Introduction: Dual Use Pool for Skateboarding

[SwimnSkate]

This is mainly as an introduction. I will follow up to ask a some more specific questions about DIY maintenance and preparation for dual use for skateboarding and swimming.
I am currently preparing to drain the pool for the first time this fall to skate it.
Since I bought my house 3 years ago, my goal has always been to skate this pool. As an avid skateboarder, this is the holy grail. I would regret it for the rest of my life if I did not.
I would, however like to still use it for swimming in the hot months, but I still only use it occasionally. It would get more use if it were skatable.

Some background:

I have been using TFP as a resource to maintain my pool for the past 3 years.

I bought a house with an original 1960's in-ground gunnite pool with plaster surface.
Pool is 26' long x 16' wide 3' shallow x 8' deep
Sand filter with hayward 3/4hp pump.
The full maintenance history is unknown, but it was original to the house built in 1959 in Western NY. Climate is cool and humid, but hot and humid in the summer.
It has a number of issues that make it special. Despite its many flaws, it does not leak and has been very easy to maintain by balancing pH and basic application of chlorine tablets and shock.
I have an dolphin active 20 pool robot to assist with the brushing and cleaning.
Plaster is in great shape, save for a few rough patches.

All the return lines are disconnected and plugged. The system only has a single return that is an external 1 1/2" pvc tube. This seems to circulate the water enough, and it stays crystal clear most of the time.
The deep end appears to have heaved up about 2-3 inches out of the ground.
A small portion of tiles have delaminated and are starting to fall in.
A few of the Federal Stone coping have come loose and have been pushed in slightly. They will need to be re-mortared or glued.

 

[Mdragger88]

This sounds like a good way to have to replaster often which is ok I guess if that’s in your budget. I understand skating it if it’s already drained in preparation for resurfacing or something but leaving a plaster pool empty for extended periods of time has several risks. If this pool is really old it may not have a hydrostatic valve installed & high water table can be an issue. A pool that pops out of the ground is a nightmare to deal with.

Draining - Further Reading

www.troublefreepool.com

I’m sure others will be along soon to caution u against this idea.

 

[SwimnSkate]

Thanks for the input. That’s about what I expected.

I’m going to drain it for 3-4 months at a time. I would like to mitigate the risks at the very least. I suspect it has floated as much as it ever will since it is about 60 years old. I’m sure it has been drained in the past during its lifetime. I will check the bottom drain to see if it has a valve. I don’t believe pools of this age had that sort of thing. I may be able to open the bottom drain plug at least.

Is there any sort of sealer that can be applied to the plaster to help preserve it while exposed to air? I plan to hose it down periodically to keep it from completely drying.

 

[jark87]

I was an avid skateboarder up into my teens and always wanted to skate in a pool, so I understand the draw. We would get the magazines from the west coast and seemed like everyone was skating in pools! Luckily, a really nice skate park was built not too far away, so I finally got to skate bowls. But having your own “park” - that would be the bomb!

I think your plaster will suffer from the skating, even if you find a way to seal it to protect it from exposure. Sounds like the pool could use a remodel, so I can see getting 1 skating season in, but it will be expensive as an annual skating venue. Maybe there are surfaces that can withstand both, if you are planning a remodel, but you’d still run the pop up risk every time you drain it.