Spierre Fins Initial Thoughts - by Prodigal Son

By Prodigal Son

Spierre fins-Initial thoughts

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My combined birthday/Father's Day gift was a pair of Spierre fins (kelp camo-Medium stiffness) to replace my old 20 Fathoms Matrix fins (#2 stiffness). I picked them up today from Erik Sun of Sumora. As usual, his service was great. He outfitted them with Picasso Black Team footpockets. The Spierre fins are about the same length as the Matrix fins, but are noticeably wider at the base (near the footpocket) and a little heavier. They also are angled blades. I just tried out the new fins in a pool. They're noticeably more powerful than my Matrix fins, and seemed more comfortable. Slow, gentle kicks propelled me underwater with less effort than before. The additional comfort may have been in part due to the footpocket since I was never comfortable with the Sporasubs on my Matrix fins. I can't determine yet whether the deeper angle on the fins makes a difference in surface swimming, but in the pool, it seemed like there was less strain on my ankles. My guess is that the Medium stiffness is the same as the Matrix #3 blades. I'm going halibut hunting this week (if the water conditions allow) to put these fins through their paces.

http://www.sumora.com/image.php?ID=1492

Croatian Amberjack

This 40kg amberjack was taken by Luka in Croatia while doing aspetto at 31Meters for Dentex. The size of the head was like a 50kg but it was a "skinny amberjack." Doesn't look too skinny to us!

Congratulations on a great fish.

Tai Menz New World Record

Tai Menz in New Jersey recently shot a Weakfish World Record with his Rabitech Apex Carbon 110cm fitted with open muzzle. Congratulations Tai for an All-Time World Record

http://iusarecords.com/world_record_list.php

5.34 kg., 11.77 lbs.

Weakfish, Gray Cynoscion regalis

New Spearfishing bags

We just produced Two of our very own Spearfishing bags - Speargun & Gear Bags

They hold a lot of gear!

Sumora Speargun Bag:

Holds up to 5 Railguns or 2-3 Wooden guns with pouches for spears, YKK Zipper for durability and Nylon outer.

Dive anywhere!

Sumora Dive Bag:

Holds a ton of gear - floats, fins, floatlines, mono, 200meters of dyneema.... you name it.

Two mesh outer pockets for wet storage, large interior breathable compartment, and two nylon for dry items.

South Africa National Results

Friday, May 8, 2009

SA Nationals - Individual's Results

Below are the individual results for the South African National spearfishing competition held on the Natal South Coast this week (5-8 May). We are happy to see how many of the top 25 divers are diving with Spierre fins, 5 of them placing in the top 10. 

Well done to Brod and Gyula for taking 1st and 2nd place.

