natural..at least to me.

However, they are a pain on the boat. If you are diving from a really small boat, they are a pain to deal with- no doubt about it. I had the same fins and did the experiment myself. lopped off about 4-5 inches with a jig saw. Takes 2 minutes. They were better on the boat and the decrease in performance in the water was not that drastic. Be warned, when you chop off the tail end of the blade, you are removing the very flexible ends of the blade, so the resulting fin "feels" stiffer. It is not harder to kick, but the blade will feel stiffer and you will probably end up with a shorter quicker kick cycle.

Overall I would give my experiment a C-. if you are not having problems on a small boat, don't consider it. Also, before you chop the blades, give them a couple days.. chances are you will be very happy with them as they are.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Freedive fins also require a different kick, long sweeping smooth motions not short fast flutter kicks. Used properly they are very efficient while delivering a huge amount of power.
The thing is, freedive fins have the ability to be very high speed so a smooth unobstructed slipstream is a must...I guess this explanation is more for the other readers as I'm quite positive James, this is something you already know.

***For the other readers... Poodle jackets, dangling consoles, big bulky snorkels dangling off your mask, all kinds of other things including errant hoses sticking out everywhere, or being overweighted, and certain drysuits,... all aren't too compatible with freedive fins since you'll be wearing yourself out trying to push all that crap through the water, unless maybe you have legs like tree trunks and are in shape like a professional athlete. But then still...why???

 

[Nemrod]

Well, yes, cutting off the Makos (or similar) to a shorter length, the increase in stiffness is my concern. Thus my consideration of purchasing a fin like the Quattro Power Plus full foot fin. It is made to be shorter. Thus my quandary. Like I said, too bad they do not make an optional SCUBA specific blade for the Makos that would have the correct stiffness ratio for the shorter length.

And it is mostly on the boat wherein my concern for the length not to mention hitting coral etc. Then there is the whole travel thing. My favorite dive vehicle of choice is a Boeing 737.

I have owned free diver fins, in the past, but never anything exactly like these current crop of composite bladed fins and all of that. Again, a a reason I am leaning to the Mares Quattro Power, they are more like what I have used in terms of length and shape, a little shorter maybe but still much longer than a typical open heal SCUBA fin.

N

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Hmmm, you just gave me an idea, develop an aftermarket carbon blade that has the correct thickness taper in a shorter blade for scuba, and make them so they can be swapped out in models with removable blades.

 

[kelemvor]

***For the other readers... Poodle jackets, dangling consoles, big bulky snorkels dangling off your mask, all kinds of other things including errant hoses sticking out everywhere, or being overweighted, and certain drysuits,... all aren't too compatible with freedive fins since you'll be wearing yourself out trying to push all that crap through the water, unless maybe you have legs like tree trunks and are in shape like a professional athlete. But then still...why???

I'm curious why fin selection makes this more important. It seems to me like drag would be drag either way, no?

 

[toekneepena]

Try them in the water first. You are going to cover more distance in the longer fins. They are also ideal if you are hunting.


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[Nemrod]

Hmmm, you just gave me an idea, develop an aftermarket carbon blade that has the correct thickness taper in a shorter blade for scuba, and make them so they can be swapped out in models with removable blades.

Please feel free. What I envision is not a little short blade but a blade with less length than a full size free diver fin blade and with the flex tuned to move a SCUBA diver efficiently. Still much longer than all but the longest SCUBA open heel fins but even at that still longer yet. A blade about 7/10 of standard free diver length, good stiffness in the root to get a heavy diver moving from zero (acceleration), flexible tip with good snap to recover energy for sustained cruising speed, midsection backbone to allow maneuvering, frog kicks, helicopter turns and backing up and promote blade stability.

N