My wife and I have been cruising the Caribbean for the last 20 years and the luggage we have to take along is getting to be a bit much. One of the things that take up a lot of room is the swim fin. They are just too big to carry with all the other necessities so we wind up renting some of the snorkeling equipment. This gets expensive and limits us to snorkeling tours from the ship or at beaches that rent equipment. The solution seems to be – why not make a fin in two parts, one half would be a sandal (which can be used alone as a water shoe) and the other part is the blade that can be clipped on to the sandal when swimming. What I would like your opinion on is: what do you think of a two-part fin? I actually made, and am using a prototype. It's ugly but it works. After seeing the rough model, a friend suggested that I patent the idea. So I took out a provisional patent. But I would like to use this forum to get your opinion before I sink a whole lot of money into a venture that may not have any commercial value. Any ideas or opinions would surely be appreciated. Thanks, Don Macnow
In article <bf2c5d5e.0310050956.4f7b4...@posting.google.com>, Don M
<dmac...@yahoo.com> wrote: > My wife and I have been cruising the Caribbean for the last 20 years > and the luggage we have to take along is getting to be a bit much. > One of the things that take up a lot of room is the swim fin. They > are just too big to carry with all the other necessities so we wind up > renting some of the snorkeling equipment. This gets expensive and > limits us to snorkeling tours from the ship or at beaches that rent > equipment.
I usually don't take the fins, just the mask and snorkle. Every independent snorkeling tour I have been on provides fins so it has not limited me to the ships excursions. The rental price for fins at beaches is $3. I don't consider that expensive. Fins can also be rented on many ships.
> when swimming. What I would like your opinion on is: what do you > think of a two-part fin? I actually made, and am using a prototype. > It's ugly but it works. After seeing the rough model, a friend > suggested that I patent the idea. So I took out a provisional patent. > But I would like to use this forum to get your opinion before I sink > a whole lot of money into a venture that may not have any commercial > value. Any ideas or opinions would surely be appreciated. Thanks,
I don't know if it has commercial value but if it works, takes up little space and is not expensive, I could see buying something like that. The appearence probably would not have any effect.
That's one big reason we don't take flippers any longer (just mask & inflatable vests) and smaller version would definitely be an advantage on a cruise.
> My wife and I have been cruising the Caribbean for the last 20 years > and the luggage we have to take along is getting to be a bit much. > One of the things that take up a lot of room is the swim fin. They > are just too big to carry with all the other necessities so we wind up > renting some of the snorkeling equipment. This gets expensive and > limits us to snorkeling tours from the ship or at beaches that rent > equipment. The solution seems to be - why not make a fin in two parts, > one half would be a sandal (which can be used alone as a water shoe) > and the other part is the blade that can be clipped on to the sandal > when swimming. What I would like your opinion on is: what do you > think of a two-part fin? I actually made, and am using a prototype. > It's ugly but it works. After seeing the rough model, a friend > suggested that I patent the idea. So I took out a provisional patent. > But I would like to use this forum to get your opinion before I sink > a whole lot of money into a venture that may not have any commercial > value. Any ideas or opinions would surely be appreciated. Thanks, > Don Macnow
My wife and I have been cruising the Caribbean for the last 20 years and the luggage we have to take along is getting to be a bit much. One of the things that take up a lot of room is the swim fin. They are just too big to carry with all the other necessities so we wind up renting some of the snorkeling equipment. This gets expensive and limits us to snorkeling tours from the ship or at beaches that rent equipment. The solution seems to be - why not make a fin in two parts, one half would be a sandal (which can be used alone as a water shoe) and the other part is the blade that can be clipped on to the sandal when swimming. What I would like your opinion on is: what do you think of a two-part fin? I actually made, and am using a prototype. It's ugly but it works. After seeing the rough model, a friend suggested that I patent the idea. So I took out a provisional patent. But I would like to use this forum to get your opinion before I sink a whole lot of money into a venture that may not have any commercial value. Any ideas or opinions would surely be appreciated. Thanks, Don Macnow
For about $25 one can buy a pair of compact US Divers SplitFlex fins. As someone already said, these (and others) are flat enough to go in the back of a suitcase with little lost room. I doubt that what you propose would save any additional room unless the shoe part really was comfortable and durable enough to use as a sneaker and did not look goofy. In any case, you still have to transport the fin part.
