I'm a fickle hyprocrite

[TheRedHead]

Matt, thanks. I have a pair in blue, but I think they may be newer. (Do you think one blue, one yellow improves performance? )

This DM does have massive legs, and since he had done 10 dives a week for the past ten years, he's probably in fantastic shape.

Floater, what do you mean by vertical? Do you bring the edges of the blades together? I can't quite picture this.

 

[MSilvia]

Floater, what do you mean by vertical? Do you bring the edges of the blades together? I can't quite picture this.

Picture a diver horizontal in the water. Picture them bending their knees 90 degrees so their lower legs are vertical. Picture them flutter kicking in this position. That's approximately a modified flutter kick.

 

[*Floater*]

Floater, what do you mean by vertical? Do you bring the edges of the blades together? I can't quite picture this.

It's hard to explain in writing, but I'll try. It's a different type of flutter kick that was popular in the Philippines among some DM. Start with one leg down as in normal flutter's lowest point and the other leg up with knee bent, then you fire off the flutter kick bringing your blades together, or almost together (they don't have to hit each other), this will propel you forward and you glide, while gliding bring the your fins back to the starting position but don't try to use this return to propel yourself, rather take the path of least resistance i.e. cut the water with the sides of your blades.

In more detail, the DMs didn't pull the legs up and down straight as in the regular flutter, but rather up and right with right leg and down and left with the other. While pulling them into position try to cut the water with the thin edge of the fin. Then fire off the kick. Alternate between up/right with right leg, down/left with the other, and up/left with left leg, down/right with the other. Imagine a big X behind you, then you'd alternate your kicks along the two axes of that X.

Okay, I don't know if that makes sense, but the idea is to use a kick and glide flutter, rather than the regular flutter. The DM's called this the modfied flutter kick, but it should not be confused with the caver diver's modified flutter as taught by GUE and NAUI tec.

 

[waynne fowler]

Matt, thanks. I have a pair in blue, but I think they may be newer. (Do you think one blue, one yellow improves performance? )

This DM does have massive legs, and since he had done 10 dives a week for the past ten years, he's probably in fantastic shape.

Floater, what do you mean by vertical? Do you bring the edges of the blades together? I can't quite picture this.

Redhat... don't forget that there are other kicks that you can use.. I'd recommend not getting too wrapped up with just one style of kick... we all did that:10: with the flutter.. it's all we knew.. then we learn about the frogkick.. don't forget about back kicking, modified kicks (flutter & frog) and sculling hopefully you'll put these kicks in the equasion (sp?) so in a year or two you won't be buying another set of fins.
I know the jets do work for all these kicks, I don't know about the diverites (someone with some experience should chime in on this) but the blades for me were/are very difficult to back kick with as the tend to fold when pushing them back to load the kick. I can do it, but it is not very efficent or easy to do, not like in my jets.

Good luck, sounds like you're getting some good advice from the list here.

 

[TheRedHead]

Wayne, I suppose I'm going to go over to the 5thd-x site and order the Essentials DVD in order to learn all those kicks.

I got my Mares out of the closet and they're Volo full foots. Got 'em at World Wide Water Sports in Key Largo on clearance for $30 in size S. I also have a pair of Tusa Imprex fins I purchased on sale at the same time for my son. He never wore them because they are purple. (They were on sale!). Those would fit but I don't think they would work. I also have a pair of Force Fins, Jets and Biofins.

I guess I'll take my motely crew to the pool and see what works. Those Dive Rites look very good and the spring straps are a nice touch. I'm taking my Cavern class in about 60 days and I'm getting nervous. I don't want to look like a dork.

I took my reg in for service today and am getting a long hose and a 22 incher for the secondary. The force is calling me...

 

[TheRedHead]

Floater, thanks for the explanation. I think I get it and I think I have seen that kick before. I'll try at the pool this weekend.

 

[Nemrod]

Those fins appear to be full foot Mares Planas. I have a very similar full foot Power Plana Graphite. Full foot fins despite all the noise from the other camp are more powerfull for a given blade size and there is less slop and weight to deal with. They are longer than most scuba fins and very powerfull regardless of the kicking style used. I bought mine about 86. Occasionally people would laugh at my full foot fins, usually only until I passed them.
I am a hipocrit as well, I just bought a nearly new set of Jets. After a life long war agaisnt the fiendish arch and foot killers I have another pair of XLs. There are times I need to wear boots. Actually, I have some surf shoes with a mesh top but the shoes have a soft lycra lining and they fit perfect into the Jets and so far have not sanded my tosies raw. N