Stand up Dorsal fin?

[Mermaid Saphira]

I want a dorsal fin on my tail that goes down to my heels, but It would be really nice if it could stand up in the water. Anyone know how I could get it to stand up? I've heard of mers using gym floor matting but I'm not sure..would I still be able to bend???

[mermaidondine]

Plastic boning (used in corsets/bodices) may help? Depending on the shape, size, and how far you want the fin to jet out behind you; you could cut boning into various sizes, sew it in so its sticking out down along the backside of your tail, and then build the dorsal fabric over that. Boning is pretty rigid (I was looking into using it as a way to create a full fin, rather than an actual mono) so its possible you could achieve a stand-up dorsal with it somehow :}

[Mermaid Saphira]

That would be a good idea do you have a site maybe to buy it from? One question, how would you get the boning to stand up? wouldn't it flop over to?

[mermaidondine]

I don't have a specific site or anything, but you can buy it from pretty much any fabric store. You can just walk in and ask them to show you where it is :}

Well you could sew the pieces of boning in so that they stuck out down the back spine of the tail, that way they would be held in place by the tail. Think of the pieces of boning almost like veins or spokes; that you would then build the actual dorsal by fitting separate fabric around/over them. Something kind of like this: (Please forgive the crude side profile drawing lol!)
http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/9788/dorsaldia.png

The black is the tail itself and the red lines are the pieces of boning; the green lines are to illustrate how the boning is sewn in (protruding slightly inside) to an extent in the back of the tail. The yellow is the fabric you would fit on after, around or over the boning to make a dorsal.

It seems a bit complicated broken down, but I imagine if you have the time and the patience you may be able to achieve the standup dorsal that you want :}

[Mermaid Saphira]

^ Ahh, I c! I just might try that! Thank u very much for your help...lets pray my craft stroe hads boning, they hardly have any thing!! :headwall:

[taom]

Hey! I build corsets and when I make more light weight ones I skip the real boning and go for industrial strength zip ties. I would highly suggest this to you for this endeavor. Actual corset boning it extremely stiff. While it would do brilliantly when holding a dorsal up right, it would also stab you when you sat down and might be a danger. Another route you could take would be to bone your dorsal with thin foam tubes (like those floaty things but little) and mix in a corset bone or zip tie every few bones to add rigidity without creating a fin that is uncomfortable.

(btw, you can get zip ties like i mentioned at places like Home Depot or other hard wear stores)

[Mermaid Lorelei]

I've actually used zip ties before for this very reason. I covered them with latex and they worked wonderfully. They bend well and stand up straight when there is no pressure exerted on them.

[Moonflower]

Plastic boning tends to have a curve to it always, and is so much more flimsy than you'd expect. If you want something that always stands up, go with a PVC sheet (you can find them in home depot). It's easy enough to cut with scissors, and you can get the exact shape you want for each (FYI, a layered PVC sheet is what I used to make my monofin).

[Mermaid Saphira]

PVC sheet? Zip ties? Whoooa...slow it down! I want something that can hold up in the water, but won't damage body parts when I lay down :confused:

[Cornelia]

I thought about such a dorsal fin too... but I think I'll use the bonding from a corset... we've a shop for such things... hope it works... but that was my idea... don't know if it works as well as i hope.. but I'll definitly not take a hard sheet because the dorsal fin will only be out of very thin farbic and it should flow natrual and not stand... I think its also important, that it can be turned down in on direction... cause when you want so sit down anywhere it will be very inconvenient if its a hard fin... furthermore I'm not sure if you can swimm as well with a hard dorsal fin?

[Mermaid Photine]

Oooh! I've been playing around with the idea of zip ties! I also use them for boning in corsets- I'm too broke to get the real stuff. xD

My only question would be how do you attach this to the tail so that it stands up. Depending on the material of the tail, the plastic might be heavy in comparison and just fall over with waves/gravity when on land. Maybe some flexible material that can be made into an upside-down T shape when in a crosssection?

[Mermaid Saphira]

^ I to would like to know this!! :)

[taom]

Ok, I have a solution. Have you ever heard of friendly plastic? It's this stuff that you put in hot water and it become very malleable and then hardens into a quite tough plastic when cool. You can reheat it over and over again, too. It would be very easy to form it into the T shape you describe. Plus, you would be able to control thickness and shape, so you could make it thicker at the base and tapered at the end. It is relatively flexible, about the same as a zip tie so it wouldn't make sitting difficult or anything like that. What do you guys think?

[Mermaid Saphira]

^ It sounds like an interesting idea! Although, I've never heard of this "friendly plastic". Is it expensive, I am on a budget?

[Mermaid Photine]

I've heard of friendly plastic. People use it to make fangs with sometimes. You can get it at craft stores, from what I hear. It's just submerged in a pot of poiling water.

I really like this idea of "ribs" for a dorsal fin. It makes me think of sea serpent/water dragon art.

[Mermaasai]

what do you guys think about a flotation material like that used for noodles, cut for just the more solid ridge part of the dorsal.. so that when you are in the water the dorsal naturally floats in an upward stance when you are still but when you move at any serious speed it lays down against your tail... like a sail fish when he darts through water lowers his dorsal to become more aquadynamic but when he is coasting his dorsal is up and lookin pretty.
This would allow you to sit comfortably, bend any which way etc... but also have your fin move naturally in the water and stand up when still.
You would probably need to sew it into the tail in such a way that it can only rise so much if you are floating vertically in the water..
just an idea!

[Mermaid Saphira]

I though of a great idea, but I wanted to get your opinion before I go on and test it...what about spraying the dorsal fin fabric with stiffener??

[Mermaid Saphira]

Could I cut an old yoga mat into the shape of my dorsal fin and use that? I don't care if it doesn't stand up on land I just want it to stand up in the water, like a floating dorsal fin or...thoughts? I need something @least 20 inches long and I have a poor budget so it'll be hard :p

[Mermaid Photine]

Do you have a yoga mat? How about something foamy? Do you have anything in your house that is made out of a possible material for this project? If it won't be dammaged by water (use google if you are unsure), fill up your bath and test it out. Do some of your own research and exploration. Sometimes you don't see the answer because it is hidden under last year's Shakespeare essay and an old bag of cheetos.

[taom]

@ Aqua: friendly plastic is pretty inexpensive. I think that Target sells it, even. But I think your idea to cut up an old yoga mat would work best.

[Mermaid Saphira]

^ I will still look in to this "friendly plastic" to be sure :)

[Mermaid Sirena]

So many ideas on this thread I can't wait to see how each works and what the outcome would be :)

[Mermaid Caspiana]

You could use art foam rod things. Idk what they are actually called though. I'm going to use it hopefully for my lionfish tail.

[Trident True]

Im trying to get a visual here. are you looking at something like H2o's im actaully making my fins like this however i will be using silicone. I will be making mine come together so then kinda lean on one another and hopefully i mean keep them there with some velcro spots. not 100% sure if they will work but...... so far things have been a total disaster making of my tail. you've also gotta note that if you make them with plastic and they stick up how are you going to sit up with ease?