Force Fin Designs

[Bob Evans]

Ok, let's start at the beginning and in a few day we can catch up with the rest of a long story. First design, Chicken wire and Santa Barbara News press and polyester resin 1971. Santa Barbara. Notice up curved wing tips. The news paper soaked up the resin and gave me a way to cover over the wire surface. I learned quickly and next model was covered with fiberglass. Each model changed a bit over time. I was in Brooks Institute of Photography at the time, so this was a idea.Bob Evans Photography

 

[JMBL]

Funny was just thinking that lately...forgot how much we did for 25 plus years..thanks for looking at

I seriously think you should put all of that in of a book. If you ever do, be sure to let me know. I'll sure be glad to get a copy.

 

[Bob Evans]

As we move along, you can see the curved backside which became the Hall Mark change in fin designs. I coined many names one being " Paddle Fins" or " Shoe Fins". The Vented fins I was using were heavy, flat ...Jet Fin. Still very popular today. We produced a simple video about curved fin designs and flat fin designs. So a few more ...Fiberglass and no more chicken wire frame. , then just Fiberglass. I started laying up each half on a clay pattern. After wards glass them together. You can still see the clay, since I just swam once or twice and ran off to make the next fin model. Like to have a American pair of Force Fins...Force Fin

 

[Bob Evans]

Just a few times did I ever give some one a protype. Now I see some one selling a gift. Any one with extra money should grab them.. I would but have all my cash into other projects at this time...
OK, I know not many people will know what these fins are but those that do will be astonished that they are actually seeing a pair of these available. My apologies to Bob Evans in advance. I purchased this very important set of experimental and prototypical SCUBA Fins from a person in Canada and that will become more important as you read my description below.

Excellent, LIGHTLY used condition. The grey/white surface color is from storage and age, it can be removed and the fins would be shiny black but I am leaving them as found because this is an historic example of Bob Evans' important work. These prototype fins are untouched and as original - if you buy them you can wipe them off if you so desire ;-) This particular pair of prototypes were produced in the Force Fin "PRO" material and are labeled as such. Additionally this one of a kind pair of Experimental Force Fin OPS Prototypes given to John "Jo" Lewis were personally signed by their creator, Bob Evans of Force Fins fame.

OPS stands for "Oscillating Propulsion System"...

A brief and overly simplistic background on these important fins....

Bob Evans is the inventor of the Force Fin line of Military SCUBA and Swim Fins and has won International Acclaim and International Design Awards for his inventions as well as being part of MOMAs' permanent collections... and so much more... My apologies to Mr. Evans for this very brief and inadequate biography - but please do yourself a favor and GOOGLE "Bob Evans of Force Fin" and you WILL BE IMPRESSED, AMAZED and HUMBLED, as I am.

John "Jo" Lewis is a Canadian Entrepreneur/Investor, Ocean Explorer and Co-Founder of Sub Aviator Systems. He is also a Certified Pilot of the Sub Aviator Systems "Super Aviator" Submersible. You can Google him and you can also find his productions on IMDB and his credentials listed on

I don't have the time to list an exhaustive accounting of what I know about these prototypes. If you are interested in them you probably know a fair amount about them already. I would just like to mention for those that do not recognize these fins that they were also tested and used in Fiji by Jean-Michel Cousteau and his crew as well as another pair of prototypes that I will list in a day or two.

So that's it. I will pay for the shipping and insurance. These will be professionally packaged (by me), insured, and shipped to you with signature confirmation. Please feel free to ask any questions and I will be pleased to answer you.


ORIGINAL Prototype Force Fins, Experimental OPS Foot Pockets with Foil Blades | eBay

 

[Bob Evans]

Next came the first Polyurethane swim fin made in the Plaster of Paris mold. Had to break apart to get the fin.

 

[Bob Evans]

The first fin plug, made of copper wire, window screen, silcone and covered with a miro-bubble resin mix. I regret using the silcone to bond the screen to the wire shape. When sanding the resin broke into the silcone and did not sand well. Like a denist I hand picked out the silcone and kept going. Top and Bottom views. Then the first Fiberglass mold was made. Then the first Red Polyurethane parts....

 

[Bob Evans]

Little fun..John Iwerks grandson of Ub IwerksUb Iwerks - Wikipedia made some cool Force Fin drawings over the years. His girl friend at the time caught John in the right light. Photo by Hillary Dorothy DeFay 6/23/1982 Drawing's copyright John Iwerks. John at one time rented our old space at 28 Anacapa Srteet. Have many drawings in my files of his...

 

[Bob Evans]

I was looking over future post and I am good for over a year with three post a day. So here is how I ened up with this Ankle fin. First High Performance Poly-Urethane swim fin made. The foot pocket was some thing to be desired. I was having a hard time figureing how to make the foot pocket. This was a simple 2 part mould. Could attach on velcro srap and foot pocket..hey I liked the Horse stirrups. Later many years later I put 2 and 2 together with a another design SD-1.

 

[Bob Evans]

So we cast a hard urethane material into our mold and shaped the next model with Bondo. Let me tell you of the hours sanding. Top view first and bottom view. This thing was massive and did some reshaping later down the road..

 

[Bob Evans]

Found these drawings for a one man sub 1979. Will share some pages from the ' Haik " log book. 1974- 1979. Copyright Bob Evans.