		Day 1	Day 2	Total	%
1	Brod Whittaker	36.81	69.55	106.36	100%	Spierre Fins
2	Gyula Plaganyi	43.42	56.8	100.22	94.23%	Spierre Fins
3	James Lawson-Smith	38.8	55.95	94.75	89.08%
4	Adriaan Kriel	47.73	44.65	92.38	86.86%	Spierre Fins
5	Angelo Spada	39	48	87	81.80%
6	Craig Heslop	41.02	44.6	85.62	80.50%
7	Neil Barnard	46.58	35.6	82.18	77.27%	Spierre Fins
8	Fred Bester	35.66	39.7	75.36	70.85%	Spierre Fins
9	John Girzda	38.49	36.5	74.99	70.51%
10	Richard Bruno	38.17	28.85	67.02	63.01%
11	Graham Carlisle	39.74	25.5	65.24	61.34%
12	Renier Coetzee	32.82	29.7	62.52	58.78%
13	Jeremy Williams	23.27	38.8	62.07	58.36%
14	Robert Reynolds	25.76	35.3	61.06	57.41%
15	Andrew Henwwood	18.21	40	58.21	54.73%	Spierre Fins
16	Chris West	26.87	30.45	57.32	53.89%
17	Garrick Morris	22.61	34.7	57.31	53.88%
18	Brent Borstlap	41.73	14.8	56.53	53.15%	Spierre Fins
19	Tony Heugh	30.99	25.35	56.34	52.97%
20	Garret Staats	26.82	26.15	52.97	49.80%	Spierre Fins
21	Carl Werner	22.66	27.7	50.36	47.35%
22	Rob Willes	21.58	26.1	47.68	44.83%
23	Sean O'Connor	17.09	29.4	46.49	43.71%
24	Ian Ewing	22.72	23.65	46.37	43.60%	Spierre Fins
25	Chris Swart	21.15	23.9	45.05	42.36%	Spierre Fins
26	Rick de Vries	21.96	22.15	44.11	41.47%
27	Bartho Kotze	22.34	15.55	37.89	35.62%
28	Owen Huxtable	9.73	27	36.73	34.53%
29	Greg Bisset	23.45	11.85	35.3	33.19%
30	Simon Karsten	26.65	6.65	33.3	31.31%
31	Eugene van Wyngaardt	15.57	13.4	28.97	27.24%
32	Paul Putter	16.2	12.75	28.95	27.22%
33	Hylton Newcombe	10.17	16.2	26.37	24.79%
34	Trevor Burger	16.55	9.78	26.33	24.76%
35	Hardus Bouwer	5.74	18.85	24.59	23.12%
36	Darryl Hiscock	11.91	8.75	20.66	19.42%
37	Christo Vermeulen	16.41	4	20.41	19.19%
38	John Little	12.9	5.6	18.5	17.39%
39	Craig Burmeister	4.94	10.85	15.79	14.85%
40	Dane Salmon	2.77	12.5	15.27	14.36%
41	Glen van Ooten	2.42	12.55	14.97	14.07%
42	Dave Coetzee	3.1	11.2	14.3	13.44%
43	Terrance Bellingan	2.15	12	14.15	13.30%
44	Andrew Kallman	3.11	8.9	12.01	11.29%
45	Shane Strong	2.33	6.3	8.63	8.11%
46	Stuart Jardine	7.78	0	7.78	7.31%
47	S Aiken	6.55	0	6.55	6.16%
48	Fred Snyman	3.54	2.05	5.59	5.26%
49	Grant Teubes	2.41	2.6	5.01	4.71%
50	John Kallman	0	1.95	1.95	1.83%

TREK! 5/30-5/31 turnaround

The turn of a key, the touch of a button, and POOF! I was on my way to the rugged Sonoma coast in an instant. What did my eagerness stem from? What had overcome me? I had never felt it before.

It’s just that – in my ten years of diving, I’ve never heard the words “flat” and “calm” used in the same sentence to describe Northern California’s water. 

So began my one thousand mile trek for three shells. That’s right. Not even enough to count one for each finger on both hands, let alone one. 
THREE shells. That’s all we’re allowed to have in possession – or risk Jail time. 

Thoughts wandered through my head as the staccatos of the music blaring from the car stereo music deafened as I tried to tune out unwilling thoughts while I cruised up the I-5. It was just a few years ago that famous diver Randy Fry was horrifically decapitated diving for Abalone on the Norcal coast.

Three Abalones (underwater snails, really) that people gristle and gripe and groan, grind and steal and hurt and kill for. 

What was the big deal? 

I had to find out…

I left Saturday morning after meeting a friend in Hollywood for a quick breakfast. Then on my way to grocery shop, pack dinner and lunch for the next day, a stove, a tent, my dive gear, and nothing else in search of three big Abs…
arriving to the campsite to set up and hear the bellows of the sea lions as I forced myself to sleep unwilling to think of the sealions as bait...

>>>
The next morning in search of a remote location I was greeted rudely by the pessimistic ocean. Even after a 45 minute hike with over 50 pounds of gear strapped to my back, and despite the calmness that resembled more a lake than the Pacific, my high hopes were popped as the milky green water said its first hellos. Plankton bloom. Everywhere. L I knew it would be near impossible to see past the stretch of one’s arm, a far cry from the endless visibility I was expecting due to the nonexistent swell. 

Regardless, my brow was now sweaty after traversing rocks, boulders, and slippery seaweed that near caused my early departure from this Earth…Hips sore, shoulders tired, my drenched-laden body couldn’t wait to douse itself in the chilly forty-eight degree water…


Here’s the pictures…

>>>
It was a great time…and who knows,

Maybe I’ll gristle and gripe and groan and…hold on. Let me get me a taste of some fresh abalone. 

