Slope for inground pool from 3 to 6 feet--thoughts?

[ponygirl]

We have chosen to go with a 42x30x20 foot vinyl lagoon pool. We were unaware until recently 48 inch walls were an option so we're probably going to stick with the 42 inch. I'm not super excited about 3 feet of water, but it will benefit our preteen daughters one of whom may not even see 5 feet tall when grown.

My question: Is it better to have a very gradual slope or a steep slope? The pb said we can play with the slope and stretch it from the usual 3 feet of length for every 1 foot of drop. I do NOT want 18+ feet of 3 foot depth nor do I want a massive amount of 6 foot depth. A neighbor with a pool said it is better to go with a very steep slope since gradual slopes are useless, but I know how slippery vinyl slopes are so I'm not keen on that. I don't see how a gradual slope is useless, but having never owned an IGP I'm not sure what to do.

 

[YippeeSkippy]

3 feet of water is pretty worthless to me. All my grandbabies float around in the deep end on pool noodles, floats, in vests, etc as much as hanging out in the shallow end. No better option to get a deeper shallow end?

 

[JohnT]

Steep slopes are very dangerous. A pool builder who would build one is suspect at best. The 3-1 is to protect people from being pulled into deep water.

 

[pooldv]

Agree. The 3-1/2 isn't good either. My next pool will be 4x5x4. 6 isn't good either because nobody but LeBron can stand up in that and it still really isn't deep enough to dive.

 

[ponygirl]

I'm waiting to hear back from the pb. He's out of town at a funeral and will talk to us tomorrow or Monday. I'm ok with 3 1/2 feet of water depth for shallow and much prefer that to 36 inches which, I agree, is worthless. My older daughter is only 54 inches with some sensory issues and struggles a little in my friend's AGP with 48 inches of water. She's very clumsy, has coordination issues and as I said above isn't likely going to see 5 feet tall.

I was told the standard slope is 3 to 1. Anyone have a more gradual slope? I'd love to double that to 6 to 1 since we have the space. We waivered between 5.5 and 6 feet of water depth and everyone tells us 6 feet is best for adults and kids to jump into. I'm 5'6"and husband 5'8". We do have some taller friends. Is 5 feet in the "deep end" a waste?

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And one benefit I guess is if the kids are all on floats in the deep end, I can be in the shallow end on a float and not be splashed. I float, my husband swims.

 

[pooldv]

I love our 5'. Deep enough for cannonballs and swimming yet most folks can stand up there.

 

[eostrike]

Ours is 3 1/2 to 8 and we love it. I think everyone has different taste on what works best for them.


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[ponygirl]

The option to increase the sidewalls from 42 inches to 48 inches is $3k. We visited the pool of a nice neighbor with the 42 inch side walls today and talked to our pb. As long as 1/3 of the 42 foot long pool isn't shallow end, I think we'll be happy with it.

 

[Titan7]

We are exactly 17 1/2" Baja shelf that's 9ft long from the coping, then 3ft, 4" deep off the edge of the Baja shelf and transitions to 5 1/2 ft deep over the next 24 feet of length, pool is 33ft long. Wife is 5',3" and she did not want 4ft deep in the shallow end. I am just under 6',3". I wanted to be able stand in the deep end with nose and eyes above water. Originally wanted 6 foot but can't dive until 8-9 ft. so why go 6ft. We have no kids, this is a resort type lounging pool. YMMV.

 

[mickmurph]

The option to increase the sidewalls from 42 inches to 48 inches is $3k. We visited the pool of a nice neighbor with the 42 inch side walls today and talked to our pb. As long as 1/3 of the 42 foot long pool isn't shallow end, I think we'll be happy with it.

Did you end up going with 42” in your shallow end? We are in the same boat and are trying to figure out what to do.

 

[Titan7]

42”