2015 LUNOCET PRO

[neurodoc]

How about some streamlining/hydrodynamic covers for those cycling shoes? Just saw these from Orca: http://www.orca.com/us-en/aero-shoe-covers/

 

[phaedra2b]

I loved the performance of the leaderfin hyper pro, and I've managed to keep it more than one hour to swim… it was a real pleasure ! Too bad it brokes, and I'm not the only one. My waterway was a model 1. I expect the lunocet to be at least at the level of the leaderfin in terms of performance… but I must admit I'm a little afraid of it when I read 1.5 m/s of speed : it's not so fast !
You're right neurodoc, I was used to swim and have pleasure with my HyperPro, and I must now get to know the lunocet, and restart !

Anyway, is there a proper setting for the spring to have the same fitness / feeling / performance as the other swimming monofins ?

 

[Philip Fennell]

How about some streamlining/hydrodynamic covers for those cycling shoes? Just saw these from Orca: http://www.orca.com/us-en/aero-shoe-covers/

@neurodoc If there was enough space/elasticity in the heel section to add a faring to mimic the same sort of profile as the rear of the Bont Crono:

then that'd be handy I think for, may be DYN, in the pool. In deep open water, however, I don't think I'd be too happy having something that would get in the way of loosening the shoe so I could get rid of the fin if I had too.


Philip

 

[Chipswim]

I loved the performance of the leaderfin hyper pro, and I've managed to keep it more than one hour to swim… it was a real pleasure ! Too bad it brokes, and I'm not the only one. My waterway was a model 1. I expect the lunocet to be at least at the level of the leaderfin in terms of performance… but I must admit I'm a little afraid of it when I read 1.5 m/s of speed : it's not so fast !

I don't think you will be disappointed with your speed or performance
I think 1.5 m/sec would be an easy cruising speed. I'm certain a swimmer who wants to go faster can accelerate to over 2 m/sec if that helps. I'm 64 years old and 250 pounds and can do 25 yards under 12 seconds with a 2014 Lunocet. I like mine extra stiff swimming either slow or fast. Slowing down even a little saves lots of energy. A moderate pace with continuous swimming for me would be around 15+ seconds. More time would allow for gliding between strokes. I hope you find your new Lunocet compares well with the fins you have used before. I liked my Leader mono until it broke but my Lunocet 2014 Lunocet Pro is my all time favorite.... So far. 2015 still to come for me.

Anyway, is there a proper setting for the spring to have the same fitness / feeling / performance as the other swimming monofins ?[/QUOTE]

Apneaddict is one of the more accomplished Luno swimmers he likes his with a softer setting. I like really stiff. Fortunately, stiffness is adjustable.

 

[phaedra2b]

Ok. 25 yd in 12 seconds, it's 1.9 m/s, mere good. But what about on a longer distance ?
I'm 40, 180 pounds and I can easily swim 3 miles 188 yd (5 km) in 1 hour with my HyperPro, so it's 1,38 m/s cruising speed in one hour long, in the sea. It's ok if I have 1.5m/s cruising speed with the lunocet !

Thank you all

 

[Philip Fennell]

Yeah, I did. But didn't applied torques to check for fractures. Will do that next..

@finSailor Did you discover any fractures?

 

[Philip Fennell]

There's should not be a "deadzone", as I've used mine longer than most out there and it's still real tight.

@neurodoc, out of curiosity, does you current 2015 Pro have the same spec as @finSailor?

Does your one have the newer Delrin components or the original Aluminium ones?

Also, have you experienced the squeaks and wear of the anodised coatings that @Ted Ciamillo mentions elsewhere in this thread?

Philip

 

[Chipswim]

Also curious and with a fin on order....I'm up on that question Philip. FinSailor had one of the first, if not the first delrin, maybe the only delrin vertebrae shipped.

Doc and earlier are aluminum. I think the very first fin reported here had a squeek and led to the delrin experiment. A dab of lube quiets the occasional aluminum squeek for a month so aluminum has won the contest between the two materials. Apparently all the aluminum parts are generating positive reports. That one delrin part has been doubted since it's first swim.

I'm real comfortable with that choice. I'd have requested an aluminum center vertebrae if there was a choice. Safety and longevity tipping the balance heavily!

 

[neurodoc]

Philip, mine is aluminum. There is no flex whatsoever except for in the direction of the spring of course. Yes, it squeaks a bit at times. At first I was determined to chase down the squeak and I may yet do it, but it stopped bothering me a long time ago. I was not aware that some were delrin. It's normally a great material, but I have to say in this usage I like aluminum. Really? I'd love titanium even more ;^)

 

[Philip Fennell]

Philip, mine is aluminum. There is no flex whatsoever except for in the direction of the spring of course. Yes, it squeaks a bit at times. At first I was determined to chase down the squeak and I may yet do it, but it stopped bothering me a long time ago. I was not aware that some were delrin. It's normally a great material, but I have to say in this usage I like aluminum. Really? I'd love titanium even more ;^)

Thanks @neurodoc and @Chipswim for the feedback. Yes, unless @Ted Ciamillo has another - tested - solution ready to roll-out I cannot see any reason to progress the Delrin solution any further.

