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Thread: Is this possible?

  1. #1

    Question Is this possible?

    Hey everyone. I've been having a crazy tail idea lately...hypothetical of course. Has anybody else wondered if it's possible to make a tail with a vertical fin, instead of horizontal like all the other tail fins out there? Like a shark's fin, for instance? Or the underwater creatures in the Harry Potter series, maybe? It would have a really wild feel, I bet.

    I sketched up the idea on my ipad last night since I couldn't sleep (sorry for the horrific pictures, as I drew them with my fingers):
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    Possible problems:
    - Bulk. Unless you had one leg laying on top of the other which could potentially be very uncomfortable without padding, and it would still need padding to make the fin look smooth.
    - Monofin... you couldn't have a conventional monofin. You'd need something built past or right at your feet that was still stable and easy to control.
    - Locomotion. We'd need a whole new kind of movement. Like a shake-your-hips-side-to-side kind of movement, imitating fish and sharks.
    - Restricted movement. This way of mermaiding might pose more risks during swimming. It wouldn't be easy at all to swim at first...in fact it'd probably be best to be wearing arm floaties as you get
    started...
    Also the knees wouldn't be required to bend as much, and the fin couldn't possibly touch the pool floor lest it break or bend too much. No flips in this fin. Legs might get stiff.

    ^ I'm guessing those are the reasons I've never seen anyone else mention this idea.

    On the bright side it could look really really cool! I think it'd suit those merfolk that feel they have a wilder, predatory side. Or that want to look more fishlike.

    Any thoughts?

  2. #2
    I think thats a great idea! i hope someone tries it....

  3. #3
    Senior Member Undisclosed Pod
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    this would be very interesting to try, however I am worried it would be hard on one to swim in that way. I do believe I saw a monofin that enables you to swim vertically bfore, however am not sure what I di wit the picture :/
    "Silence is beautiful, not awkward. The human tendency to be afraid of something beautiful is awkward."

  4. #4
    i think it would be too hard to swim this way, so it probably wouldnt be too great for the recreational mer.
    but i bet itd be cool for photoshoots!!

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mermaid Lorelei View Post

    This is the video I saw! ThanQ
    "Silence is beautiful, not awkward. The human tendency to be afraid of something beautiful is awkward."

  7. #7
    Senior Member Euro Pod Toxotes's Avatar
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    It seems to me the paddle is necessary to swim with that vertical Monofin.
    The Monofin itself only gives some kind of counter-force to the force which will otherwise move your legs horizontally.
    But nevertheless, it's really cool.

  8. #8
    Cool concept, might be too hard on the knees. But that paddle he uses to propel himself instead of the fin could easily be disguised as a hunting tool, part of the costume. At first I thought he was carrying a harpoon. O,,o

  9. #9
    I was actually just trying to figure this out myself last weekend! I tried to figure out a way to swim (sans fins) that would work with a vertical fin. It was mostly a lot of bellydance hip drops and lifts while laying in the water. Unsurprisingly, I got nowhere.

  10. #10
    This had been talked about several times back on the days of MerYuku, but the idea always got tossed. Because we're really just not meant to move like that. Even if you had amazing hip control and muscles and a fin for it, I don't think the force you could exude with said muscles would get you enough propulsion. I think you'd have to stick with the paddle if you want it to work for actual swimming. I mean I'd love it if someone came along and proved me wrong, but I personally don't see it happening. Otherwise.. I'd look cool for a shoot!

  11. #11
    Maybe I'm just stupid but I didn't see any vertical monofin in that video.... am I missing something? O,o It just looks like that guy is swimming really badly with a really floppy monofin.

    Edit: My computer isn't liking Youtube right now... the page will load for freaking ever, and it says the video is 2:59, but when it's loaded the time changes to 30 seconds. So in short I haven't been able to see the vertical fin yet. Dangit Youtube!/my computer! Anybody have the same issue?

    Re-edit: Computer decided it didn't like me telling on it and showed the video. -_-; The vertical fin is pretty awesome.
    Last edited by LittleTreasure; 08-24-2012 at 03:15 PM.

