reply from scubasavage

[scubasavage]

Hi sorry for taking so long to respond, I have been away. Sorry, I have no pictures of salmon pens posted yet, but I have a bunch that I will soon. Can you post vids here, I have some cool one with force fins in them? Anyway, as to the breakage, those are some very impresive numbers. I suppose we probally had more fins lost than actually broken, come to think of it. Force fins do not float, thats a fact. I did see many break at the where the fin meets the foot pocket, but not many people in the world put as many dives on their gear as aquaculture divers. As well our egress from the water was often a net hung into the water like a hamack, (sorry I had a brain fart, cant spell hamack), an that made it hard sometimes to not fold the fin over on itself. Plus, many divers just don't care of their kit. I have never personally broken one. One question I have for the force fin people is, will the stiffness of the pro's weaken with use? Mine seem to be a little floppy, and therfore have a little les "force". I don't know, could be just me, but they do have probally close to 1000 dives on them.

 

[Blair Mott]

scubasavage,
Thanks for the response. Again look forward to the pictures and as far as video goes I have posted video here by placing the link from sites like utube
YouTube - The History of Force Fin I am sure there is a way to post it straight to the board, just ask the NETDOC or another staff member and they will help you.

Talking about number of dives is right. With over 1000 dives on a pair of fin is amazing. How many hours does that total? I am curious as to what chemical solution you use to not cross contaminate your gear from one pen to another as over a period of time that chemical can react to the Force Fin materials.
The Formula they use has less hydroscopic properties than any polyurethane on the market , but Bob has found that if the fin are constantly in the water with no chance to dry out over a years time period there is some absorption of liquid into the material and this has only happened in cases like yourself where people are in the water everyday and in contact with chemicals or cleaning solutions. Your question about the floppiness and less "Force" should not be happening as the Polyurethane they use is of the highest quality and has held up in weather tests in excess of ten years.
When I was diving for the Keiko project in Iceland and we would be in the water all the time maintaining the BAYPEN (100 dives in a 28 day period once) I had two pairs. I would use one pair for a week, then switch to the other for a week just to dry them out a bit and I never had them break. Bob told me of a customer in the Red Sea who dove almost everyday for ten years and then they broke, but that is ten years. Again I am interested in what solution you use on your gear. Yes Force Fins sink. THey do have tethers
Force Fin Keeper: Force Fin
Keep me posted as I am interested in your experience.
Safe Diving!

 

[Underwater Ogre]

Blair,
Have just read your post.
I know a lot of the aquaculture divers here in BC. I am in the field and see what kind of beatings they put on gear. I cant speak for scubasavage, but most sites have separate gear for each site. Not each pen.
Back 10 or so years divers use to immerse themselves in Ovadine or Povidine an iodine based solution for up to a minute. Anything black nylon would turn a rusty colour within weeks. Now the best way to disinfect is to scrub down with Virkon rinse with freshwater and dry the gear out.
I have seen the Force on sites...I know some divers that wont use anything else because they can walk in them easily and they are indestructible. Some of these lads hit 500 dives a year, including sport diving on the side.

 

[Blair Mott]

Inderwater Ogre
Thanks for the detail. Virkon? Can't that be used in commercial kitchens as well? I believe the Force FIn is truly the longest lasting fin.
YouTube - Fin Doctor Materials 1
Again as I have said before it is a very interesting marine industry to me and it seems that a lot of people who dive all the time use Force Fin. Were or are you in involved with Salmon.
Thanks again for the detail. Feel free to share more on your experience in the field.