Surface swimming is tough

[Bob Evans]

SanFrandiver, May be the Foil Force in a lower durometer might fit your needs. Just made two pairs in a 80A for swimmers who are swimming the English Channel this week. This Split fin design hit the market one year before the others and is better for many reasons. I will be offering the Foil Force only in Tan Delta material, only from Force Fin soon. May be you can be the first in line for this up coming deal of a life time. Best, Bob P.S. I just finished a new fin for Underwater Hockey, your knee would not do well with this thick ass kicking blade. I think it might kick like a DONKEY.

 

[castanagajt]

Hey Bob, my younger brother may be in a market for a pair of fins once him and I pay off his very own scuba gear. He will also be a brand new diver by next summer's end if everything goes right.

I am sure we would love to purchase that tan delta foil force whenever it comes out. Can you consider to have the tan delta Foil Force at the prime line tan delta prices? That would be great. Oh my brother really loves your hat that yourself and Blair has sent him. Thanks Fin Doctor and friends.

 

[meesier42]

Foils, may be a good option, but now that I know the extent of your injury, I might even recommend a mis-matched pair of fins, wearing the Original on your better leg and a jiggy-wiggly on your bad leg. The jiggly-wiggly is an Original FF in a much softer material.

The other thing that I would recommend is a knee brace. it sounds like your knee problems are very significant and that any fin may be causing more damage. A moderately stiff knee brace will help keep your knee supported and allow your quads/hips/abs to power the fin more effectively. If you are still working with your physical therapist, he/she should be able to help fit you. You don't need much range of motion in your knee.

 

[SanFranDiver]

Got the 80AL, changed my weights around, readjusted my BC and donned the FF Originals. Finally, level trim regained.

The frog kick which worked pretty well in snorkel mode just couldn't stand up to the drag of the BC and the added mass of tank/weights, etc. The resultant frog kick provided micro-propulsion (i.e. - snorkeling the length of the pool took 8-10 frog kicks, scubaing took 20)

And .....not much luck with a flutter kick.

Plus today was "Bees and Yellow Jackets Dive Bomb the Diver" Day at the backyard pool. Every time I surfaced the danged insects either buzzed me or made a head'n'shoulders landing - which was a tad disconcerting since I'm allergic to bee/wasp stings. Over a dozen suicide kamikaze bugs floating in the pool when I got out. Hope this is just a short run of bad luck and not an omen.

 

[Bob Evans]

SanFranDiver, Are you made out of Honey?

 

[SanFranDiver]

SanFranDiver, Are you made out of Honey?

Bob: I hope this doesn't mean you're thinking of getting sweet on me. (Besides, yellow jackets prefer rotting meat to honey).

Actually, it's a rather hot/dry day today and I think the wasps and bees were buzzing the pool for a drink of water.

 

[DM95]

If I bend my knees, my feet/fins will be completely out of the water.

Turn a bit on your side and your fins will not break the surface.

I know these aren't Bob's fins but the technique will work. Even with scuba gear on, it's a comfortable way to surface swim and your feet won't come out of the water. I did this using a buddy's force fins and it worked fine. Now all I have to do is buy a pair of my own!

Surface Swim

 

[SanFranDiver]

I finally gave up trying to get my legs/knee to work with the Force Fins Original. I just couldn't get enough strength going to push the fins.

But I am doing great building up leg strength by swimming laps (30-45 minutes) daily with some teeny tiny swim fins.

On the plus side, I want to personally thank Bob Evans and the rest of the folks at Force Fins. They were more than helpful in trying to accomodate my physical limitations including suggesting other fin designs that might work for me.