  12. #12
    I am not sure if I will be able to articulate what I'm thinking correctly, but it is possible that with an extended fin (like the H2O tails), it might work with some tricky puppetry. Basically, you'll still swim horizontally (undulating your body as usual), but the vertical fin can go to one side to the other, depending on where your feet are. For example, while your feet go down, the fin can move to the left, and when your feet rise back up, the fin can go to the right. I don't know how that will actually look in practice, but you could get a bit of propulsion if you're using a modified FINIS shooter or foil fin, maybe (or hide them as side fins). The tail itself might just be a bit wider than most to accommodate everything.
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  13. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by LittleTreasure View Post
    Maybe I'm just stupid but I didn't see any vertical monofin in that video.... am I missing something? O,o It just looks like that guy is swimming really badly with a really floppy monofin.
    Wait until the 50 second mark
    "SeaSparkles" "Spindrift" "Enakai" "Cuddlefish" "Confused"
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  14. #14
    Senior Member Pod of Cali Ashe's Avatar
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    i am in love with the idea, but i agree with Ayla, it would seem to hurt after quite a bit. But as always, i'd be willing to try! (and that monofin at the beginning of the video looked HORRIBLE, am i right? lawl )

  15. #15
    Senior Member Pod of Cali spottedcatfish's Avatar
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    I like the idea but I'm in agreement with Winged Mermaid (Iona), in that our bodies are not designed to move in that direction. Which brings me to another point, and question. How many marine mammals, i.e. whales, porpoise, dolphin ect. swim like that, in that vertical motion versus an up and down one? None. They are all designed to move their flukes or flippers in a up and down motion, or a flipper motion, but not side to side like a fish.

  16. #16
    Huh... I really like the vertical monofin and paddle... they look awesome.

    I had another idea, however. What if you used a really long tail (maybe half again as long as your body or legs) with some sort of padding, ending in a framework of a vertical caudal fin that doesn't actually provide any propulsion, just looks cool, while your feet would be in flippers, covered with fabric or whatever to look like pelvic and ventral fins? Mechanics and physics of water movement and flow are admittedly not my strong suit, but I was wondering if, with the stiffened vertical framework of the caudal fin and some sort of filling or padding in the part of the tail that lacked legs, would the regular up and down movement of the flippers cause a rush of water in your wake that might move the caudal fin back and forth like a fish? Or is that physically impossible? Would extending the length of the legless part of the tail improve that kind of motion (i.e. make it look more realistic) without generating so much force from your kick, or would it be better to use a shorter tail to get the full brunt of the water stream? Either way, I thought it wouldn't require you to try wiggling your body back and forth but to swim naturally while still giving the appearance of a fish-tail... or some other kinds of tail (leafy sea dragon or eel perhaps, or even a ray-like costume, for instance).

  17. #17
    Oh, and my one concern about the vertical monofin and spear thing is that I can't find the guy's stuff online at all, except for that one video and a bunch of patent records for it... so is he just not making them? Is there something bogging down the patent? Is he really awful at keeping a working website? Where would one go for something like that?

  18. #18
    I did try swimming by wiggling my legs back and forth the other day at the pool, and while it was tiring since I wasn't used to moving like that, it didn't feel uncomfortable... I obviously didn't have fins on to propel me through the water, though, so I didn't move anywhere.

  19. #19
    Moderator Pod of Cali Mermaid Wesley's Avatar
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    yeah i was a swimmer and the problem would be the movement. you would have to use your hips and there would be LOTS of drag since we arent meant to swim like that. I wouldnt look very good either since your knees cant move sideways.... but it would be cool if it worked!

  20. #20
    Senior Member Chesapeake Pod Nyx's Avatar
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    I actually was able to swim like this
    sort of ish
    I was messing around in the pool and trying to swim like a shark and I used more of my upper torso (shoulders to hips) to move.
    Never as fast as the dolphin kick, and it gets tiring after a while, aaannndd it looks kind of awkward at times.
    But for effect it's not entirely impossible in my opinion!

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