MNScuba.com

I'm on Northwest Divers outta Moohead, MN mailing list and received this a few days ago.. sounds like fun.  Hope Rick over there at NW doesn't mind me posting this.. (didn't see a copyright notice in the email).  Jim G. has lots of print and time in related to fin testing.  .

from the email:
FinFest 2009
Limber up those fin legs and get in condition or help stay in condition for diving.

Join previous and new friends and buddies. Several activities will be available including exercise laps, try for maximum speed doing lengths of the pool timed with a stopwatch, measure the thrust that you can generate finning, learn new fin skills (such as finning in reverse-gear and the most efficient ways of kicking) from Jim Grier (one of the ScubaLab fin testing team members and a local diver), and do it all with a variety of different fins -- yours, your buddies', and other kinds of fins that will be available at the pool.

No scuba gear needed [insert: I can relate to that for sure! ], just swim suits, a lot of energy and desire for fun and exercise, your own boots and fins if you have them, and perhaps dive masks and snorkels if you want to bring them (not necessary).

Join us February 22nd at 1pm for some water fun.  The cost is $10 to get in the pool.

Is this in Fargo? What pool is this at?

Jim is definitely an awesome source for fin info!  and he's one heck of a nice guy too, not to mention a wealth of knowledge on reptiles and birds of prey...  and a great story teller too!  I've been trying to talk myself into heading up that way for this, since I haven't been able to hook up with Jim for any dives lately!  (but I've gotten so out of shape again, a couple hours in the pool will likely kill me!)  If anyone else is on the fence about making the trip over/up, let me know and it might talk me into making the drive - if I have a few days warning I can easily make room in the truck for one, and less easily make room for another one if they can fit in the back seat of a Nissan crew cab...

Tullibee, thanks for the offer. I emailed Jim Grier a couple of questions which he answered in great detail. Unfortunately, he just emailed me that MSU Moorhead double booked the pool so fin fest is off for the 22nd. They are talking about possible makeup dates, but nothing solid yet.

If you had been planning to make the trip, you should probably confirm what I posted with Northwest Divers in case something changes.

Rick Van Raden
Northwest Divers
218 233-6088

thanks for the heads up!  I don't think I was going to make it over that way after all, since I've had two other things come up recently.  maybe I'll have better luck if they reschedule!

did Jim point you to his web page with his fin testing reports?

the link to Jim's fin tests was just found through a quick google search.  I used to be on rodale's scuba diving site quite a bit and remembered the fin test from there.  I had met Jim some years ago at a boat ramp while he was doing some diving... and I was doing some freediving.

I was kinda looking forward to seeing how the force of the monofin could be measured.. I think that's a tough one because you use the whole body in a sine motion to create the propulsion.. other than my mask slipping around my neck I think the power of the fin would be tough to measure.  hope it can get rescheduled too.. just for some good exercise in the water if nothing else.
Fred

Looks like it's back on. Jim sent me this:

FinFest 2009
Originally FinFest 2009 was scheduled for this Sunday, unfortunately we have been notified by MSUM that the pool will not be available to us this Sunday because of an error  that resulted in double booking the pool.  Oops...we are rescheduling the event for Saturday February 28th at 9:00am.

Make sure you double check with North West divers. I'll post if I'm going to try to make the trip.

the problem with the 28th is that coincides with the GLSPS show!  sounds like they've got a good lineup of speakers this year.  I'm planning to head there for pretty much the whole day!