The Skinny on Scuba Fins

Scuba Flippers, also known as scuba fins, swimfins, or flippers are fin like shoes that are worn on a swimmer or diver’s foot in order to help him or her move more efficiently through the water. Flippers and their straps can be made out a variety of materials, including plastic, rubber, glass fibre, carbon fibre, and neoprene.

History

Early inventors of scuba fins include Leonardo Da Vinci, whose drawings also contained schematics for underwater breathing apparatus and self floatation/ocean rescue devices.

Benjamin Franklin is also credited with the invention. Growing up next to the Charles River in Massachusetts, Ben loved the water and had novel ideas about improving his movement through the water. An avid swimmer, Ben Franklin made flippers out of two pieces of oval shaped wood to aid him in his quest.

However, the scuba diving flippers we know today are accredited to Louis de Corlieu of France and Owen Churchill of the United States. In the 1930’s, working independently of one another, each produced the basic models of fins that can still be found in sporting goods stores and surf shops today.

For more information on the sport, its inventors, and its history, check out this Fun Guide to Scuba Diving!

Uses

Fins are used in all different kinds of water sports. Mainly they are associated with scuba diving, snorkeling, freediving, and swimming . However, many other water activities have integrated flippers into their sport as well.

The main reason water-goers use fins is to get the most power out of each kick. However, many also use scuba fins as training aids to strengthen their legs and improve their form.

Scuba divers especially need the assistance of fins due to all of their bulky equipment. Their tank, weights, mask, snorkel, etc., all make the act of gliding through the water less streamlined and therefore, more difficult.

Without the help of scuba diving flippers, advancing through the water would be much more strenuous. The struggle of moving forward would cause the divers to expend a lot of energy which in turn would use up a lot of their air. Overall, the dive would be much shorter, cover less ground, and be far less enjoyable!

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