Whether it’s for commercial or private use, why not give your swimming pool or facility the clear advantage when it comes to “fun central” with the addition of slides, lane dividers or even a diving board.

Pool Slides

The addition of a pool slide will instantly add a theme park thrill to any otherwise ordinary swimming pool. The new generation of pool slides are taller, longer and faster than ever before, with more twists and turns that are guaranteed to turn up the excitement and have people of all ages clambering up the ladder over and over again to ride the slide.

While they can sometimes be a fairly expensive addition to your pool, pool slides are always guaranteed to encourage hundreds of hours of summer fun spent in the water. If you are installing a new swimming pool, consider popping in a slide at this point, as aftermarket installation can add up depending on what slide your heart desires.

While much of your decision on what slide to buy will depend on the style and colour, you also need to consider the material that the slides and ladders are made from. Composite, plastic, acrylic, resin or fibreglass slides are the most economical. These materials are much longer lasting and are free of metal components, which do tend to oxidise and deteriorate fairly rapidly, especially in the presence of a salt water pool.

Diving Boards

There is no doubt that diving boards are a fun way to get into a pool, however, it is mostly recommended that diving boards be installed in pools that are longer and larger in size than your average back garden variety. This is because the slope of the middle of the pool needs to be far enough away from the board itself to prevent injury.

The deep end of your swimming pool would determine the size and height of the board that can be safely used in your pool. For example, a board of 1.8 metres should have at least 1.8 metres of water depth under the board.

In the interests of keeping it simple – there are basically two types of diving boards to choose from – a jump board and a dive board. A jump board has a springier base and would be the one used for jumping and diving. The dive board option is usually more rigid and offers a more stable platform for diving. While a diving board is created to withstand more weight, it is not recommended if you’re expecting heavy traffic or parties around the pool.

Lane Dividers

Whether a swimmer is in training or swimming a race, the straighter they are able to swim, the harder and faster they can push themselves. This is when floating lane dividers become an essential addition to a swimming pool.

The primary function of lane dividers is to let swimmers know where they are in the pool to avoid collisions. Lane dividers usually have two colours on them. These alternate at regular intervals, giving swimmers a good idea of how far they have gone. At the 15 or 25 metre mark, the lane dividers will change to a solid colour which signals the end of the pool is approaching, which helps swimmers to prepare for a turn or the end of a race.

The lane divider guides not only keep swimmers in their own lane by helping them identify where they are going but by swimming within the lane dividers, swimmers are also less affected by the resistance caused by other swimmers, thus offering each swimming a higher chance of success.

Safety First

Any pool owner should be aware that the addition of diving boards or slides especially does present a potential for accidents and thus one should always make it a priority to establish safety protocols that are enforced from the day of installation.

Pool Spa has friendly staff who can advise you on the best quality swimming pool accessories to make sure that the fun in the sun never ends. Chat to one of our experts today. Visit us at www.poolspa.co.za