Hiding a Zipper with a dorsal fin?

[Mermaid Jewel]

So I was checking out my neoprin and it's not going to stretch enough to let my butt go through the waist if I made it without a zipper. I was thinking of a short zipper at the top (to a little above my knees) on the back hidden by a dorsal fin but I'm not exactly sure how to do this. Any ideas? I want the fin to cover the zipper. (I'm sewing in my monofin so I don't need a full zipper down the side)

[OrcaMatt]

Think Mermaid Shelly has this pretty much down, as I recall most of her tails have had this, but I could be wrong

[taom]

I think what people are doing is making two dorsal fins that are the same and putting them on either side of the zipper, concealing it that way. I know that in one of her tails, Hannah Fraser did this and then added velcro to the fins to keep them together, preventing the sides from flopping open.

[Mermaid Jewel]

Velcro would work well. How about snaps? Plastic snaps though, do you think that would work?

[Aquatarian]

Well in a few pictures I saw of Hannah's, she used a clear material and used clear Velcro to ad hear it. So if you are going claer I would look for something similar but if the fins you are making are more opaque and are made out of things like neoprene, I don't see why snaps shouldn't work.

They sound fine to me, the only trouble I can think of would be how it would look from the outside.

[Odette]

for my zipper on the silicone tail, i used pure silicone which looks clear but if you add enough it looks more whitish grey http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.277515365611886.80123.225578237472266&type=3#!/photo.php?fbid=273233426040080&set=a.277515365611886.80123.225578237472266&type=3&theater tent the stuff.

[Mermaid Shelly]

I think the easiest way to do it is to make it a twin dorsal fin and hide it that way with the zipper in-between. Plus the stitching gives it a rigidity and makes the dorsal stand up nicely with a little piece of velcro hidden inside. Or, you could put it on a side seam and use a hip fin to cover it too. I guess it depends on how extravagant you want the end product to be :)

[SireniaSolaris]

I agree with the twin dorsal fin suggestion. If you look at my thread here (it's recent), my latest post actually has some pictures of this. The visual image combined with their explanation might help. Personally, I find the neoprene to be stiff enough, that I don't need velcro to keep them from revealing the zipper. Then again, it would depend on the look you are going for. In the higher areas of my dorsal, I don't mind it being somewhat floppy - I think it gives it a more fluid feel and I like that. If you want your dorsal to stand completely upright, however, I would add the velcro. That will do it :)

I had the same issue with my neoprene tail - big hips, tiny waist. Hence the zipper in mine :)

[Mermaid Jewel]

Well I am painting the tail so I'd prefer to know that the zipper won't be shown. I'm doing the twin dorsal fins, just to pattern and plan now. Thanks all of you guys! :)

[taom]

The other thing I'd like to mention is that self-sticking velcro will just fall off. However, instead of sewing it on, use a little epoxy or silicon even, to attach it. That way you don't have to worry about stitching showing on the out side. Also, you can put the snaps/velcro very low down on the fin, just above the zipper, and it will hide the zipper while keeping you fin nice and fluid, although you may want to paint both sides of the neoprene so that no unfinished sides are seen.

[Mermaid Jewel]

Thanks! I forgot an important question, do you sew the fins in then the zipper?

[Mermaid Photine]

I've been wondering the same. The material I am thinking of for a dorsal fin to hide a zipper is something that my sewing machine is not friends with. How effective is glueing down a zipper? I've done a bit of research and Liquid Nails has a couple of waterproof, flexible formulas, but would glue hold up to being tugged back and forth on a zipper that's glued to neoprene and some form of plastic?

[taom]

You should sew in the zipper and then glue (or sew, if your material allows) on the fins. The fins won't be under that much stress so something like liquid nails should work fine. You would probably ok with gluing on the zipper but I wouldn't risk it.

[Mermaid Photine]

Thanks! That's really helpful. I do trust sewing more than glue, so I'll go with the first option. :)

[taom]

Anytime! I'm just glad I could help!