Diving Boards – A Great Idea or A Calculated Risk?

Any parent will tell you that when they go to a public swimming area and see a diving board, a small part of them dies a little. Despite the fact that during the preceding few decades (as in, when the same parents were children) diving boards were commonplace.

Has your family been asking for a diving board? What do you need to know before installing this dubious piece of equipment?

Diving Boards For Swimming Pools – Pros and Cons

There’s no doubt about it – diving boards are an enormous amount of fun. Once we’ve mastered the back dive and the double flip, we’re local heroes, no argument!

So, why do so few swimming pools have diving boards?

As you may have guessed, it all comes down to safety.

Jumping off a high place into a swimming pool, be it the diving board or your balcony (it happens!) comes with an element of risk. While drowning is the number one danger associated with swimming pools, diving board injuries come a very close second.

These vary between neck injuries from jumping into a pool which is too shallow to have a diving board, hitting a head or other body part on the board on the way down, and slipping off the ladder while ascending with wet feet.

If you are determined to install a diving board, what can you do to mitigate the risks?

Firstly, unless you have a budding Olympic diver, there is no need to install a 3-meter-high diving board.  A meter off the ground offers plenty of clearance and will be cheaper to install.

Secondly, make sure that your swimming pool is deep enough to accommodate a board. The recommended depth for safe diving is 2.5 – 3m which should safely allow even tall swimmers to dive without injury.

Will You Take The Plunge?

It’s worth bearing in mind that the “play area” for swimmers is where they can comfortably stand. Therefore, if a diving board requires the length and depth for safe diving, it stands to reason that your play area will be that much smaller to accommodate the non-divers.

We hope we have given you something to think about while you ponder whether a diving board is the right decision for your family. For everything else pool related, please feel free to give our team a call.