Fin Pivot - Tips and Tricks

Fin Pivot is the first buoyancy skill that a student diver would learn and experience. It builds the solid foundation of scuba diving as every diver would know that buoyancy is the most important skill that a diver need to have to enjoy diving. Thus, divers should not neglect this skill!

This skill will help diver to learn how to control their breath and the amount of air to input into their BCD so as to achieve neutral buoyancy. 

When to use this skill:

- when a diver want to take a photo on a relatively flat surface, fin pivot helps to have a point of support

- when stopping to observe something or waiting at a shallow depth, so as not to be affected by the swells

Some points and preparation

Divers should practice regulator to snorkel exchange at the shallow end - this helps to coordinate the clearing regulator techniques and prevent panic when doing fin pivot.

Patience is key to this skill as buoyancy takes time to work - buoyancy do not work immediately after you inhale or exhale. It takes awhile for your expanded or collapsed lung to work, so be patient!

Divers should not be over-weighted as it would mean that more air / breath is required to achieve neutral buoyancy.

Visualisation [whereby you close your eyes and mentally going through the things / steps that you are suppose to do - as though you are looking through your own eyes and not from a third party perspective] helps tremendously!

Fin Pivot - Power inflator method

Step 1: Deflate BCD fully and lie flat on the ground, facing down. Equalise your ears as this skill should be done at the deep end of the pool. Hold the power inflator mechanism in your hand, with the thumb on the inflate button. 

Step 2: Lock your knees and straighten your body. Hands position in front of you, with the fore arm one on top of the other. (this would help to prevent using of hands to push off) - imagine a genie's hand position when coming out of the lamp.

Step 3: Breath in and out (at least 70% to 80% of your lungs filled - considering a normal breath to be 50%) while lying face down. 

*note: if the diver is correctly weighted, there is no need to inflate the BCD as the inflated lungs would be able help the diver achieve neutral buoyancy

*note: DO NOT hold your breath! breathe in and out SLOWLY!

Step 4: if nothing happens after breathing according to step 3, inflate your BCD slightly by pressing the inflate button once. wait for 5 secs and breath according to step 3.

*note: DO NOT press and hold the inflate button as too much air would inflate your BCD and cause the diver to be over positively buoyant.

*note: If diver ascends to the surface (overly positive), deflate the BCD completely and restart from beginning

Step 5: once neutrally buoyant and knees locked, the diver would pivot at the fin tips. When breathing in, the lung expands, and the diver will ascend slightly. When breathing out, the lung collapse, and the diver will descend slightly.

*note: Diver's body position should be at least 20 to 30 cm above the ground and fin tips should always touch the ground.

Fin Pivot - Oral infation method

Step 1: Deflate BCD fully and lie flat on the ground, facing down. Equalise your ears as this skill should be done at the deep end of the pool. Hold the power inflator mechanism in your hand, with the fingers on the DEFLATE button and your palm covering the hole of the power inflator mechanism.

*note: different models of power inflator mechanism will have different means to cover the hole (or of there is one in the first place)

Step 2: Lock your knees and straighten your body. Hands position in front of you, with the fore arm one on top of the other. (this would help to prevent using of hands to push off) - imagine a genie's hand position when coming out of the lamp.

Step 3: Breath in and out (at least 70% to 80% of your lungs filled - considering a normal breath to be 50%) while lying face down. 

*note: if the diver is correctly weighted, there is no need to inflate the BCD as the inflated lungs would be able help the diver achieve neutral buoyancy

*note: DO NOT hold your breath! breathe in and out SLOWLY!

Step 4: if nothing happens after breathing according to step 3, inflate your BCD slightly by orally inflating the BCD and clear your regulator after putting it back into your mouth but before you take a breath in. wait for 5 secs and breath according to step 3.

*note: DO NOT breathe in too much air into your BCD as you will become overly positive. Give a slight breath and remember to always bubble out when the regulator is not in your mouth.

*note: If diver ascends to the surface (overly positive), deflate the BCD completely and restart from beginning

Step 5: once neutrally buoyant and knees locked, the diver would pivot at the fin tips. When breathing in, the lung expands, and the diver will ascend slightly. When breathing out, the lung collapse, and the diver will descend slightly.

*note: Diver's body position should be at least 20 to 30 cm above the ground and fin tips should always touch the ground.

Below is the video to show you a visual image of the Fin Pivot Skill!

Common Mistakes

1. Over-inflating resulting in positive buoyancy and ascent to surface.

Remedy: DO NOT press the inflate button too long as too much air will be put into your BCD. Also, DO NOT orally inflate too much. patience is the key to this skill as it takes time for buoyancy to happen. Many student divers may be impatient that instead of giving time, they inflate the BCD once more and thus over inflate.

2. Oral inflation - bubbles escape into the water instead of into the BCD.

Remedy: it is either the deflate button is not properly pressed or the diver did not cover the hole of the power inflator mechanism. It is important to practice orally inflating your BCD on land so that you understand what is involved when you are performing the skill underwater.

3. Knees are bent and thus diver is pivot at the knee caps and instead of the fin tips.

Remedy: Lock your knees and stiffen your body! spread your feet slightly wider than your shoulder width so as to achieve more stability when performing the skill.

Remember that buoyancy control is really important for any diver to enjoy their dives and fin pivot is the first thing that divers can learn to practice controlling their buoyancy. It takes a few dives to fully practice and master the buoyancy control. Thus, please do not feel down and give up easily when you find it tough to control your buoyancy. 

