Pool size for OWD training - what's adequate?

[nereas]

Yeah, 40x20 sounds about right. I'd go for 14' deep at a minimum, if possible. Bigger is always better, of course, but much smaller than that size and it will be tough to swim around the pool while practicing compass work, etc.

You do not need to swim around, in the pool. That can be relegated to the open water.

Bigger is not better, because bigger is more expensive to build and to maintain, and that affects what you must charge, and this then puts you at a price disadvantage to your competitors.

You need some college econ classes, CDude.

 

[Ice9]

Something like this would be nice!

Sorry, but someone was going to say this. I figured I'd be first!

 

[nereas]

Ideally? It would be 50 - 75 feet in length and 2/3rd's of this in width with a deep end minimum depth of 12 feet. The shallow end would be at 4 feet and gradually slope to 5 feet. An L-shaped pool would be nice. If there were a concern of maintenance expense, a pool this size would allow a multitude of activities to increase revenue while at the same time exposing these other aquatic enthusiasts to scuba. I would choose a sanitizer other than Chlorine and surge gutters are superior to skimmers.

OK let me do the conversions here ...

15 to 25 meters long, by
10 to 15 meters wide, by
4+ meters deep.

Converting this to a scuba oriented pool, I would say this equates to:

15 to 25 meters wide, by
10 to 15 meters across, by
4+ meters deep.

This pool, although barely deep enough, would accomodate about 12 students. I would call that way too big.

Also, 10 to 15 meters across is a waste of pool space, for scuba applications.

In my opinion, alone, of course.

 

[nereas]

Something like this would be nice!

Sorry, but someone was going to say this. I figured I'd be first!

Wait until you get your water bill though!

 

[freediver]

Bigger is not better, because bigger is more expensive to build and to maintain, and that affects what you must charge, and this then puts you at a price disadvantage to your competitors.

Bigger gives you a larger variety of instructional programs to offer which could keep the cost of scuba lower, therefore, giving the community (potential divers/customers) more of an offering through the "local dive store" gives you a significant advantage to your competitors.

 

[KOMPRESSOR]

Well, sorry guys. I'm not going to hold the summer olympics in my little store!

As I wrote in the start, our classes are UP TO 8 students. -But with no more than 2-4 students in the water at a time. The good thing about having a small pool inside the store is you have plenty of time to go round. In the public pool the hords of "civilians" comes running in at 11am sharp. We' better be done by then...

I was more thinking about a small pool, like 4x10 meters (13x33 feet) and perhaps 10 feet deep in one half, shallow in the other (50/50). Other diving schools in Norway operate in much smaller pools. And as one of you pointed out, swimming around is possible in the open water part.

I'm not an instructor myself, just running the place. And answers from our instructors vary quite a bit, so I thought I'd give you folks a shot. The new building we're likely moving into in 2009 will also hold 12-15 appartments in the upper floors. And if they'd have access to the same pool at certain hours on a regular basis, I'd say they'd be easy to sell!

Anyways, today's solution is great for our students, but the logistics stink, and so does the bill from the community pool. So I'd like to have different solutions on the table as soon as possible. Thanks for your replies so far. I hope for more!

 

[ClayJar]

We have our classes at either one of the local YMCA/"fitness center" pools or the LSU Natatorium. The Y/gym pools give you lots of room to spread out, but the one we use most often doesn't have much of a deep end. (It's slopes practically right into the wall at 12-14-ish feet.)

The Nat, on the other hand, has a low, middle, and high (ungodly high!) platform, plus the requisite boards. One side is an olympic-size lap pool, and on the other side of the walkway is a diving well 18' deep. It's *wonderful* to get to have class in the diving well, as you can actually ascend, descend, and even swim along mid-water.

I can't say what the incremental cost of the additional depth would be, but having done training in "12"- and 18-foot pools, the difference in experience seemed quite significant. The shallow pools seem like you're in a pool. The 18-foot diving well feels like you're actually *diving* (albeit in a big aquarium exhibit).

 

[KOMPRESSOR]

-Told you, our community pool is BIG!

 

[daniel f aleman]

You don't need much for a non-swim, in-shop pool. One can always rent time in a larger pool if necessary. 12'x24' - half 5' depth, half 10' depth:

 

[KOMPRESSOR]

You don't need much for a non-swim, in-shop pool. One can always rent time in a larger pool if necessary. 12'x24' - half 5' depth, half 10' depth:

Yeah, this is what I was hoping would work. -Just a little bit bigger and deeper...