Fins

Early era fin of unknown origin, possibly foreign military – Circa most likley early 50’s This pair of fins are unique in that they incorporate both a heel strap and a set of laces which seems somewhat odd since the boot pocket would be unlikely to cinch around the foot to a degree where the laces wouldn’t either stretch or tear […]

Navy Underwater Demolitions Teams “UDT” Fins – Circa post WWII throughout the 50’s-early 60’s During the inception of the U.S. Naval underwater warfare units, Strong swimmer, Frogmen, OSS-UDT and finally SEALs teams, the earliest days utilized Churchill style fins but shortly after WWII the Navy began looking for a more military grade “hardier-use” fin to stand up to the rigors of […]

Healthways “Web-Feet” Fins – Circa early to mid 50’s Yet another version of Healthways fin designs, very similar to the Waterdog style fin, the Web Feet were slightly softer and were perhaps more comfortable because of the pliable kick effect, however they would offer less power and were probably more effective and popular as a snorkeling or skin-diving fin.

Healthways Waterdog Fins – Circa early to mid 50’s The waterdog fins were a departure from some of the earliest fin types when the shape began to take on the more typical “fan-blade” style, and finally offered an adjustable style heel strap rather than the fixed size style making the fin more desirable to a broader number of foot sizes. The […]

Voit James Bond 007 Fin – 1965 In 1965 Voit was commissioned to supply all of the dive equipment for the James Bond “Thunderball” feature film. The now classic movie highlighted modern day scuba equipment in a way it had never been done before. Underwater battle scenes with virtual underwater armies of divers engaged in watery spear gun warfare, along with […]

Voit “Sea-Hawk” Fin – Circa 1960 A unique fin style, the Sea-Hawk was another design experiment of the times. Featuring a foot pocket style, with the blades extending up into mid-length of the foot pocket on either side thus widening and creating more blade surface. The Sea-hawk fin was only marketed in the Voit dive equipment catalogue one year in 1960.

Healthways “Webby’s Fins – Circa-early 50’s Webby’s are some of the most unusually designed fins there are. Harkening back to the very beginnings of skin and scuba diving, nearly all design concepts were worth testing as everything was virtually brand new within the infancy of the dive industry. By the early 50’s nearly everything fin-wise had shifted to the more standard […]

Owen Churchill Fin – 1937 to present The Churchill fin was the first commercially manufactured diving fin. Conceived and developed around 1937, the design was applied for U.S. patent in 1940 and was granted patent in 1943. In the early 50’s Voit-Swimaster began marketing the Churchill fin design via licensing agreement, both entities had their brand name embossed in relief on […]