What you are describing is an elaboration on what many people already do: buy a pair of dive booties to use with open heal swim fins. The booties have enough of a hard sole to be used on beach rocks.
Good luck with your idea, but it's not something I'd be interested in and I suspect the market would be very limited. Serious divers would not want it and people who don't want to transport normal fins, would not want to transport your 2-piece fins either.
--
- GRL
"It's good to want things."
Steve Barr (philosopher, poet, humorist, chemist, Visual Basic programmer)
> My wife and I have been cruising the Caribbean for the last 20 years > and the luggage we have to take along is getting to be a bit much. > One of the things that take up a lot of room is the swim fin. They > are just too big to carry with all the other necessities so we wind up > renting some of the snorkeling equipment. This gets expensive and > limits us to snorkeling tours from the ship or at beaches that rent > equipment. The solution seems to be - why not make a fin in two parts, > one half would be a sandal (which can be used alone as a water shoe) > and the other part is the blade that can be clipped on to the sandal > when swimming. What I would like your opinion on is: what do you > think of a two-part fin? I actually made, and am using a prototype. > It's ugly but it works. After seeing the rough model, a friend > suggested that I patent the idea. So I took out a provisional patent. > But I would like to use this forum to get your opinion before I sink > a whole lot of money into a venture that may not have any commercial > value. Any ideas or opinions would surely be appreciated. Thanks, > Don Macnow
In article <vo12cbn2flt...@corp.supernews.com>, GRL
<GLitwin...@CHARTERMI.COM> wrote: > For about $25 one can buy a pair of compact US Divers SplitFlex fins.
Thanks for mentioning those. I just checked on google and it looks like a good compact packing solution. Even found them at $24.95. I will probably order them. http://www.sportsunlimitedinc.com/usdivsplitfi.html
You're welcome. Fellow at Snorkel Direct said that they sell a lot of them to cruisers and the people come back and say they give a lot more "push" for less effort than more conventional fins. Bought a pair for my wife, but she has not tried them yet. They are pretty compact.
Hope they work out for you.
--
- GRL
"It's good to want things."
Steve Barr (philosopher, poet, humorist, chemist, Visual Basic programmer)
"Charles" <f...@his.com.remove.invalid> wrote in message
> In article <vo12cbn2flt...@corp.supernews.com>, GRL > <GLitwin...@CHARTERMI.COM> wrote:
> > For about $25 one can buy a pair of compact US Divers SplitFlex fins.
> Thanks for mentioning those. I just checked on google and it looks like > a good compact packing solution. Even found them at $24.95. I will > probably order them. > http://www.sportsunlimitedinc.com/usdivsplitfi.html
>> For about $25 one can buy a pair of compact US Divers SplitFlex fins.
>Thanks for mentioning those. I just checked on google and it looks like >a good compact packing solution. Even found them at $24.95
Nothing like that nickel savings!
> I will >probably order them.
Well wasn't that enlightening. While on the subject of gear used in or around the water, find any good buys on fishing equipment lately? We are looking to upgrade our inventory for a big grouper fishing tournament coming soon in Nassau. Should be a real laugh since all the Yahoo's will be there. We will proly just drop the hook and watch instead of doing the actual fishing ourselves. Last year's winner was on a boat named "Read Between The Lines". See what happens when you troll? If you are a big grouper you get caught.
NB Who won't bait the hook no matter how much the prize money ;-)
I take just a mask and snorkel. That way I know my mask will fit. I also won't have to put something in my mouse that has been in somebody else's mouth. I don't use the vests unless I am required to. Even then, I don't put air in it. I am a decent swimmer and can stay afloat without the vest. It's also an encumbrance if I want to swim underwater.>
>That's one big reason we don't take flippers any longer (just mask & >inflatable vests) and smaller version would definitely be an advantage on a >cruise.