-E

Tip over the cows!

Beautiful sunset
Going through the mountains is calming...
Rugged Sonoma Coastline...
No humongous abalone but 8 1/4" - 8 7/8"...fun for 3 foot visibility!

Spierre Pure Carbons

Deep is free.  Spierre.

National Geographic Photographer Fiona Ayerst photographing Spierre Diver w/ Pure Carbons

A shot I took in PV

The most important thing to bear in mind with our carbon blades is that although they may appear the same as any of the other carbons, they are manufactured from only carbon cloth throughout.  The majority of carbon fins in the market are constructed using one layer of carbon on the outside of the composite construction whereas the inside consists of multiple layers of fiberglass cloth.  By using pure carbon throughout the construction you are getting the maximum effect that carbon fiber can offer – superior return to original position, optimal memory etc.  Adding fiberglass to the inside diminishes on this as fiberglass has quite different properties to carbon fiber.

The carbon composites are not the same as the pure carbon blades and this becomes evident when diving deep.  The majority of divers purchasing our pure carbons are switching from other (well-known brands) of carbon blades, preferring the performance of our blades way above the blades they have been using.

 

Apart from the performance, the cost to manufacture a pure carbon blade using only carbon cloth throughout is obviously therefore close to double the cost of a normal carbon blade but we have chosen this route for one simple reason – to produce the very best blade possible.

  

Just out of interest, taken from the South African Spearfishing ranking website, the following is a list of the current top ranked SA divers using our pure carbons:

 

Gyula Plaganyi – ranked no. 1 (Captain)

James Lawson-Smith – ranked 2

Allen Fraser – ranked 4

Mark Jackson – ranked 5

Adriaan Kriel – ranked 7

Gareth Staats – ranked 9

Gletwyn Rubidge – ranked 10

 

As well as Springboks:

 

Tommy Botha – 12X National Champion

Jaco Blignaut – 5x National Champion

Erik Lombard

Ryan Burmeister

Marc White

Edward Hayman

Trevor Hutton – 2x World Freediving Record Holder 

And many more like

 

Rob Allen (RA spearguns)

 

Review from Distinguished fisherman/spearfisherman

"The biggest freedive tourney in the state is in April and Ive always wanted to win it so Im getting it prepped early. Competition is fierce but that’ll just make it that much more satisfying when we win.

Also, the band length section was not working on the site. I usually just measure the one I take off and come close but sometimes they are light probably due to stretching. Whats the proper length for double 16mms on a 110 and a 130? That 130cm Rabitech Carbon Apex is just the best damn gun. I now have some very expensive custom made guns in similar lengths with triple bands yada yada that I won in raffles (like the 130) but find myself grabbing the 130 before all of them when it really counts. Maybe just a comfort thing I dunno but that thing rocks."

Ed Walker, Florida (www.LightTackleCharters.com)

Have you gotten your Spierres?

Sumora Dive Tools - Exclusive USA Distributors of Spierre Carbon & Fiberglass Fins

Nice Coutas with Spierre Pure Carbons

Renowned photographer Fiona Ayerst takes shots of Diver using Spierre Pure Carbons

Florida's Ed Walker 2/15/2009

Here are some pictures from renowned fishing guide Captain Ed Walker at Light Tackle Charters

The last picture in the sequence is one of the coolest pictures I've seen in a long time.  Shot with Sumora Apex 130cm Carbon Fiber which he custom painted.   (Article below from 2005) shows Ed's creative talents both in the paint and writing of the article in Florida's Sun-Sentinel.

Ed and Cameron Kirkconnell

Ed with nice Amberjack and Sumora 7.5mm Spear shaft

New Pictures February 7, 2009

We're very lucky, proud, and grateful to work with top quality manufacturers: 

Spierre Fins, Rabitech Railguns, and Tommy Botha Tuna Line and our own Sumora Marsellaise Weightbelts & Spearshafts.

Here are some recent pictures.

