Flying Underwater, A Blast From The Past

[trux]

Nice photo, Ricki! We can well see the speed of the device on the way the bikini are being torn away by the water resistance. I am sure they blew out just a few seconds afterward and do not understand why you did not post that photo too

BTW, the patent for Aqueon with quite detailed explanation and construction plans are available online (the PDF with pictures was posted on DB here). I bet that there would a lot of people interested in it if it really works only half as well as claimed here, so I hope either Innerspace or someone else will bring it back to the market soon. Indeed, as written above, it would be great seeing the device made in carbon. I am myself quite excited and playing with the idea to build one for my own use. There are plenty of carbon hydrofoil manufacturers (some links for example here: Links to Hydrofoil Web Sites), so it should not be too difficult to get a fitting prefabricated wing to build such relatively simple device.

[wet]

I guess the "going deep" combined with "going fast" sounded risky. But I guess the way down needs much less physical exertion anyway.

It does sound interesting and a lot of fun to use.

[ricki]

Originally Posted by wet

I guess the "going deep" combined with "going fast" sounded risky. But I guess the way down needs much less physical exertion anyway.

It does sound interesting and a lot of fun to use.

I should have been clearer in what I was saying. My speed runs to date have been very near the surface and generally along side of a support boat and safety line. Folks have been watching but not close enough to intercede rapidly if BO occurs. I haven't been doing fast runs on descent, yet, and may not either at least not very deep.

The inventor gave me a call today and I mentioned my difficulty with setting it up for inverted flight. Apparently, I needed to shift the location of the eyescrews back on the foil further than I thought. So, I may give that a go this weekend. It is fun and becomes more familiar with time.

Thanks and hold that thought Trux, back at you soon!

[trux]

I had some links and a video of Aqueon in the Collection of Weird Fins, and in my Freediving Media Base, but I completed it with the links Ricki kindly posted here and at FKSA.org. You can see them now all at this URL: aqueon @ APNEA.cz

[ricki]

Originally Posted by trux

Nice photo, Ricki! We can well see the speed of the device on the way the bikini are being torn away by the water resistance. I am sure they blew out just a few seconds afterward and do not understand why you did not post that photo too

BTW, the patent for Aqueon with quite detailed explanation and construction plans are available online (the PDF with pictures was posted on DB here). I bet that there would a lot of people interested in it if it really works only half as well as claimed here, so I hope either Innerspace or someone else will bring it back to the market soon. Indeed, as written above, it would be great seeing the device made in carbon. I am myself quite excited and playing with the idea to build one for my own use. There are plenty of carbon hydrofoil manufacturers (some links for example here: Links to Hydrofoil Web Sites), so it should not be too difficult to get a fitting prefabricated wing to build such relatively simple device.

Thanks Trux, here's a slightly clearer one on the next day with the rays in Honeymoon Harbor to the south. Everything stayed in place fortunately, so I didn't have any tough editorial decisions to make.

The Bimini Aqueon video is still in the cooker but should be interesting once it comes out. Nice job of documenting online info and resources related to the Aqueon in your database!

Rick

[trux]

It looks like DARPA started to produce a copy of Aqueon. Check out this thread: http://forums.deeperblue.net/freediv...tml#post659422 A rip off? In any way, they call it PowerSwim and do not mention Aqueon or the US patent 3,802,008 and make it appear as if it was their own invention.

[trux]

And according to The Register Segway builders develop speedy swim fins | The Register DEKA was awarded $2,809,407 in 2005 to develop "a novel concept for combat swimmers". I hope they had the decency and have sent the money to Calvin.

[ricki]

Excellent research Trux. I had heard about the guy from Darpa who was apparently very curious about the Aqueon with lots of questions. The only compensation that may have been tendered could well have been limited to dinner. I didn't know they had a model out that wasn't classified. Hope the guy gets full return on "his" invention. Karma can be a real bugger.

[Chris L]

Sent an email to the program manager of the rip off device (Powerswim), asking some questions. Lets see if he answers.

[ricki]

I just uploaded a couple of video clips of the Aqueon from the Bahamas at the link below. One is of a girl who had been on it less than an hour but was already ripping it up through the flooded interior of the Wreck of the Sapona like she had been riding the Aqueon for a long time.

Something Rich And Strange ... Diving Tales From The Water Underworld - FKA Kiteboarding Forums

p.s. - no reply to a voice mail left at DARPA. You would think that for $2.8 M they could afford to have folks return calls particularly related to new product sales. Wonder if inquires to their benefactors in this case, the US Government regarding their design "breakthrough" could yield some info?

[trux]

I wrote DARPA too around a week ago and got no reply of course. I can't tell I am surprised though. Could Cal do anything against the rip-off, or is his patent and any copyrights already expired, and there is no legal way to force them at least admitting it is not their invention? I agree that contacting the US Gov department that financed the project may be appropriate - there may be surprised if they see they paid almost $3 millions for an invention that was in fact done and patented almost 40 years ago by someone else and then stolen by the contractor. On the other hand, such contractors are often good friends with those distributing the grants, so it is quite likely the information would fall on a deaf ear anyway.

[ricki]

Could also make a formal inquiry by letter and copy the governmental agency that authorized the funds. Some governmental entities are obligated to respond to credible written inquiries.

I think Cal is irritated by this, obviously enough but I also think he is coping despite the apparent injustice. For those who have had a consuming passion for something that lasts for years, in this case trying to stimulate interest in a unique concept worldwide with limited response you can start to get a idea of how things used to be. After going through that for so very long to have the concept apparently "adopted" without compensation or fair credit has to be annoying in the extreme.

Rick

[trux]

If I were a US citizen I'd certainly send a registered letter to the governmental agency. I hope that some of our US members will do that. If you find out the exact address of the agency or department that funded this DARPA's project and make an official information request, please let us know.

[ricki]

Just sent off another email to DARPA after a phone call. We'll see what comes from it. In the meantime, I will see what info I can pull together and summarize on things, points of contact, perhaps even put together a form letter.

I finally came across a clearer image of powerswim. It incorporates newer materials to be sure and slightly altered configuration but the primary concept and premise of operation are quite old as can be easily seen.


From: How to become a mad scientist for DARPA. - By Daniel Engber - Slate Magazine

and still more:




From: Ares Homepage

[Observer]

Just fyi, US patents only last 17 years from the date of issue. The number quoted above was issued in April 1974, so it would be well past lapsed by now, and anyone would be free to make their own version.