Last minute depth decision...

[jtech1]

Getting ready to dig in a week or so... plan was to go from 3.5 to 5.5 depth over 46 feet of length. Now, at the last minute, we are worried that since we have so much length, we may regret not going to 8' depth and being able to add a jumping rock down the road... and even without the jumping rock, just making the deep end safer for jumping and diving from the side. Since we have 46' in length, based on code, from the deep end wall, we would be able to be back up to 4' depth (at 1 foot rise per 3 feet run) by 20.5 feet (must be 8' deep at 8.5 feet from deep wall, then 12 feet for slope). Giving us 25.5 feet of shallow end from 3.5 to 4' for sports and games.

Looking for feedback on whether 20.5 feet of shallow end is enough for sports... and whether this is the best way to take advantage of the length of pool we have, and not just be disappointed we have 46 feet of basically shallow end that would not be as useful, and possibly unsafe for kids jumping on the "deep" end.

Your feedback would be greatly appreciated!

 

[techguy]

Have you considered adding the "deep end" in the middle and having shallow ends at both ends? You could then do a sports pool with the net in the middle and shallow ends for playing. You could even do one end at 3.5 for the munchkins and a 5 at the other "shallow end" for the adults to stand and enjoy. the Little ones only stay little so long... once they are swimming confidently, shallow is less important.

Says the man with the 4 foot flat bottomed pool.

 

[Christian]

I would think 20.5 would be plenty of shallow end. Inevitably you're going to have kids wanting to jump and dive in and that's just not safe with a depth of 5.5 in my opinion. I'd go with the second plan you laid out above.

 

[bpricedo]

I think 25.5 feet would be plenty of shallow space.

 

[jtech1]

Thanks, guys!

I know a lot of people recommend 8' min for diving... we will never put in a board... possibly a diving/jumping stone at deck height... and just regular jumping/diving off deck.

Code says that a type I pool only needs 7'-6" at the deepest point... and I think that the code lumps jumping rocks into the same category as a diving board. But using logic here, it seems to me that jumping/diving from deck or deck level flat rock will be completely safe at the minimum 7'6" required by code, right? You don't get any spring or height and it is more outward than downward. So no need to go deeper unless you are using an elevated rock or diving board, right?

 

[bpricedo]

I would think 7'6" would be plenty deep for just jumping off the deck.

 

[jtech1]

bpricedo,

Thanks for your feedback. I notice in your tag line that you have French Gray Diamond Brite... exactly what we are going to use. Is there a thread on here with pic of your pool? Are you happy with it?

 

[Speedo]

Someday I will have an in-ground and when they day comes it will definitely be 8' deep!

 

[bpricedo]

I am just getting regular plaster in French gray color, no diamond brite. I am scheduled to get gunite tomorrow so I don't even have pics of any kind of plaster to show you. But i should soon!

We just liked the feel and look of regular plaster so went with that.

 

[jtech1]

Is french gray plaster the same shade as french gray diamondbrite?

speedo, just curious about why the 8ft? Are you planning on having a diving board?

 

[bpricedo]

I don't know that I have seen diamondbrite before. The PBs around here offer white or "lagoon" plaster standard. The lagoon shade is a dark, charcoal gray. It is very splotchy, streaky, mottled, etc with lots of color variation. I was worried that the water would be hot with this dark of plaster but the water color is very nice. Anyway, I spoke to the plasterer and he suggested the French gray, it is a "medium" gray and not as dark with more even coloring. Should make a nice water color as well.

 

[bobby1017]

I went 8', with a diving board in a 40' long pool. The kids spend most of their time jumping from it or the raised wall beside.

 

[brg88tx]

my pool is 36' long with a jump rock and our deep end is 7'

 

[jtech1]

Thanks!

I see a lot of people with jump rocks and less than 7'6" deep end... although my town goes by NSPI which states that any jump rock has the same requirements as a diving board... ie. Type I pool, min dept at 8'-6" from edge is 7'-6" deep.

I wonder if some areas don't use that standard... or if it is not a code requirement but instead a recommendation...

 

[jtech1]

OK. Thank you for all the feedback on this!

We are underway... total length is 47 ft. I drew it out to start at 3.5 in shallow end, and slope to 5 ft at 31 ft from shallow end wall. Very gradual slope... 6" per 10 ft. From there, it goes to 1:3 slope to 7.5 ft for deep end. This complies with what I read for Type I pool in ANSI/NSPI standard. We are only going to have a jumping rock. No diving board.

Here are my new questions, now that I see it in the hole...

1) My PB looks like he made the slope a little greater than 1:3... looks like about 1:2. It means there is more floor at 7.5 in the diving area (7.5 depth continues 2' further from the diving point than spec requires). I would think this would actually be safer... and since I already have 31 ft of shallow end, no-one would probably care about the sharp drop off. So, should I have them fix it since it is not 1:3 compliant, or leave it as is?

2) The ANSI/NSPI Type 1 pool spec says that jumping rocks follow the same guidelines as diving boards. So why do so many people have diving rocks with depths < 7.5 ft?