Page 95 - Q02-2021_Fins-Magazine

HISTORY

OF THE

MONOFIN

BY: MERMAID RIA ©2021 BY MERMAID RIA

The monofin. A staple in many you as you swim through the The beginning of the
merfolk’s grottos. Either being water. Some monofins, such monofin.
inserted in a tail or being worn as the Finis Shooter—a popular Now, the monofin didn’t just
separately, monofins have monofin for experienced come into being designed
become a major tool in the swimmers—are designed like the monofin we love and
art of mermaiding around the for perfecting the dolphin use in the merfolk community by Unitex in the 1960s. Claiming the monofin today had little or
globe. kick and used for speed. On today. It has gone through After creating the design, he to be a “self-propelled inner no awareness of each other’s
the other hand, monofins mass-produced his invention space vehicle,” the Aqua-naut existence and goals for their
In mermaiding, whether engineered by mermaid tail various progressions and in 1929 and gained access to allowed its user to swim in the created devices.
remakes, with the first-ever
you do it recreationally or makers specifically for fabric monofin being under some mass production in the United water up to 5.5 knots and have
professionally, the monofin is or silicone tails are more disagreement. But from our States. three times the propulsion All we can say is that each was
a vital tool in enabling you to designed for fluidity and research, one of the first known of a powerful fin swimmer. a passionate person within
swim through the water with creating a realistic mermaid recorded models is recorded The other person who is said It was said to be used for their field, with an extensive
ease, speed and as realistically appearance in the water. as far back as the 1910s. to have constructed one of freediving, scuba diving or background in underwater
as possible. the world’s first monofins is recreational swimming and activities, striving to create a
Parts of a monofin? One of the first attempts at Kurt Schaefer, an underwater could aid in maneuverability tool that would benefit those
Regardless of which company constructing a monofin was photographer. He invented for underwater photography, who wished to spend time in
produced it, a monofin will made by Louis de Corlieu, a not just their version of the underwater research, the water.
have two main parts: the blade member of the French Navy monofin but an underwater inspection and repair of ships
and the foot pocket. who demonstrated his first film camera during wartime and submarines and much Now when you go to pick up
prototype to navy officers in military service in Italy. more! your monofin to take it out for
The blade provides you with 1914. He left the Navy in 1924 to Schaefer’s monofin was a mermaiding session, know
propulsion through the water. devote himself to his invention created by attaching two The Aqua-naut, to me, looks that there is a history that
Depending on the brand, and went on to patent his standard fins together with like some ride on a minuscule stretches back over 100 years.
monofins can be made with monofin design in 1933. After straps and a cord in 1949. underwater seaplane. It
a mermaid aesthetic for creating his own model, he His creation can be found was able to be propelled by The creation and continued
realism. The foot pockets, was asked by the director of in the Aquazoo-Löbbecke bending the knees slightly development of a product that
which you slide your feet into the Pontoise swimming pool Museum in the German city of and then briskly kicking back. has made, and will continue
so that you’re secure, give to create a new model, which Düsseldorf. It was more of a device to be to make, countless merfolks
you ultimate control over the was named the “dolphin.” “ridden,” like a bike, whereas dreams a reality. If you’re
monofin’s performance. This particular model was From there until the 1970s, the monofin we know today purely a monofin wearer or
not designed for competitive the monofin had various is designed to be worn. An don a fabric or silicone tail
What materials are used swimming but for “underwater alterations and various interesting device, the Aqua- in the water, the monofin is
to make a monofin? ballets,” aiming to attract the concepts constructed by naut’s longevity was shortlived. something all merfolk use
A monofin can be made of a public’s attention to this new people worldwide, some of In contrast, its smaller and far for propulsion, fluidity and
variety of materials. Some are underwater accessory. which many well-known easier to operate counterpart aesthetic. So to that I say:
made from glass fiber, carbon monofins today are derived has lived on to be a staple happy swimming beautiful
What is a monofin? fiber, aluminum, rubber or With his patented monofin, from and some that never saw with swimmers, freedivers and merfolk!
In very basic terms, a monofin is silicone. Depending on the he also included two spoon- production. merfolk alike.
shaped fins for the hands
a type of flipper that you insert swimmer’s ability—including (what we would use today Another very short-lived The archives of the internet
both feet into that provides muscle power, swimming for training as hand paddles). device in the underwater and online documents can’t
propulsion when you dolphin style, and type of aquatic He called this equipment community—but was inspired tell us definitively who was
kick in the water. Depending activity they are doing—will “Propulseaurs de natation et by the propulsion and ease in the first known creator of the
on the tail maker or brand of dictate the size, stiffness and de sauvetage,” which loosely the water from the monofin— monofin. Pre-1970 contributors
monofin you have purchased, materials best suited to their translates to “swimming and was a device called the Aqua- to the development and
it will vary in the power it gives needs. rescue impulse device.” naut, later called the Aqueon creation of what we know as

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