I actually purchased a pair of the US Divers SplitFlex fins today, in Walmart for $19.46 for myself and will be taking them to Belize next month for a tryout! BL7
> I actually purchased a pair of the US Divers SplitFlex fins today, in > Walmart for $19.46 for myself and will be taking them to Belize next > month for a tryout! > BL7
Don M wrote: > My wife and I have been cruising the Caribbean for the last 20 years > and the luggage we have to take along is getting to be a bit much. > One of the things that take up a lot of room is the swim fin. They > are just too big to carry with all the other necessities so we wind up > renting some of the snorkeling equipment. This gets expensive and > limits us to snorkeling tours from the ship or at beaches that rent > equipment. The solution seems to be – why not make a fin in two parts, > one half would be a sandal (which can be used alone as a water shoe) > and the other part is the blade that can be clipped on to the sandal > when swimming. What I would like your opinion on is: what do you > think of a two-part fin? I actually made, and am using a prototype. > It's ugly but it works. After seeing the rough model, a friend > suggested that I patent the idea. So I took out a provisional patent. > But I would like to use this forum to get your opinion before I sink > a whole lot of money into a venture that may not have any commercial > value. Any ideas or opinions would surely be appreciated. Thanks, > Don Macnow
That design was on the market quite a few years ago. It proved to be just a gimmick as they weren the best in comfort as a shoe and didn't thrust well as a fin. Plus, fins are cheap to buy, cheaper to rent and available just about everywhere there is water for swimming!
I am late reading this thread (but SURPRISED to find it in r.t.c. rather than in some diving ngs) because I just came back from some diving in Trinidad carryiny my LONG (34" in length :-) fins, which is longer than most fins you'll ever need for snorkeling, or diving for that matter.
They fit (barely) diagonally in the largest (62" L+W+H) luggage allowable as a checked luggage in air travel these days.
But before commenting on RayC's remarks, I'll comment on the original poster's questions first.
> Don M wrote: > > The solution seems to be ? why not make a fin in two parts, > > one half would be a sandal (which can be used alone as a water shoe) > > and the other part is the blade that can be clipped on to the sandal > > when swimming. What I would like your opinion on is: what do you > > think of a two-part fin?
I think your idea of a "two part fin" is a hybrid of two ideas:
1. A fin (any fin) with a strap and pocket for "bootie" (which you can dub as a water shoe if you like). This is as old as sin. The fins are generally "short" enough to fit just about any size luggage.
2. A LONG fin of the Cressi-sub type that comes in two parts. E.g.
This is not well-known, and both parts are just breaking down a (very) long fin into shorter components. It's sold in Europe, but not in the USA to the best of my knowledge.
> > I actually made, and am using a prototype. > > It's ugly but it works. After seeing the rough model, a friend > > suggested that I patent the idea. So I took out a provisional patent. > > But I would like to use this forum to get your opinion before I sink > > a whole lot of money into a venture that may not have any commercial > > value. Any ideas or opinions would surely be appreciated. Thanks, > > Don Macnow
I hope you don't mind my saying so, but I think your idea will sink like a rock, even if the idea can be patented.
> That design was on the market quite a few years ago. It > proved to be just a gimmick as they weren the best in > comfort as a shoe and didn't thrust well as a fin.
Not sure what THIS one is. Any webpage reference?
> Plus, fins are cheap to buy,
Very true, for the casual snorkeler. Seems like you can BUY the whole fin/mask/snorkel cheapie for as little as $10 USD total. :-)
Not true for other fins. A moderately prized set of fins for divers run about $100 USD. The Cressie long fins run close to $200.
> cheaper to rent and available just > about everywhere there is water for swimming!
Pretty much true. (Exception, the ultra cheapies to buy). But good fit, comfort, efficiency, and frequency of usage also come into play in the decision of "buy" vs "rent".
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