Minimum Depth for Jumping?

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crek31

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Jun 28, 2009
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Wondering if there is a table or formula or something showing safe heights to jump into "x" depth of water. A neighbor has an above ground pool that I'm guessing has 45" of water depth. He has a platform up in a tree above the pool that is approximately nine feet off the ground. His kids and other neighbors do jump (NOT dive) into the pool from there. I am having a hard time giving my kids the green light on it. Does not help that less than a year ago a friend became paralyzed from the chest down in an AG pool accident but in fairness his was more of a "freak accident" that I don't even know the details on other than he "hit wrong" doing something he had "done a hundred times before." EDITING to add: I *think* he was jumping in or falling backward purposefully off the ladder -- not positive though. I do know it was not as blatantly risky as jumping off a platform.

So … is there some formula showing what depth is necessary from what height? Thanks in advance!
 
I stubbed my toe pretty bad last year jumping from the deck in to my 4 ft deep pool because I accidentally pointed my foot downward. Maybe if they do a cannonball they will displace enough water to slow down but if they are jumping straight in feet first they can most definitely hit hard enough to break a toe or ankle if they land wrong. Sounds like a lawsuit just waiting to happen and if there is his insurance company will rake him over the coals over that.

But I am neither a doctor nor a lawyer. I just know that everything in my mind says that it is a very bad idea.
 
Okay, so I'm not being a wimpy helicopter mom (for once). It does seem like there should be a formula or something where if the weight, height, and depth are known something would say "safe" or "not safe." Maybe I should have posted in the Under Construction section -- pool builders must have some equation to know what depths are needed for dive rocks, diving boards, etc. Thank you all for the sanity check -- I will stick to my guns on this one!
 

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I searched quite a bit, but no definifitive documents on line can be found. But, there were several dealing with 3 meter diving wells. You said the platform is at 9 feet, which is just a little shy of 3 meters. For platform diving from 3 meters a 14 foot minimum depth is required. I don't think a 4 foot deep AG is going to cut it, even if they are jumping in feet first.
 
I went digging too and could not find anything relevant {likely saw the same things Tim did and some that talk about cliff diving :D}

The absolute minimum for a 2' diving board is 8'
Plus the 9' platform at 14' depth.

In this case the platform is 5' above water level ... so about 11' might be needed for diving and I would want at least 8' for jumping feet first and you could still hit the bottom.
 
There is such a formula and a someone working in physics could probably recite it to you...force x motion x speed etc. That person is not me.
I'm just the trauma nurse whose taken care of a lot of broken bodies from water mishaps.
With what you are describing- I predict working ankles, tibulas, fibulas and perhaps a vertebrae (and potentially worse things) may be offered up in sacrifice to Mr. Mayhem....
 

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Our deep end is only 6' and I am already paranoid at the thought of anyone jumping in and hitting bottom. There is no way I would let my kids do that - and this guy is much more of a gambler than I would be. I have great insurance in regards to the pool, but I am not going to invite people to use it.
 
Somehow four families have signed off on it for their kids. We are the lone dissenters. I am okay with that and, actually, my kids are too. The surprise, however, is one mom is an EMT or might even be a nurse -- when I saw her kid jumping I told kid she needs to go ask her mom. Mom said "fine with me." I guess I am taking kid's word for it - maybe I should talk to that mom to be sure she has seen it and not just had it described by her kid.

And, I do have to admit that it sounds like a lot of fun from our side of the fence -- probably right up until it isn't :(
 
I tell my kids that there is no type of jumping/diving from anything at all into the pool (24'AG) I don't want excess water to get out and do not want to run the risk of the pool was getting out of round (any type of buckling).

No vote as well
 
Two comments:

1) From a personal safety standpoint - no. I don't like jumping into my 48" pool from deck (water) level - I do it very occasionally - like when the hose comes off the vacuum head.

2) From a equipment safety standpoint. My grandparents had a ABG. They got rid of it when the side ruptured and it turned their driveway into a river. Apparently my aunt was having a party, and people were jumping off the garage roof into the pool and it blew out the side.


-dave
 
No way in heck would I even think this were safe. And the time my step son mentioned jumping off the garage roof into my pool, He was told he'd never swim in it if he did. Of course he was joking but some morons aren't.

I do wonder if the insurance company knows about your neighbor's 9ft jumping platform into 45" of water. I bet you they'd cut him loose if they did. I couldn't imagine them being completely fine with it when some insurance companies have a cow over diving boards in 8ft+ pools.
 

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