Hinged Fins

[amtrosie]

.
Agencies, in all their wisdom, feel that everyone and their grandmothers should be scuba diving. So they can sell 'em all a bunch of gear they are supposed to depend on. It takes too long to teach swimming skills and common sense.
Gear seems to be the primary focus of diving. Not that it isn't useful...
The problem occurs when an average trained person has a gear related problem;and they weren't trained how to get out of it.

The ocean is a killer; it doesn't need help.
I see articles like Chad's and I say "Learn to take off your damn fins!"
and "it's more stuff to break"
No offense Chad; fins are for use underwater, not for climbing ladders.

The Industry wants to remain self-regulated but won't mandate continuing education. They won't put expiration dates on "C" cards. Won't teach solid swimming skills at the most important level; the beginner.
I hate equipment dependency. It hurts and kills people that trusted the Industry to teach them properly. A person that earns certification in a quarry has no business diving in the ocean; the same holds true for a tropical resort cert wanting to dive anywhere else.
People won't regulate themselves, and the Industry won't either;
It will sell 'em gear, though.

While I have not been diving since 1974, I have been in the water for quite some time. I think it is worth noting that the original diving courses were heavy on the skin diving skills. Gee, do you think there was a reason for that? Interesting to note that these students were far more competent in the water and better prepared to deal with abnormal situations. With the advent of better performing and more durable equipment, the skills of the scuba diving student have diminished precipitously. I would definitely agree with "Tigerbeach" and his assessment of the training agencies and their miss-directed priorities. Self regulation is wonderful thing, it just needs a "regulating branch" to make the concept viable. Who is regulating the training? What is the standard that must be met to be certified? Who is administering the training, and setting the standards for the trainers? What should be the MINIMUM STANDARDS for the student, trainers, and the industry as a whole? How many dives, and in what conditions should be held up as the standard for the various skill levels?

I could go on, but I will refrain. The aviation industry has developed such a dependable product with the aircraft, that the pilots now go years between "incidences", and are no longer perceptive of changes, or alert to those changes. So now the industry decries the limited abilities of the pilots. Does any of this sound familiar? Equipment dependencies are not a solution, just a bigger problem.

[The Publisher]

do you remember the few years when they made those silly things"

My guess is that is what all will be saying about split fins 25 years from now.

[acelockco]

I agree with you on that, I have always felt the split fins are some silly gimick to sell more expensive fins.

REALITY CHECK, ALMOST ALL FINS ARE PROBABLLY COST LESS THAN $5 TO MANUFACTURE!!!

Get out them SCUBA Bucks $$$