Buoyancy is a topic which there are many many points to note and work on. But we shall leave it to next time!

Hope everyone enjoyed the read on fin pivot! =)

Dive Safe,

Lionel

Mask Clearing - Tips and Tricks

Mask Clearing is one of most important skills when it comes to diving. However, there are some who have big trouble performing the mask clearing skill properly. 

It could be due to a fear of not being able to see anything underwater, or a case of cold water sensation on the face whereby the diver panics and forgets to breathe using only their mouth and inhales water through their nose. All these issues can be curbed with constant practice and calming one's nerves.

For this post, DiveRACE will be discussing some of the common problems about mask clearing and what to take note when doing the skill.

Some points and preparation

Coordination is important! Especially for nose and mouth breathing coordination.

Visualisation [whereby you close your eyes and mentally going through the things / steps that you are suppose to do - as though you are looking through your own eyes and not from a third party perspective] helps tremendously!

Put on your regulator and leave your mask aside and learn to breathe without your mask first! those first few breaths underwater without your mask will help you prepare when you have to remove and replace the mask underwater.

Half Mask Flood

Step 1: breathe in and out slowly to calm yourself first. 

Step 2: look downwards at a 45 degree angle and slightly open the top skirt of your mask. allow water to fill about half of your mask (around eye level) and seal back the mask skirt.

Step 3: concentrate on breathing in and out via your mouth. take in a breathe using your mouth and move to step 4 immediately [do not hold your breath]

Step 4: look upwards at a 45 degrees angle and slightly open the bottom skirt of your mask and breathe out via your nose at the same time.

*note: give a good and slow outward blow via your nose so as to clear the mask properly, instead of a fast and hard blow.

*note: if you require more than one breathe, do not panic. seal back the mask skirt and repeat step 3 and 4.

Step 5: Once the mask has been clear of water, replace and seal the bottom of the mask skirt.

Full Mask Flood

Step 1: breathe in and out slowly to calm yourself first. 

Step 2: Pull the mask away from your face so that the whole mask is filled with water.

*note: cold water / loss of ability to see may cause panic. Diver should prepare of the cold water on face sensation.

Step 3: concentrate on breathing in and out via your mouth. take in a breathe using your mouth and move to step 4 immediately [do not hold your breath]

Step 4: look upwards at a 45 degrees angle and slightly open the bottom skirt of your mask and breathe out via your nose at the same time.

*note: give a good and slow outward blow via your nose so as to clear the mask properly, instead of a fast and hard blow.

*note: if you require more than one breathe, do not panic. seal back the mask skirt and repeat step 3 and 4.

Step 5: Once the mask has been clear of water, replace and seal the bottom of the mask skirt.

Mask Removal and Replacement

Step 1: breathe in and out slowly to calm yourself first. 

Step 2: Remove the mask strap from the back of your head first, keeping the mask frame still in place. Once done, remove the mask from your face and hold it in your hand.

Step 3: Take a few breaths (using only your mouth!) and relax.

Step 4: Before replacing your mask, feel your mask and nose pocket to ensure that the mask is in a correct position. Put the mask strap in front of the mask frame (this is so that when you place the mask on your face, nothing is obstructing)

Step 5: Sweep your fringe away and place the mask frame back onto the face. Pull the mask strap to the back of your head.

*note: If fringe is caught in the mask, it will cause the mask to flood!

*note: ensure that the nose pocket is covering your nose properly. the nose should not be squashed!

Step 6: concentrate on breathing in and out via your mouth. take in a breathe using your mouth and move to step 4 immediately [do not hold your breath]

Step 7: look upwards at a 45 degrees angle and slightly open the bottom skirt of your mask and breathe out via your nose at the same time.

*note: give a good and slow outward blow via your nose so as to clear the mask properly, instead of a fast and hard blow.

*note: if you require more than one breathe, do not panic. seal back the mask skirt and repeat step 3 and 4.

Step 8: Once the mask has been clear of water, replace and seal the bottom of the mask skirt.

Common Mistakes

1. Opening bottom of mask skirt too wide - allowing more water to enter the mask

Remedy: Just need to open the mask skirt slightly, roughly one finger thickness would be sufficient.

2. Nose is outside of nose pocket, thus allowing air to escape and not forcing the water out

Remedy: Diver must take note of the position of the nose pocket / mask. Some tend to place the mask too high and thus do not cover the nose properly. Also, do not open the mask too wide.

3. Diver uses mouth to expel water in mask instead of the nose - this does not help as the air escapes in the open and not directly into the mask.

Remedy: Diver have to concentrate and practice breathing in via the mouth and out via the nose for a few times (10 times continuously before entering the water). They have to prepare and take in a hard breath via the mouth and breathe out hard via the nose. Using this exertive method, it helps the diver to control their muscles better.

Do remember that practice makes perfect! Keep practicing mask clearing whenever you get the chance and do not shun it. The more you practice, the easier it would become. Also, you can try mask clearing in different position and practice your buoyancy control too!

Everyone can refer to our website which links to a video, showing an instructor performing a mask clearing skill. (you can click on full / partial or remove in our website under Open Water Course, located at the bottom of the page)

Hope this read about mask clearing has been good and helpful!

Dive Safe!

Lionel