As a pool owner, you know that specific standards regulate competitive swimming pools. All competitive pools must meet certain regulations and standards to ensure they’re suitable for competitive swimming. If you’re considering improvements to your pool to make it more desirable for competitions, you might want to start with your swimming pool lane lines.
The design of a pool affects swimmers’ performance. The number of lanes, the width of each lane, and the starting blocks’ position can all influence how fast swimmers can go. If you want your pool to be considered “fast” in the world of competitive swimming, then you’ll want to learn how to install and maintain swimming pool lane lines properly.
10 Tips and Best Practices For Swimming Pool Lane Lines
Why are pool lane lines important? Overall, swimming pool lane lines are essential to any swimming pool, particularly for competitive swimming events. They provide a clear separation between lanes, reduce turbulence, eliminate bounce-back, improve accuracy for timekeeping, and provide a reference point for swimmers.
When it comes to installing and maintaining pool lane lines, it’s important to consider the following:
- Choose the correct type of lane line: There are different types of lane lines available in the market, such as foam, rubber, and plastic. Select the type that best suits your pool’s requirements. We always recommend polyethylene discs or donuts on a vinyl-coated stainless steel cable for durability and longevity.
- Proper installation: Following the manufacturer’s instructions while installing the lane lines is crucial. Ensure they are installed at the correct depth and tension for optimal performance. Also, follow competitive swim guidelines for installation to ensure you have the appropriate number of lanes and distance between each pool lane line.
- Regular maintenance: Regularly clean swimming pool lane lines to remove dirt, grime, and other debris. Use a soft brush and mild detergent to avoid damaging the material. By choosing stainless steel cable, you can avoid rusting and long-term damage.
- Avoid sharp objects: Keep sharp objects, such as pool toys and equipment, away from the lane lines, as it’s always possible they can cause damage.
- Avoid too much sun exposure: It’s not uncommon for pool lane lines to degrade due to prolonged exposure to the sun. Protect them by storing them in a shaded area using storage reels to keep them safe and secure.
- Check tension regularly: Check the tension of the pool lane lines regularly to ensure they are not too loose or too tight. The wrong tension can affect their performance and cause issues for swimmers.
- Avoid chlorinated water: Chlorinated water can harm swimming pool lane lines over time. After meets or practices, rinse them with fresh water before storing them to remove residual chemicals.
- Perform regular inspections: Inspect the pool lane lines regularly for signs of wear and tear. Replace them if you notice any damage. Using damaged equipment could be a hazard to swimmers or cause additional issues in your pool.
- Use protective covers: We recommend using protective covers for swimming pool lane lines when not in use to protect them from dust, debris, and other elements that can cause damage over time.
- Consider customization: If you want your pool to stand out in the world of competitive swimming, consider getting customized swim lane lines to match your team or gym colors.
Get Your Equipment From The Best With Competitor
While many elements work together to make a swimming pool competition-ready, it all starts with the equipment you choose. Competitor is the Official Lane of USA Swimming and the NCAA, and our products are all proudly custom-built in the USA. Choose Competitor for storage reels, lane lines, pace clocks, and more. Contact us to find the right swimming gear and equipment for your competition pool.
