Why the hate/ridicule for split fins?

[Lorenzoid]

I completely share your philosophy and do my best to follow it. However, this technique does not work everywhere. Case in point, certain dives in Maldives, with kicking current and deepish hook-in to watch sharks! The group needs to stick together through negative entry and lickety split to hook in spot, where I then . . .

In many places, divers aren't familiar with the area and need to try their best to keep up with the DM. Even in east coast FL, if the DM heads off in a certain direction swimming into a stiff current because that's where the DM believes the ledge or wreck or whatever is, you had better keep up or else you may find yourself separated from the group, spending your dive over uninteresting bottom, and hope the boat spots your SMB when you're done.

 

[The Chairman]

However, this technique does not work everywhere.

There will always be exceptions. There are times I add a few extra pounds of lead so I can get down ASAP. That being said, I've never had a problem physically "keeping up". I'm not that fit, but I'm fit enough to keep up with the above average diver. But still, my avoidance techniques often allow me to see eddies and drafts that most divers don't. It's not that I'm 'that good', but I'm constantly practising. I was on the Castor out of WPB where currents are usually stiff. One guy was going on and on about his free diving fins and how that enables him to manage these currents. He's a caver, at least a former caver, and we were diving similar sized tanks. Yes, he was out to prove a point, and he also wanted to get video of me. He left the dive way before me (low air) and on the boat he remarked how hard it was to stay with me. Of course it was: he was at least ten feet above me and well into the current. The people who really feel that these techniques are useless are the ones who've never tried them.

 

[Fastmarc]

I have never understood the need to quantify fin performance: we're not in a race. I just need fit, comfort and control. After that, it's all about technique for me, both in finning and current avoidance. Too many divers try to cover too much bottom on their dives and they miss so, so much! Slow down. No, slower than that. Nope, you're probably still going way too fast. One dive off of Venice Beach Fl, the Shark Tooth Capital of the world, I had a guy who wanted to see how I routinely brought up 500+ teeth on a dive. This is a solo experience, so I made him bring his own flag. He kept circling me during the entire dive and got our flags entangled a few times. In the end, I had 600+ teeth and he had less than a dozen. His first thought was that I found all the teeth before he could get there. Rly? I pointed out that he was going way, way, way too fast and he quickly pointed out that we stayed close the entire dive. Yeah, but he kept lapping me!

You simply can't dive too slowly. You can't. Make it a source of quiet pride to be the tag-along: ie the last one in the group. Fold your hands together and gently pick your way through your dive. Take your time to see everything else all the others missed. Be the one in your group to find the frogfish, the pipefish and the seahorse. News alert: fish don't like quick swimmers: you're too sharky. The slower you go the more they'll trust you. News alert #2: watch your SAC plummet when you go slow. The more you dodge those currents and kick less, the less air you'll consume. Again: you simply can't dive too slowly. It's just not possible.

Exactly my philosophy until I lost my regular dive buddy. Now, it's almost impossible or I'll be by myself as everyone races away to see what? I don't know. So much to see and they're just zooming to see the 'nurse shark, etc. Exactly why I'm in the process of getting a pony.

 

[kelemvor]

Make sure to take the pony class like these guys did.


I heard that the ponies prefer split fins.

 

[MichaelMc]

The people who really feel that these techniques are useless are the ones who've never tried them.

I think the techniques are awesome, but new or occasional divers likely do not have them. But they might pick fins that let them function in the environment or have a reserve movement ability. So understanding what different fins are capable of, or not, seems useful.

That almost all my fellow divers sheltered behind rocks makes it clear they will duck at need. But I would not say they functioned in the environment; more managed to survive, get back to the boat, and have the crew decide that was enough diving for the day.

 

[The Chairman]

but new or occasional divers likely do not have them.

That's a function of their instructor. My students learn the frog kick and to go dead slow from the very start. I also let them play in currents (springs) so they get a good understanding.

 

[MichaelMc]

That's a function of their instructor. My students learn the frog kick and to go dead slow from the very start. I also let them play in currents (springs) so they get a good understanding.

Knowing how to go dead slow was not helping any of my fellow divers when they got blown out by the current. Teaching current diving is great. But they seemed to all get the basics, hide behind rocks and scurry between them to get up stream. But it did not seem to make them enjoy the dive. While I felt it was a nice little dive though a bit harder against the flow back, while being clueless on what they were all doing or why. I'm not in super shape, but I have decent fins, that is the only variable I can think of.

 

[Bob DBF]

Make sure to take the pony class like these guys did.
View attachment 457835

I heard that the ponies prefer split fins.

Now to teach them neutral buoyancy, and avoiding the bottom.


Bob

 

[dmaziuk]

I'm not in super shape, but I have decent fins, that is the only variable I can think of.

There's these pesky laws of thermodynamics that say the energy pushing you forward is the energy your muscles pump in less any losses in between. The fins are basically "losses in between", nothing more. Their fins could make everybody else suck, though personally I wouldn't bet on that.

 

[MichaelMc]

There's these pesky laws of thermodynamics that say the energy pushing you forward is the energy your muscles pump in less any losses in between. The fins are basically "losses in between", nothing more. Their fins could make everybody else suck, though personally I wouldn't bet on that.

True. There were other variables. They were all in the same jacket BC, and thin or no wetsuits. I had a BP/W (but with slate, lights, and SMB) and a 10/5 wetsuit I was testing buoyancy on that was a bit warm. So I was probably more streamlined but also fighting a thicker suit for every kick.

I'm not sure we can lump 'wet noodle' fins and 'optimal really effective' fins all in the same 'losses in between' category and not think about the differences if we're out picking fins.