That is one cool volleyball net! A couple of weeks ago I looked at pool volleyball net options and didn't see anything I liked. I didn't see this but I was looking for something that didn't require sleeves since I don't have them. I ended up making a floating net out of PVC and foam pool noodles. Sorry I don't have pictures of it with me but it's fairly easy to visualize so I'll try to describe it.
I used six pool noodles to float the net. The 4' noodles with a hole in the middle (Wal-Mart, less than $2 each) will fit right over 1/2" PVC pipe. There are two on each side that are a couple of inches from the sides of the pool and two on a run of PVC that goes across the pool (think big "H".) Since PVC comes in 10' pieces, I used one piece for each side cut in half. You could cut it to the same length as the noodle but it makes it easier to connect/disconnect it if you don't and I didn't want to glue it so it would come apart for easier storage. I have caps on the ends and they connect in the middle to a 4-way PVC cross. Three 90 degree PVC elbows are connected to the part of the cross that points down so it will point across the pool for the PVC run under the net. I did it this way because I couldn't find a PVC connector that did exactly what I wanted and all the elbows makes the run across the pool the same height as the sides (all parts with a noodle float at the same level.) The run across the pool is two equal pieces connected in the middle with a 1/2" PVC coupling.
From the top of the cross is a 1-1/2" to 1/2" reducer coupling so I could use 1-1/2" PVC to hold the net. At the top of the 1-1/2" PVC uprights I put on a cap, drilled a hole, and installed a small eye bolt. To each eye bolt I put on two removable connectors. I'm not sure the name of these but at Home Depot they are in the area where you buy cable by the foot and cable fittings (annoying sold in a 3-pack.) They're a bit like a small carabiner except rectangular in shape with rounded corners and instead of a spring loaded opening, there's a nut that screws one way to expose the opening and back to close. I used this instead of a carabiner because they were smaller than the smallest carabiners I saw. Anyway, one for the cable run that holds the net, one for a rope to a stake to hold the net taut. At Home Depot I bought the thinnest, coated cable they sell to span the uprights to hold the net. Measured to exactly fit my frame and just enough extra to make small loops on the end. The net was the trickiest part. I bought a standard net with plans to cut it to size but after I streched it out and looked at how it was constructed I realize the whole works would come apart as soon as I put scissors to it. In the end I went back to Home Depot and bought a roll of the orange security fencing you see around construction sites. It comes in 100' rolls so I also have a few "reserve" nets. I cut a piece to size and weaved the cable through the top. The last loop on each side was put into the carabiner-like-whatever-you-call-it to hold it from moving. I'm not sure how best to connect it to the sides. For now I used a nylon cable tie near the bottom and since that worked fine, I may just stick with that.
Wow! It took me longer to describe it than it did to make it. One nice thing about making my own is it fits my pool perfectly. This past weekend we used it for the first time and I'm happy to say it worked great. A side came apart a couple of times but it was no big deal to just put it back together. I could drill a hole and put in some type of cotter pin that would keep it from coming part when in use but still allow me to take it apart for storage but since it never happened in the middle of play, it's not a problem I feel I need to fix. Where the net was connected at the bottom with nylon ties the net streched a little but didn't break. If that loop would have broken, I would have just reconnected it at the next loop. The net held up a lot better than I expected. Based on this first use, I'm sure I'll get all summer from this net. When do I have to replace it I'll cut the next piece a foot longer. The extra slack will absorb some of the ball impact but since the top will be taut, the extra won't really effect play. As is, most of the ball impact is absorbed by the floating, movable nature of the net. If not staked, the net drifts in the pool and the top isn't straight. On one end I stake in into a garden, on the other end it's tied to the foot of a heavy chair since there's no where to put a stake on that end. I wasn't sure how high out of the water it should be so I made it either 3' or 3-1/2'. I can easily make it taller by inserting an extra piece of PVC but for us this height worked fine.
I had a few concerns, none of which were a problem. The first was water filling the PVC. That's why I put caps on the ends. It did fill with water and it wasn't a problem. I think six noodles could float a house. I would still use the caps just because they clean up the ends. I was also concerned about it being top heavy, that's why I used thin cable and the smallest connectors I could find. Also not a problem. The four noodles on the sides running five feet from the net keeps it plenty stable and balanced. The fencing I used for a net is very light weight, too. The weak link is the 1/2" PCV piece that connects the cross to the reducer coupling. Pressure put on this piece by a direct hit to an upright is relieved by the whole frame's ability to move in the water. After the first use it looks no worse for wear. If it would have broken, I had a spare ready to go in. If it becomes a problem, I'll look for a wooden dowel or similar to fit inside the PVC for added strength.
All in, a couple of hours cutting PVC, maybe $35 in parts, plus another $25 for a lifetime supply of net. I'll see if anyone got a picture of the net this weekend. If not, I'll try to take one as soon as I can.
