My new monfin!

[JimGlynn]

After a few weeks of research re: monos and their various manufacturers I ended up purchasing a Waterway model two Long Distance fin.I spoke with Peter at length and he has been exceptionally helpful during the whole process. I took his,Bogdan's, and Lynn's advice and went with the LD because I am only 5'7'' and weigh 140lbs. The fin came on Friday and the workmanship is top notch. Sat. a group of us dives at Dutch Springs in PA so I got a chance to test it. Just like everyone says, it is not easy at first because even though you might like to dolphin kick with bifins, the mono is still much wider and has a very different feel. As the day wore on it felt better and better. When I got home Sat. night I looked at videos of Stepanak, Niche, and Murat and I realized that my stroke amplitude was off. Sunday I got back in the water and concentrated more on the stroke. What a learning experience. I feel I am just scratching the surface of a whole new kind of movement.
As far as depth, the quarry is 85' deep and I had no problem ascending. Descending is a little tricky however because the mono tends to fall to the side when freefalling although it is easily adjusted. After watching the finswimmers I realize that I need to work on surface swimming to really unlock the mono's potential. Once in a while an undulation would be timed right and I was really flying with minimal effort.
If you are thinking about getting a mono, do it. Just do not be discouraged when you realize that it is going to take some serious practice to really get the most out of it. I cannot wait to get back in the water and work on it.
Jim

 

[Erik]

Sounds good Jim.
You're right about the learning curve...it can be frustrating! I am having some stumbling blocks in dynamic training right now, but it's worth the effort....the feeling when everything clicks into place is fantastic.
Cheers,
Erik Y.

 

[Peter]

I'm happy for you.
Sure you'll have a lot of fun!

 

[andrsn]

would you believe this?!

i've broken down and ordered the model 1 medium stiffness! it should arrive in time for my cayman trip and it sounds like aquiles and i might be meeting up w/ a few of the canadian team members at divetech. i'm anxious, but nervous.

talk about being out of your element! a cuban and a swede w/ no spearguns and one's got a mono?! oy vey!

cheers,
andrsn

 

[DSV]

Monofins

Well I'm joining the ranks. Any tips or suggestions are always welcome.

Jim,
Where did you get the film of Martin and Herbert? Is it available?


DSV

 

[JimGlynn]

videos

The videos of Stepanak and Nitsch were taken from the TV. It was a series of six episodes on the Outdoor Life Network on freediving.
Jim

 

[ivan]

hi

Does anyone know where I can find Video clips on the net of Constant weight dives Ive ben to the Freedive UK site and downloaded the No limits dives of Loic, Benjamin doing variable etc but havent seen any constant weight video clips.

cheers

 

[deepblue20147]

Jim,
I live in Northern Virginia. I saw you are in PA. I train with my monofin about 4 times a week. If you need some help on perfecting your technique, we could always get together and work with you. I have my 50m sprints down to about 20sec right now. Just has to do with where you start the ondulation. From the upper stomach, then lower back, then through the legs. Once you get it, it gets easier. I've used monofin for a few months and really love them. I just cannot get the efficiency with bi's as I get with my mono. takes around 7 kicks to do a 25m pool at a real slow pace. I feel good about it

 

[JimGlynn]

sounds great

that sound great, are you interested in diving with us at Dutch Springs, or do you have your own favorite spot?
Jim

 

[efattah]

Videos

You can go to http://www.holdyourbreath.ca and download the clip of my 82m dive, but the water is pretty murky so it doesn't show that much!


Eric Fattah
BC, Canada

 

[deepblue20147]

Jim,

I do not have a place to dive yet. I'm very new at freediving. Just getting back to my roots of being a dolphin man, but looking for places around VA, MD or PA. Any suggestions? do you have a phone number so we could hook up for some dives?

Hans

 

[JimGlynn]

Dutch Springs

Hans- a group of four of us freedive every weekend at dutchsprings www.dutchsprings.com We have a great time and I would be happy to show you the ropes. email me at james.m.glynn@verizon.net and we can discuss it further. The facilitry is top notch and you can camp there also.
Jim

 

[DSV]

Monofin

Erik F.

I noticed on your record dive you do not put your hands over your head right away. Is this every time you dive or just that time? Do you think the arms to the side saves energy? Is it harder to kick in that position?

I'm asking because I'm getting a monofin and have only used one once before. I use bi-fins now but with a dolphin kick. I have been practicing with my hands above my head during dynamics. During CB I do not dolphin kick and descend with one arm out and when I reach the target I sprint with arms over my head but soon drop them to my side.

Any thoughts

Thanks

DSV

P.S. If you see Kirk punch him in the arm for me for not returning my email.

