Deep End swim out water depth

[Mattlar0806]

Hey guys,

Back again for amazing advice.
My deep end swim out is a small 36x18 inch bench. The main purpose is for egress to the DB and slide entrance. PB wants me to do 18in water depth. So about 24 inches to TOC - to me that’s too high for my 6 and 4 year old to get in and out. I get it they won’t be kids forever but I would think anyone would have an easier time if the water depth is only 12 inches? PB says then you’d be “climbing up onto the bench which might be difficult for older people”. I didn’t quite understand this.

What would you guys suggest. 12 or 18 inches of water depth?

Thanks

 

[Newdude]

I went with 18 inch watet depth and it's akward to get out as adults.




However. For adults it's the perfect depth to use as a wet bench, and i wouldnt change it for anything. If it was higher it would be akward to get onto, instead of getting out. We aren't using it as an exit the bulk of the time and it does function as one if you occasionally want it to.

For kids, they're too resiliant to care. When I had a ladder on the other side at my last pool, they would climb out on their bellies half the time where my bench is now. The new bench would greatly help compared to the nothing they used to have there. It also doesn't necessarily have to be a 'stair'. Anyone stand on the bench, sit on the coping and then stand again.

A railing would help getting out, alot.

 

[Mattlar0806]

I went with 18 inch watet depth and it's akward to get out as adults.

View attachment 539791


However. For adults it's the perfect depth to use as a wet bench, and i wouldnt change it for anything. If it was higher it would be akward to get onto, instead of getting out. We aren't using it as an exit the bulk of the time and it does function as one if you occasionally want it to.

For kids, they're too resiliant to care. When I had a ladder on the other side at my last pool, they would climb out on their bellies half the time where my bench is now. The new bench would greatly help compared to the nothing they used to have there. It also doesn't necessarily have to be a 'stair'. Anyone stand on the bench, sit on the coping and then stand again.

A railing would help getting out, alot.

Awkward meaning difficult to get out as adults?

If so then I’m really leaning towards the 12in depth. It’s only 3ft long. So I don’t want to prioritize the sitting use case. This may be the only egress we have in the deep end

 

[Newdude]

Awkward meaning difficult to get out as adults?

Yes. With an 18 inch water depth it's a 2 ft step as you've said. But it very well be more akward to hoist our no longer spring chicken selves up onto the 12 inch water depth bench, just to still be akward getting out with an 18 inch step.

This may be the only egress we have in the deep end

It's the only one I have and I'd prioritize it as a bench. I wasn't upset once that i preferred to swim over to the stairs, and I enjoyed the deeper bench each and every time I used it.

Food for thought, we high five you either way.

 

[tommelton]

We did the following for easy access to the slide, basically a normal bench with a small higher step:

 

[Bperry]

Awkward meaning difficult to get out as adults?

If so then I’m really leaning towards the 12in depth. It’s only 3ft long. So I don’t want to prioritize the sitting use case. This may be the only egress we have in the deep end

The counterpoint is how hard will it be to lift yourself up onto a 12 inch bench given that your body is five or 6 feet under the water? As a kid, ours were more than
12 but less than 18 inches and it was never a problem. Does that mean my vote is for 15 inches?

 

[Mattlar0806]

The counterpoint is how hard will it be to lift yourself up onto a 12 inch bench given that your body is five or 6 feet under the water? As a kid, ours were more than
12 but less than 18 inches and it was never a problem. Does that mean my vote is for 15 inches?

Thank you. That sounds like a good compromise

 

[Mattlar0806]

We did the following for easy access to the slide, basically a normal bench with a small higher step:

View attachment 539821

Haven’t seen anyone do that before. Smart. Will give that some thought