Pool Conversion

[BK 2 LI]

Hi Everyone! Im new...first time poster Very happy i found this forum.

I have a 20x40 pool....about 30 feet of the pool is 8 feet deep. I'm not a swimmer, neither are most of my friends and family.

I'm thinking of converting the 8 feet deep end to 5 feet deep. As an alternative, only leaving about 10 feet of the pool 8 feet deep, the middle about 5 feet and the shallow end 3 feet (3x5x8).

We really want a pool to relax and frolic...not to dive. But our kids are very young and I know having a deep end would help with treading in the water as they get older.

Any thoughts?

 

[bmoreswim]

That is certainly an uncommon pool depth profile you have! I like deep ends but I'd be interested in making that pool more shallow also. I like your 3-5-8 option. That's close to ours. Ours is all on continuous slopes except for the deepest part. I like having a diving area even if you don't have a diving board.

 

[BK 2 LI]

That is certainly an uncommon pool depth profile you have! I like deep ends but I'd be interested in making that pool more shallow also. I like your 3-5-8 option. That's close to ours. Ours is all on continuous slopes except for the deepest part. I like having a diving area even if you don't have a diving board.

How large is your deepest part, length wise? There would be no diving for us, I just want a deep end so the kids can jump in and tread/swim.

 

[bmoreswim]

But you MUST dive if you have an 8' deep pool. It's a rule!

Our 8' section (actually 8 1/2' is probably about 10-12' in length. I can check tonight if you'd like. I know our midway point is 5' or 5 1/2' depending on which side of the pool you are on. The pool slopes down AND sideways in the middle (not on purpose but also not an issue).

 

[BK 2 LI]

But you MUST dive if you have an 8' deep pool. It's a rule!

Our 8' section (actually 8 1/2' is probably about 10-12' in length. I can check tonight if you'd like. I know our midway point is 5' or 5 1/2' depending on which side of the pool you are on. The pool slopes down AND sideways in the middle (not on purpose but also not an issue).

thanks. this is good info.
if its not too much trouble please check. i'd like to know how long your 8' section is as a guide. thanks!

 

[bmoreswim]

During my extremely relaxing and enjoyable swim tonight in wonderful 88 degree water, I measured how far from the end of the pool the 8’ depth area extends. It is 10’ long before it gets less than 8’ deep.

 

[Rocket J Squirrel]

“Any thoughts?”

Yes: swim lessons for the whole family. It will be fun and you’ll all be happier & safer.

 

[BK 2 LI]

During my extremely relaxing and enjoyable swim tonight in wonderful 88 degree water, I measured how far from the end of the pool the 8’ depth area extends. It is 10’ long before it gets less than 8’ deep.

Perfect! That’s what I was thinking. 10 feet long is good enuff for 8 feet deep ?

 

[BK 2 LI]

“Any thoughts?”

Yes: swim lessons for the whole family. It will be fun and you’ll all be happier & safer.

Actually I’m the only non swimmer. Kids n hubby swim. But I do intend to entertain and would like the pool to be enjoyable for both swimmers n non swimmers ?

 

[Newdude]

My 20X40 pool is similar to yours with a short shallow end. When we got my pool my 2 girls could barely stand in the shallow end and we second guessed it for a few years. Once mine were big enough, many friends kids still werent. Now that they are all teens or tweens, there is no question its better deep. There will be a line of 8 kids having a cannon ball contest every time friends come over. Also, when we are at friends houses using their kidney or freeform pools, my 20 foot wide shallow end still has more sq ft of space than theirs. We bought 3 sizes of life jackets just in case we get a small kid or a not so strong swimmer. Everybody has fun.

 

[BK 2 LI]

My 20X40 pool is similar to yours with a short shallow end. When we got my pool my 2 girls could barely stand in the shallow end and we second guessed it for a few years. Once mine were big enough, many friends kids still werent. Now that they are all teens or tweens, there is no question its better deep. There will be a line of 8 kids having a cannon ball contest every time friends come over. Also, when we are at friends houses using their kidney or freeform pools, my 20 foot wide shallow end still has more sq ft of space than theirs. We bought 3 sizes of life jackets just in case we get a small kid or a not so strong swimmer. Everybody has fun.

what about having only 10 feet of the pool be 8 feet deep? that would allow another 20 feet to be about 5 feet which i think would be comfortable for most....

 

[Newdude]

Smaller kids would have zero issue. Bigger kids would easily bounce off the slope if they dove instead of cannonballed, but probably not hard enough to hurt. Most grown ups would consciously have to try to avoid it. If i had a dollar for every kid demanding that I show them how its done, i could retire. 'AGAIN DADDY, AGAIN!!!' Lol. good times

 

[Newdude]

Also, consider that whatever you choose, it will be your house and your pool rules. I find that my own kids and any of the `regulars' are well versed in my rules. But we also get alot of extras. Cousins who are visiting friends for a week, or friends who are babysitting a neighbors kid. 'Of course they can come too.....` Those 'extra' kids are much harder to stay on top of. 'Yes sweetie, i understand you dive into the shallow end at XY and Zs house, but we dont do that here.' They do listen but you have to stay vigilant. And there are millions of Above Ground people out there that still have tons of fun without being able to safely dive so either way is still going to be fun. In my own case the kids were complaining that the shallow end was too deep until 6 or 7. By then they could swim like fish for hours without tiring. Now they complain the shallow end is too shallow because its only waist deep and more difficult for handstands and cartwheels.

 

[bmoreswim]

Coincidentally I have a skimmer at roughly the 7-8' depth mark along the side of the pool. So one rule is that diving is only permitted from that point to the deep end of the pool (but not from the end itself - except the diving board - because of the autocover lid).

 

[Newdude]

Ha we do similar. the entry gate to the pool area is the halfway mark. Roughly 6 foot deep. You can dive to the right but only jump left. No jumping further left than the gate.

 

[BK 2 LI]

Also, consider that whatever you choose, it will be your house and your pool rules. I find that my own kids and any of the `regulars' are well versed in my rules. But we also get alot of extras. Cousins who are visiting friends for a week, or friends who are babysitting a neighbors kid. 'Of course they can come too.....` Those 'extra' kids are much harder to stay on top of. 'Yes sweetie, i understand you dive into the shallow end at XY and Zs house, but we dont do that here.' They do listen but you have to stay vigilant. And there are millions of Above Ground people out there that still have tons of fun without being able to safely dive so either way is still going to be fun. In my own case the kids were complaining that the shallow end was too deep until 6 or 7. By then they could swim like fish for hours without tiring. Now they complain the shallow end is too shallow because its only waist deep and more difficult for handstands and cartwheels.

cannonballs can be done in 5 - 8 ft... im not comfortable with diving...to dangerous.