Fat Cubera snapper w/ Spierre Pure Carbon Fins 

Pierre Liebenberg & Gang in South Africa shooting Yellowtails with Spierre Pure Carbon Fins used by entire South African national team

Albie with 30 pound Black Grouper shot with Rabitech Apex Carbon 110cm
Albie with Rabitech Apex Carbon getting ready to shoot Grouper
Ken in Lake Mojave w/ Rabitech fitted w/ Sliptip & Striper

Chris Oak from Los Angeles, California proudly showing personal best 24 pound Halibut

Shot with Rabitech Stealth 120cm x 7mm shaft...Congratulations Oak!

24# and 12# Hali

Some recent pictures.

Some Sheepshead

Rabitech Wetsuit, Octopus. Palos Verdes, CA
Big Female Sheepshead, Rabitech 100cm Carbon Stealth
View from Above
Alive

New South African Record Tropical Yellowtail

Craig Heslop shoots 110cm Stealth Carbon through 24kg Tropical Yellowtail.

Rabitech Stealth Testimonial

Spearo’:  Angelo Spada

 

Palm d’Or: South African national spearfisherman

                Represented Natal A on three occasions

                Represented Southern Gauteng A once

                Highest National placing - third

                Current Border Open Champion

 

Equipment used: Only Rabitech Stealth Carbon guns (from 60cm to 1.15m) – 5 in total

                               Rabitech Predator wetsuits (Elios suits for comps only)

                          Orca Carbonetic and Sporasub Pure fins

 

Rabitech Stealth Guns: I live 600km from the nearest salt water. This means that when I do dive competitively I do not have the luxury of missing fish. I also do not have the time to get used to a new gun.  From the moment I first held a Stealth, I knew this was the gun for me! I can honestly say that probably 80% of the fish I shoot I stone or spine. It is amazing some of the shots that I do pull off especially when you have no option but to try as you know the fish is going and will not return. Squeeze the trigger and the fish practically stops swimming as the spear enters near the tail and exits somewhere near the head! With guns I used to have I never even thought about taking the shot as I knew it would miss.

 

                          The balance of these guns is superb, with the angle the handle forms in your hand – just perfect – you point at the fish and fire, knowing the fish is yours. For fun I sometimes try ridiculous shots as a normal mid body shot is too easy! A favorite is shooting queen mackerel from the top. The target is extremely narrow but with the right gun, not too difficult to do.

 

                          These guns although pretty are not pretty euro guns. They can handle big fish. All the following fish were taken with one of my Stealth guns:

 

 

Garrick (Licia amia) 18.5 kg 

  

King Mackerel: 28.5kg – Where’s the spear hole????

  

8kg Yellowbelly Rockcod – Spain

 

Note – no spear mark as fish stoned outside its lair!

 

 

10kg Black Musselcracker and 4kg Natal Fingerfin

 

Note the lack of damage to these fish as they both were ‘switched off’

 

 

Other noteworthy fish:

 

Amberjack 19.5kg

Daga (Muloway) 34kg

Queenfish 13 kg (would have been a SA Record but never claimed)

Natal Stumpnose 6.2 kg

White Musselcracker 13 kg

Milkfish (Chanos chanos) 13 kg – the strongest fish I have landed

 

All these fish have been taken in Natal 

Mixed Fish Soup!

I was determined to try a new Sheepshead fish soup recipe so that was my prime target today. The visibility ranged from 10-30 feet with fantastic conditions diving from 11-2pm. 
Inside 15-25 ft the visibility was top to bottom no problem. 
Outer 40ft-45ft depth vis worsened and the kelp super thick.

Really nice dive!!!!!!

Ended up bagging: with plans to cook in parentheses
5 sheepshead (soup/ceviche)
5 Sargo (fried/baked)
1 Kelpfish (panfried)
1 Cabezon (steamed whole)
2 Octopi (tenderized and put into soup)


I need some help cutting onions so I was hoping someone would know: It doesn't matter if I wear glasses, ski goggles, or no glasses, my eyes water uncontrollably when cooking onions, even when I light a candle next to the cutting board. Does anybody have any tips... Just drink more wine??

(Yes I know it's ridiculous!)