Sean,
Your straps should also have an inner length of braided cord. This acts as a
"stretch limit " and a fail safe if a spring comes loose or stretches too
much. The cord should be made to a length that barely allows you to get the
strap over the heel.
Regards,
Dell Motes
Dive Rite
117 W.Washington St.
Lake City, Fla. 32055
www.Dive-Rite.com




-----Original Message-----
From: Sean T. Stevenson <ststev@un*.co*>
To: techdiver <techdiver@aquanaut.com>
Date: Wednesday, December 02, 1998 11:45 PM
Subject: spring straps


>Recently, while training with the Canadian Amphibious Search Team I was
>participating in some swiftwater rescue training exercises in a local
>river.  Normally, I use different fins for SWR than I do for diving,
>but as this was just an exercise and my dive gear was more accessible
>in my vehicle than the rest of my gear, I grabbed my trusty SP Jetfins,
>tied my safety line into my quick release, and attempted a "strong
>swimmer crossing".  Suddenly I felt the spring straps stretch and slip
>off, so I aborted the crossing and grabbed them.  Apparently the force
>of the current on the Jetfins
>was greater than the yield strength of the spring staps, as the springs
>stretched until I swam downstream and got a hold of the fins
>themselves.  Not only was my crossing attempt unsuccessful but I now
>have 2 unuseable springs
>that are over 4 feet long.  I admit this was a pretty stupid thing to
>do, but just so that no one else does this:  DO NOT USE SPRING FIN
>STRAPS IN
>CURRENT GREATER THAN 30 KNOTS!  (the practical limit is probably
>considerably less).
>
>-Sean
>
>
>
>
>--
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