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Force Fin Designs
- Thread starter Bob Evans
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Bob Evans
Contributor
OP
Bob Evans
Contributor
Once we had a Poly-Urethane fin, we could change the thickness and shape with a grinder. So we hit the fop edge and removed a bit from the back side. This way the wing tips started to flex while testing. Still had not figured out the foot pocket design. Used a strap of Velcro to hold my foot in. Next will be the changed that maded it all work.
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Bob Evans
Contributor
I was able to test each fin model right out in front of 28 Anacapa Street. The Ocean was a 3 minute walk down to Stern Wharf. Santa Barbara, California. It was summer time. The top of the fin rreally hurt my toes..so I went back to the work shop and took the grinder to the top. Grinding down and down till I got my toes to stick out. Then ran back down to the water and the " Open Toes Pocket " was developed. Freedom and less stress on legs, and flapping wingtips forceing me forward at high speeds..Now we had a fin.!!!
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Bob Evans
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Jim and I had to solve how to make a enclosed foot pocket. Jim drew out a plug idea and how we could sucure it in the front open toes area. We made one big fatal mistake. Here are the orginail drawings and views of the bottom of fin with plug insert and top showing open toe pocket. You can see the two brass screw inserts Jimmy grabed from work to try. Later purchased them for screwing mold halfs together. We were able to hold the plug to the top part of the mold.
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Bob, where is the engineering design? I see an evolving fin based on art, comfort and material design. Somehow this morphed into an incredibly efficient albeit clunky looking fin. (Yes, we all love them).
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Bob Evans
Contributor
While every thing is shut down here in Santa Barbara, quess I will do another post. ? So when we lay-up the fiberglass/resin on the back of the foot pocket plug..we left no space for the Poly-urethane to flow into for the floor section. What a real Fu up. So to move forward quickly we just used a thin layer of clay and made a new back side. You can see the Wavy bottom texture of the clay..but it worked. We still need a better way to make this foot pocket. This model has the Force Fin name on the top of foot pocket. This way we could Trade mark the name. Force Fin with a inter-State sale. Velcro heel strap. Took them to Cozumel for testing.
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Bob Evans
Contributor
Testing the first Force Fin, Cozumel Island, Mexico.. I fell in love with the fins performance and loved watching another water baby swimming in our first well handling fins. I had my Oceaneye and 35mm Nikon to capture the action..enjoy ...I did at 21 years old.., (copyright Bob Evans) will slowly share....bored ?
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