For variuos reasons including my wife and I are getting old
and fat, I used to do a daily mile when the nearest pool was
open, and my knees are bad enough to prohibit any other
aerobic activity, so i'd like to build a back-yard lap pool.
Space is plentiful (I live in a forest), I have a backhoe,
and have built many concrete structures, including home
foundations, bridges, and odd slabs. Money is not plentiful
and I really have thick Scottish blood (i.e. way cheap) if
there was any. I'm thinking dig a hole, concrete and block
container, vinyl liner, solar heat (with electric backup),
and conventional filter. Pretty simple engineering work.
I've looked at the various solutions, and here is my
currnet thinking:
Real pool:
A traditional lap pool (6' x 40'?) seems like you would be
forever doing turns. It could be cheap to build, but costly
to heat (in Oregon). A long enough pool to do more swimming
than turning would need to be 25m long or more?
Endless pool:
There are a lot of "re-circulating" pools on the market.
They use various devices, but most are rather high tech (not
especially problematic, except for cost) but there's less
water to heat/clean. I've priced the pump mechanisms, and
it's way beyond my budget unless there's a way I haven't
found yet.
Tethered pool:
I've seen one of these, but wasn't able (maybe willing) to
try it, where you tether yourself to one end and swim away
from the anchor. The pool could be pretty small, but it
seems like it would be pretty turbulent and un-natural
feeling. Anybody use one of these for exercise? Seems like
it would be like walking in deep snow!
Polar bear:
We live on a creek that reaches maybe 55F in the middle of
the summer. Anyone try swimming for exercise in a thin
wetsuit? Flow rate is wildly variable, as well. Can't really
re-design it due to the spawning salmon that need it more
than I do...
Anybody have any wisdon on any of the above? Good reference
books? Easy to work with companies? Thanks in advance!