Silicone tails - Sealing the monofin

[Ashe]

Hello lovelies! So within the year maybe, I plan on making a Dragonskin silicone fluke to test the waters surrounding silicone tailmaking and in an effort to put my old Wave monofin to good use. I am familiar with the process of sculpting and molding and seams and all that, but I have one major problem. I have no idea how to seal the fin itself into the fluke! I know there are two sides to the fluke and you fit the monofin into the pocket and seal it in, but with what? More silicone? I've heard that silicone doesn't cure to some other rubbers and plastics, so would that include any parts of the monofin such as the yellow blade or black foot pockets?
Another question would be about draining. I've seen many methods from using straws to space out drainage canals to Raven's previous slits on the top and bottom of the fluke. Which way proves most effective and how much drainage space do you need?
I have tried researching these questions and have looked at others' silicone tailmaking journeys but couldn't quite find my answer :p It would be so much help if a mer experienced with silicone could give me some pointers! Or even a link to the page of a thread that answers these :)
Thank you! <3

[Mermaid Kate Silverfin]

Congratulations on taking the plunge! If you look up my first tail making thread, I went into a bit of detail about how I sealed the fluke. Essentially I made a sleeve of powermesh, stuck it down to the blade of the fin in places with superglue (leaving most of it unglued to bond with the silicone), then stuck one side of the silicone at a time down with more silicone. I used straws for drainage channels, they work very well. Make sure you stick them together though, as I couldn't get the ones in the middle out! I put about 6 channels in.
I didn't stick my fluke down to the foot pocket part, but if you wanted to, there are some glues out there for that (waterway sells some).
Hope this helps!

[Ashe]

Thank you! So it will cure to the yellow blade but won't cure to the foot pocket? And it will not cure to the superglue you used? Or does it cure just to the power mesh? Whew lots of things to remember!

[Mermaid Kate Silverfin]

Well it will cure against the blade, but not bond to it (hence the power mesh). I didn't try to put silicone on the foot pockets, but people agree that the rubber inhibits cure. I put the drainage channels over the top of the superglue, so I don't know if it will cure on top of it or not.

[Mermaid Lorelei]

I had no problem getting silicone to cure on top of the blade, but yes, I also had cure inhibition on the footpockets.