Obvious split fin question

[MXGratefulDiver]

I think, silting is caused more because the diver is to close to the bottom than from the whatever fin they are wearing.

No ... silting is caused by poor technique. A diver with good technique (even a relatively new diver in split fins) can go along quite close to the bottom just fine without silting things up.

Silting is most commonly caused by one of two things ... either overkicking the fin (as I mentioned earlier) .. or by poor trim, which causes the diver to be kicking down rather than back. In either case, the diver can be several feet off the bottom and still create quite the silt storm ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Teamcasa]

I think, silting is caused more because the diver is to close to the bottom than from the whatever fin they are wearing.

I have seem many a diver, sporting a fine set of <insert favorite non-split> fins happily rototilling their way just a few feet above the bottom.

No ... silting is caused by poor technique. A diver with good technique (even a relatively new diver in split fins) can go along quite close to the bottom just fine without silting things up.

Silting is most commonly caused by one of two things ... either overkicking the fin (as I mentioned earlier) .. or by poor trim, which causes the diver to be kicking down rather than back. In either case, the diver can be several feet off the bottom and still create quite the silt storm ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

I don't disagree Bob, just pointing out that the fin has little to do with the actual fin type or style.

 

[RJP]

I don't think I've ever seen any diver with more than 50 dives do the bicycle kick.

You should have been on the Truk Odyssey week before last. Several folks with a few hundred dives each. I would call them "experienced" divers in the quantitative rather than qualitative sense.

Should be noted they were all wearing split fins, silting the place up like mad, knocking coral all over the place, etc.

The were all swimming pretty fast though, I'll give them that!



In fact one of the guys on the crew - Todd - was diving split fins. But I surprised him one morning by solving that problem for him...

He doesn't seem very happy about it though...

 

[RonFrank]

Like many controversial pieces of equipment, I have and use both paddle fins, and split fins! I like splits in the ocean. I like them in current, and I like them with a sandy bottom. I like them drift diving because one does not have to do a lot of fining when drift diving. However if I want to hold a position in current, I find a flutter kick to be quite effective. I turn around so I'm facing the current, and flutter kick.

I find the frog kick provides more of a initial push vs. a constant forward thrust like when using a flutter kick. I find the flutter kick to be more effective in current for this reason. One can effectively flutter kick at a constant speed into current which can result in holding a position assuming the current is not ripping. As I generally carry a camera, holding a position is something I like to do.

I tend to use paddle fins with a soft bottom like in lakes. There is no current, and I like to scull around, and generally frog kick. Last time for grins I took my BioFins to the BH. I could put my mask a few inches from the mud (bottom), and still not silt it up. Kicking technique has more to do with the individual vs. the fins. However I will say that splits don't have the traction that a paddle fin does.

I think the majority of divers are using splits. I have no issue with that. I find it interesting the passion that so many posses for these types of arguments! To me it's kinda like saying that a table saw is the ultimate saw, and anyone that uses a band saw is just stupid. Different tools for different jobs, and there is really no reason why divers can not have both split and paddle fins in the box, and use both. Just not at the same time!

 

[fnfalman]

If one were to kick so hard while wearing the split fins to the point of silting the bottom up or killing coral, then that diver needs to address his or her kicking technique. I like split fins because they don't cramp my legs. A little goes a lot and that adage applies very well to split fin kicking techniques.

Believe it or not, I can even do helicopter turns with the split fins. I don't know how efficient I am with the turns since that I'm not that advanced of a diver, but I can do helicopter turns with the Atomic split fins, for better or worse.

 

[SparticleBrane]

Todd was great when we were there -- he tagged along on one dive with us; I believe he was the newest crewmember at the time. I think he got there the same week we did, or maybe a day or so before.

 

[RonFrank]

You should have been on the Truk Odyssey week before last. Several folks with a few hundred dives each. I would call them "experienced" divers in the quantitative rather than qualitative sense.

Should be noted they were all wearing split fins, silting the place up like mad, knocking coral all over the place, etc.

If you are somehow suggesting that bad dives wear split fins, or that somehow their choice of fins resulted in bad diving, well you can say it, but it does not make it true.

Fin choice has nothing to do with being a good or bad diver, more to do with...well fin choice!

The fact is the majority of divers wear splits. So the majority of both good, and bad divers will be wearing.. splits!

I would agree that the majority of Jet fin wearing divers these days are good divers. But that has more to do with the fact that the entire reason they are wearing jets is because they are generally technical divers, and less to do with what they are wearing. I guarantee those divers would do well in splits, but unfortunately many have been brainwashed! Actually getting in a tech class, is a form of brainwashing!

 

[uncleavi]

NW,
Force Fins are meant to be flutter kicked not a bicycle kick.
I test fins for them and you heard it from the horses mouth.

 

[RJP]

If you are somehow suggesting that bad dives wear split fins, or that somehow their choice of fins resulted in bad diving, well you can say it, but it does not make it true. !

Not saying any such thing. It's Correlative but not causative.

The fact is the majority of divers wear splits...

Wondering how you've determined this "fact" to be true. What data do you have to support this. Not being argumentative, but I'm guessing you have no earlthy idea whether this is true or not. Perhaps you think it's true, perhaps it's true of the people you see, but that doesn't mean it's representative of the majority of divers.

 

[SparticleBrane]

Not saying any such thing. It's Correlative but not causative.

Correlation doesn't imply causation, but it does waggle its eyebrows suggestively and gesture furtively while mouthing 'look over there'.