 

[efattah]

Arms by my side

I found that when I'm moving very slowly, I save energy by keeping my arms by my side. When I'm moving faster, I save energy by stretching my arms. This makes sense, because at slow speeds drag is small.

The times during which I am moving slowly are the times where I'm overcoming a resistance, such as the beginning (overcoming buoyancy), or at the bottom (overcoming negative buoyancy). Those are the phases where I keep my arms by my side. Once I've overcome my positive/negative buoyancy, I stretch my arms.

Note that if I were not using a wetsuit, I might stretch my arms all the time; because with no wetsuit the 'cost' of stretching the arms is small. You must measure the 'cost' of stretching your arms based on the flexibility of your wetsuit.

Eric Fattah
BC, Canada

 

[JimGlynn]

great thread

Erik- assuming that you started out diving with bi-fins, at what depth did you decide that the bi-fins were too inefficient and it was time to go to a monofin? I ask this because the quarry I regularly dive in is only 100 feet deep and I do not feel any greater efficiency with the mono vs. the bi-fins. Thanks,
Jim

 

[DSV]

Erik F.


Thanks for the clarification.

One more question. Coming off the bottom do you sprint or is it a gradual increase in speed up to a comfortable pace?


Thanks again.

DSV

 

[efattah]

My conversion

It was around May 1999. I had made a dive to 38m with gara 2000 bifins, a 7mm wetsuit, a 16lb weight belt, and I nearly blacked out. Everyone told me monofins sucked, EVERYBODY. However I wasn't convinced. I bought one. For the first few days I couldn't even hit 60 feet, but I noticed that all the problems were during the descent, and the ascent was easy. Soon I improved my descent technique, and within about a month I equaled my 38m, this time with the monofin, but it was still just as hard. It took many more months, and a different monofin, before I started exceeding my old 38m pb.


Eric Fattah
BC, Canada

 

[DaveM]

Monofin - First Experience

I am new to this forum (and to this sport) and thought that I would make this story my introduction. :wave

I tried out my new monofin from WaterWay Co (Model 2 - M). earlier this week. Here is my story:

July 16, 2002 - It was a hot day in southern Ontario, Canada – a great day to be at the lake. A group of us had just finished doing open water swim & bike training for our upcoming triathlon, and we had some time before the lake (actually a quarry) closed for the night. I had packed my new monofin in the car the night before, just in case. I took my new toy out to a dock on the lake, and started the transformation from land dweller to marine mammal. It was a bit difficult to get my big, clumsy feet into the pockets, but once they were in, they felt quite comfortable. I put on the special finswimming snorkel and then, much to the amusement of my wife (who was video taping me) rolled over the edge of the dock, and plopped into the water. :blackeye Once in the water, though, I felt a little more coordinated! It took a little while to get used to the proper "undulating" movement required to move forward, but when I got it right, the feeling was incredible!! I truly felt like a dolphin – moving through the water at a speed I could NEVER achieve with another type of fin. I then dove down to about 30 feet and swam along the bottom. Swimming underwater was even more fun than swimming at the surface. I was surprised at how little effort was needed to move along underwater. After about half an hour of playing around, I was pretty much exhausted. zzz Next time, I will consider finswimming in itself a pretty good training session!

I’ve been reading the posts on Deeper Blue for several weeks. I now understand why many freedivers are using monofins for their sport. The freedom of movement underwater attained with the fin, and the ease at which I could reach 30 feet makes me think that perhaps these freedivers are not necessarily freaks of nature! :naughty With my new “aquatic appendage” I think that I will soon become one of them!

DaveM

 

[DSV]

My New Monofin

DaveM

Good story and welcome to the world of Apnea.

I too just recieved my new fin from Waterway. It's a Model 1 Long D. I'm a convert though switching from bi-fins. I've only been able to use it once at the pool and I love it already. I can't wait to go to work to try it in the deep. See I'm a tour guide in a marine sanctuary called Kealakekua Bay, on the Big Island of Hawaii. it's where Capt. James Cook met his untimely death. The depth of the water goes from 2ft. to 110ft. just about 50ft. from shore. So as I lead tours I'm able to dive. So I'm hoping today I get called in so I can use my new fin. I must be ill, I want to go to work :yack

Anyway enough blabbing. Does anyone with a Waterway fin have high arches? During training my feet were getting sore from the fin pressing on the tops of my feet for 2 hours. Is this a normal feeling for monofins? And the extra space in the front of the pocket? Has anyone modified anything to take up the space?

Thanks

DSV

 

[DaveM]

Re: My New Monofin

DSV,

Ahhh, Kona - home of the famous Hawaii ironman and, apparently, some great diving. I'm so envious!

Anyway, I had also purchased those neoprene foot pockets (half socks) from Waterway. Those should help fill the gap, and make your feet more comfortable.

DaveM