Hopefully we will have a dig date soon. We have in our contract for a sport pool - 3 1/2', 5 1/2', 3 1/2'. After swimming in a friend's pool recently, we are second-guessing our plan to get a sport pool. Does anyone regret getting one and not going with a traditional deep-end pool?
Sport Pool - Anyone Regret?
- Thread starter 1Kristy1
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We have the best of both worlds: a true L shaped pool. We have the sport pool which is 48" and the other side of the L is the deep-end which is 8' with a diving board.
I went with a psuedo sports pool. My shallow end is 3.5' or so deep and the traditional deep end is 5'. I did this based on my pool builders suggestion that people who are new may will dive in from the shallow end, towards the deep end (as is customary) but the deep end is only 3.5' deep. THis still allows us to use 100% of the pool and still dive, cannon ball etc.
I didn't go with a deep end because aside from diving, no one uses it. Everyone hangs in the shallow end.
I didn't go with a deep end because aside from diving, no one uses it. Everyone hangs in the shallow end.
I don't "dive in", but I like having a deep end to swim around in.
Plus, playing games from the deep end is better exercise.
Plus, it's a good way to even mismatched players, by putting better one(s) in deep water.
You can reason and rationalize all day long about the pros and cons, and the best you'll come up with is still a compromise of some sort.
Plus, playing games from the deep end is better exercise.
Plus, it's a good way to even mismatched players, by putting better one(s) in deep water.
You can reason and rationalize all day long about the pros and cons, and the best you'll come up with is still a compromise of some sort.
Does the term "sport pool" mean that the "deep" end is in the middle?
Or that there is no "deep" end?
IMHO, more important than where the "deep end" is, is really, how deep is it?
Obviously, the age of the users and expected activities are the critical factors. Our deep end is 6', and if I had it to do over again, I might would drop it to 5.5'. So far our activities just don't lend themselves to hanging out where we can't touch bottom.
Then again, a little deep water may help you maintain cooler temps? Which may or may not be a good thing.
Good luck!
Or that there is no "deep" end?
IMHO, more important than where the "deep end" is, is really, how deep is it?
Obviously, the age of the users and expected activities are the critical factors. Our deep end is 6', and if I had it to do over again, I might would drop it to 5.5'. So far our activities just don't lend themselves to hanging out where we can't touch bottom.
Then again, a little deep water may help you maintain cooler temps? Which may or may not be a good thing.
Good luck!
We love our sport pool because the whole pool is usable. Ours is 3.5 at the steps, then 4-5-4. If the kids arent playing volleyball or basketball, they're beaning each other with splashballs from anywhere within. I don't regret it for a second. Plus, not having the deep end helps the pool heat more quickly during the months we heat.
Ours is 4' on the ends and 5' in the middle. Plenty deep enough to swim around, but no deep diving. Perfect for water volleyball, floating with a cool beverage or swimming laps.
Ours is 3.5 on one end, about 5 in the middle, and about 4 on the other end. I thought I would regret not getting a pool with a real "deep end", but I love the fact that the whole pool is usable. Especially when we have friends over, not everyone is crowded at one end.
Mine is 3 1/2' to 8', but I put two 4' long x 1' wide x 4' deep standing ledges on the back wall of the deep end so folks can hang out down there too. That way I don't have to learn how to tread water and drink beer at the same time...
too funny Belldiver (about treading water and beer)
that's what noodles are for....my husband always teases me about the noodles (they are just fun) and besides floating in the deep end the kids aren't on top of me (cuz' they are down at the shallow end) deep end is mommy area
chris
that's what noodles are for....my husband always teases me about the noodles (they are just fun) and besides floating in the deep end the kids aren't on top of me (cuz' they are down at the shallow end) deep end is mommy area
chris
Ours is 3-5-4. If I did it over again I'd probably deepen the 3 to 3.5 or 4 because when I swim certain strokes I tend to hit the bottom on that end. Before we built our pool we swam in several pools with deep ends and I noticed that we never hung out in the deep end. It's nice for doing deep diving games or for having a diving board, but not much use when you're just hanging around. The way I look at it, just because we built a pool does not mean we'll never swim in another pool again, so I didn't try to make it do everything. If we could have afforded a much larger pool then the ultimate would be to have both worlds
It's not an easy choice..like someone said, it's a compromise either way. I had a sport pool and loved it. We're in initial contracting stages now for a new build and are looking to get another sport pool that ranges from 3 1/2' to 5' in depth. I think a depth where everyone can reach bottom just makes the pool a little more usable across its entire dimenson, plus makes it a bit safer to boot I believe.
I do like diving and would like to have a deep end to dive into, but I think when comparing pros and cons, the sport pool wins out.
I do like diving and would like to have a deep end to dive into, but I think when comparing pros and cons, the sport pool wins out.
I have no kids at home, and I think everyone is different. If I had kids, probably a sport pool would make sense. I just moved from a house that had a pool that went to 5' . The pools at the gym I use are 4.5.. and for ME, after ten minutes I'm bored. I have a brother in law that has an 8 ft deep end and I have a blast diving deep and playing treasure hunter.. But thats just me. I always migrated to the deep end of pools. So the one I am installing now is a compromise of sorts and goes to 7'
We debated back and forth and ended up doing a shallow and deep 8'.
Now I can't imagine not having a deep end. In our case this is how it is used. When the kids are playing in the shallow were floating in the deep. When the kids get bored in the shallow they dive for rocks or play jumping in the water games in the deep. We still can play volleyball but the deependers either need to stradle noodles or tread...then at halftime we switch sides. The deep end makes games like Marco polo a little more challenging.
As you can see from the above posts everyone has different opinions so find which situation best applies and enjoy your decision!!
Now I can't imagine not having a deep end. In our case this is how it is used. When the kids are playing in the shallow were floating in the deep. When the kids get bored in the shallow they dive for rocks or play jumping in the water games in the deep. We still can play volleyball but the deependers either need to stradle noodles or tread...then at halftime we switch sides. The deep end makes games like Marco polo a little more challenging.
As you can see from the above posts everyone has different opinions so find which situation best applies and enjoy your decision!!
These posts are all rather old....anyone have a change of heart now that they have had their sports pool a number of years? I'm really struggling with this decision. I also lean toward a roman/Grecian design pool but my yard (drainage) might dictate a free form. Anyone have a free from sport pool? My kids are older between 11-20 so I tend to think a sports pool makes more sense.
I think you will find your whole pool gets used with sport depth, with a deep end, its dive in, swim around then out, also, that extra water from the deep end needs to be heated, just another thing to think about.
We are seriously leaning towards a sports pool as well, we have 2 middle school age girls so I am not as concerned with the lack of diving depth since they are already hitting the age of spending most of the time floating around in the sun. My wife really likes the idea since we kinda ruled out a sunning deck going with vinyl instead of fiberglass or gunite. The pool builder I have been talking with has never dug a sports depth so I am a little concerned but he has a good reputation otherwise but we have not ruled out GCing it ourselves.
You can get sunning decks with Vinyl and also tiled added in spots with Vinyl, walk in steps are common now for Vinyl pools.
We are looking at 18x36 rectangular with 8' roman steps at both ends to get the roman look, and likely a 8' sunledge on one side.
I was considering one, but everyone I talk to says their Kids like it for a little while, but then get bored. All the kids end up wanting to go to someone elses pool with a deep end.
I am still up in the air, but leaning towards a deep end with no Diving Board.
I am still up in the air, but leaning towards a deep end with no Diving Board.