Philip

 

[divebike]

Oh well there is a manufacturing inconsistency after all, a deliberate one however, from the material characteristics of delrin it does appear to be a suitable alternative to anodised aluminium , fixing the minor cosmetic problems reported by early testers, i'm surprised it's created such a difference in performance, low wear rates high rigidity and hardness sounds good ,it wasn't a dopey move to try it ,but if it aint broke don't fix it.

 

[divebike]

Does anyone have a delrin version working well ? and does anyone with the aluminium one have one that's problematic ?

 

[Kervyn Koa Wing]

How do you identify which is deltrin and which is Aluminium without scratching the paintjob?

 

[neurodoc]

probably the best way is to take something metallic, like the shaft of a screwdriver, and tap it to see what it rings like. Compare with the distal portion clamping the flukes, which is aluminum on both.

 

[Chipswim]

Ok. 25 yd in 12 seconds, it's 1.9 m/s, mere good. But what about on a longer distance ?
I'm 40, 180 pounds and I can easily swim 3 miles 188 yd (5 km) in 1 hour with my HyperPro, so it's 1,38 m/s cruising speed in one hour long, in the sea. It's ok if I have 1.5m/s cruising speed with the lunocet !

Thank you all

Thinking about your 3 mile hour long swims in the sea.

3 mph is a comfortable walking speed. Swimming 3 mph continuously for an hour is an impressive swim to me.

If you put your finger on a map of the USA farthest from any ocean.... That would be my house.... I think I swim about a mile in a pool in an hour... All under water. Mostly inverted under water these days. Probably average 3mph but spend 2/3 of the hour on an end resting and breathing.

Wondering if your three mile swims are on the surface with a snorkel? It would have to be continuous swimming? Correct?

One Trait of the lunos so far is that they swim great under water and they swim great on the surface on your back. Strangely surface swimming on your face with a snorkel is a bit tricky for me at least. My Luno doesn't totally hook up with the water when swimming that way so I don't often swim it with a snorkel. I recently got a longer center snorkel that let's me swim better by being barely submerged but it takes a lot of concentration to stay just below the surface still breathing through the snorkel. I'd be very interested to hear your impression when you get going.

 

[finSailor]

FinSailer - did you take the vertebrae pieces completely off the peduncle?

Well I did it again, and still no cracks in plastic/delrin parts when torque applied. Those and bushings still seems ok.

However, judging the overall quality, it's not as perfect as with aluminium parts. As I mentioned earlier in my post (and showed with video), they are not identical, there are around 1mm differences when measured between each other.

There are noticeable gaps between delrin parts and spring/aluminium counterparts. My theory still is, that these gaps cause unwanted mechanical play in fin when stressed (yaw, excessive rocking).

Just a picture this time to prove I'm really reading your comments while tuning my fin

 

[Ted Ciamillo]

Well then it might be just down to your technique - I have shipped over 100 Lunocet Pros and this is the first complaint about quality or performance. At this point, if you feel there is something wrong with the unit, I would like you to send it back to me for evaluation.

 

[phaedra2b]

@Chipswim:

thank you all for your welcome on this forum.
Apnea in CWT is very impressive to me!

Yes, I must describe it better : with my leaderfin hyperpro, I managed to swim about 3 miles in 1 hour in the mediteranean sea (I live in Corsica), just under the surface, with a center snorkel. That's what I do since my first monofin, the Waterway Model 1. And yes, it's a continuous swimming from one shore to another. At first, I was swimming 15 mn long (I've been teached to do it a few hours in a swimming club) then 5mn of rest (mostly for the pain of my feet!), then I managed to swim continuously. After it I do 15mn stretching.
My hyperpro has broken the day I swam 1,5 hour long, 2 month ago.

I usually swim 2 ou 3 days a week, when I have time, and when the weather is nice : we are not allowed to swim in the little poor swimming pool with monofin here ... so I only swim at sea, all year long.
The weater is very nice these days, the sea is smooth and quiet, but I'm waiting for the shoes to arrive!!!!

By the way, how do you dry your shoes ?

I'll tell you about surface swimming with the luconet in the next days, I hope!!!

 

[Ted Ciamillo]

I would like to point out however - the delrin pieces have been changed back to aluminum and I am upgrading all the units that were sent out with the plastic vertebrae. Even though this has turned out to have no failures after all, I am still concerned about the sun exposure on a plastic part causing eventual failure over time. The all aluminum peduncle should have a life of at least ten years and that's the way they are shipping.

I stepped off shipping this week to get those aluminum vertebrae made and shipping of new units begins again on Monday. I have taken care of all the orders over six weeks old at this point with a few known exceptions such as Chip who was gracious enough to ask me not to send his unit in order of the schedule but rather wait until all the older orders were fulfilled. Thanks again Chip. Also, thank you to all who have put up with the midyear changes that dragged on for 6 months. PLEASE let me know if you have a standing order with me over 6 weeks that has not been fulfilled by emailing me at tciamillo@gmail.com. Delays are quickly becoming a thing of the past and I am working on getting more presses online for the upcoming season.

Again, thank you to everyone for your patience during these delivery delays.

 

[phaedra2b]

And , I forgot : swimming under water in a pool, for one hour.... very very impressive to me!!!! There is so many ways to swim!