All,
Thanks for all the feedback and questions. I will try to answer.
- On the Orca fin is best or not: I used before only a wings nemo which has regular fin footpockets so is nowhere close to a glide for efficiency so I can't really compare the Orca to a state of the art monofin. At same time I wanted a fin I could wear for hours that would not hurt my feet and the Orca does that for sure. I saw at the Grand Cayaman Comp people with large bone spurs on their feet from the glide fins and wearing them only 5 min at a time for their dives, this is not freediving for me (doesn't seem very "free")!!
- Seeing the wall, it was luck the pool was scheduled at night and we were only ones in it so surface was very still. Like this it is easy to see reflection of bottom in surface of water upside down. It was easier to see the wall when I was facing up then facing down as I could see "further" from the bounce of the reflection of the bottom off the water surface. (None of this was planned).
- Grant Graves, who judged my swim told me that the hands at sides technique is/was popular by the Italians, I don't know about the upside down part, I learned that from Glen Garrett who held US no fins record maybe 5 years ago.
- I didn't like the original Orca fin for slow speeds, it seems alot of energy sucked up by the neopreme booties you wear normally with it and the regular orca really only gives thrust on the down stroke, not the upstroke unless you go to a very small quick wiggle sort of kick. At same time I modded my Orca as I got practice so I don't know now that I have much more practice if I would love or hate the original Orca fin. I have not tried or seen the X-18 or X-20 fins up close.
- On hands at sides, my overhead streamline is very bad (I grew up waterskiing which is complete opposite flexibility wise) and slowly getting better with stretching and yoga. With the Orca mods the hands at sides work better I think as less need for stronger down stroke one direction, more balanced up and down so hands in front to balance the kick angular momentum is not needed as much.
- I like to use the sphera mask in the pool even though I know the goggles are better (is more "free" for me) so is more drag from my head. When I pull I have big hands and my hands out in front glide is very bad so I am going already fast from the wall and a 1/2 pull so I tuck my hands under my chin and glide some that way then stroke again and glide. I do the same sometimes in no-fins then go to my hand sculling at side technique (I think I am good at that from extra mobility in shoulders from waterskiing from very young). Plus most of my training is in a 25m pool going back and fourth so I get bored and make up new strokes even maybe if I don't know they are better I do them anyways and this stroke I am not sure is really better. I cannot do it all the way thru as I get "anxious" with less air and do a full pull off the wall as am "scared" to pause and glide.
- On the old 125 DNF (was almost National Record, didn't count in the end), I have video, not posted, will ask Goh to do some cuts and add music and post, is very beautiful dive too I think.
- This is getting long so I will do separate post with pics of modified orca.
- The neck weight I like and is cheap and easy to adjust weights. I don't like the rubber tube neck weights as I feel they stick down too far and cause drag and then to change weights is a pain.
The strap is from Mcmaster Carr
part number for small necks 3955T77
parrt number for big necks 3955T78
they are under $10 each
I use the dive pearls weights and now tape them on sideways for the middle weight so my chin can rest down further, I use 3m mailing tape which is just good quailty clear plastic tape for taping up cardboard boxes.
- I picked out the Cake music, didn't realize how perfect it would be with Goh Iromoto's edits, he is brilliant video guy. If you need any videos he works freelance, can get contacts always thru PFI for Goh. This is most of the art too, though some from me swimming to
- I will work on Orca mod post, I think for scuba and faster swimming maybe my Orca is same as stock Orca, not sure there, for slow swimming in pool I am pretty sure my Orca mods are 25% better than stock orca, again, sad I cannot compare to glide fin, though I think maybe my Orca mod a bit better as my static is only 6:30 these days so am not in that good of shape so maybe some really good person in 50m pool could go 300m (I think I could do 200m in 50m pool now with out so many turns).
Thanks again for interest and you guys keep DB alive with all your posts!!
Cheers Wes
