Swimspas

[r100rs]

I'm leaning more towards a swimspa (my checkbook isn't).  Any comments, suggestions or recommendations would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks in advance

[Bill_Stevenson]

We have been looking at those too.  According to serious swimmers we have spoken with, the Endless Pool outperforms others that they have tried.  Specifically the way it moves the water via a propeller  with enclosed return ducting allows more current to swim against without any eddy currents or unwanted turbulence.  This makes it easier to see mirrors and allows other swimmers or the coach to be in the pool with the swimmer which can prove useful.  Many competitive swimmers are doing at least some of their training in Endless Pools because doing so facilitates feedback from the coach and via the use of mirrors allows the swimmer to get a visual cue as to what the coach is saying.  This facilitates communication and modifications to technique.  The high current and lack of unwanted turbulence are the features that distinguish the Endless pool.

For recreational swimmers who might not require the amount of current that can be generated by an Endless pool, or for those who have no intention of competing and are not as concerned with improving technique, there are several other brands that are probably OK.  Endless is the leader in this field, however, and the only one considered to be desireable by the very serious swimmers we have encountered.

Regards,

Bill

[Mendocino101]

Bill.....that is great information....do you know anything about engery costs for the average swim spa.

[Wisoki]

Look up in the sky on July 4th in the evening, and you'll get an idea of how much it will cost to operate a 1500 gallon swim spa. If in fact as Bill states, you are using this thing as a training facility, great. You aren't really trying to get the water too hot. If you are using it as an excercise thing that you will later use as a hot tub, guess again. You'll need the addition of a 250,000 btu gas heater, I don't believe there is an electric heater out there that will work as fast. But still, if you are swimming at 86 degrees, then want to hot tub it later at 102, you better stoke up the fires, cus it's going to take a long while and money in a pile. Even then, when you go to swim tomorrow, did you remember to turn the heat down. Surely you aren't going to swim in 102 degree water. If you did remember, is the water even close enough to a good temp for a work out. Doubtfull. Not to mention the exhorbinant cost for a replacement cover for one of those things. I say they are a great concept, but untill you can isolate the two bodies of water and have two different temperatures in the same vesel, they are not practicle.

[SunshyneGyrl]

look at sundance's maxxus too with the exercise equipment in it... looked pretty cool!

[Bill_Stevenson]

Mendocino,

As I understand it, the standard Endless Pool holds 2,500 gallons of water.  This is a whole lot less water than would be held in either a conventional pool, or in a lap pool.  The typical swimmer likes the water at 82-85 degrees F.  So if you compare apples with apples, a swim spa would require a lot less energy to heat than would a conventional pool and is a superior training device as well.  The power to run the water cirulation system is not high at all.  The Endless Pool company has a website and could probably provide you with much more specific information.  

Wisoki's point is well taken.  A swim spa is for swimming and would not be practical for hot tub use.  There are combination units out there.  I think Dimension 1 makes one for example, but in my opinion these are a definite compromise.  In our case if we decide to buy a swim spa it will be separate from and in addition to our hot tub.

Regards,

Bill

[Drifter]

watch out for those endless pools, a friend of mine was all hot to buy one at around 18k, until we checked them out and found out typical installation costs were another 18k!    There are several good web sites that talk about how much it costs to put one of those things in! Not like laying a slab down and dropping a tub on top of it!

[r100rs]

Thanks again for the information. I know an inground swim/spa will cost about 22k fully installed.  Thats about 5-6k more than D1/Royal/Calspas for about the same size.  So it will probably be about equal.  And that would be I am more broke than before.  But since I am still crunching numbers and designing my layout, it will still be a while.