Fees to convert from yards to meters and back

RE: Fees to convert from yards to meters and back

orca1946 — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 12:54:29 GMT

I think that you need to ask some more questions as to the details of the costs. It sounds as if they are going to purchase new lines for the other distance & core/drill holes for the start blocks !!!!!!!!!! At out local master pool swim practice ,I have installed blocks & lane lines my self in 20 min. By the way I'm the 65 year age bracket & no one paid me to do this for our team !!

RE: Fees to convert from yards to meters and back

Former Member — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 12:31:26 GMT

My club rents a private school pool for a weekly 2 hour session starting at 12 30 We are not allowed in the water until 12 30 sharp ,at which point we then have to put out the flags and then disentangle the lane lines from the drum where they have been out back haphazardly by the teenage boys - whilst this is being done it is a case of lets "find the spanner" which can be anywhere other than the tool box - 10 minutes gone We then have to be out of the water by 2 29 (so assorted school swimmers can jump in at 2 30 ) having already packed away the flags and left the lane lines in whatever configuration the school requires for that day - another 10 minutes gone from our session At least the blocks are concreted in position ! Pool availability for hire is so limited however that it is still a price worth paying - we were chucked out of another private school pool by a bunch of triathletes who offered more cash :bitching:

RE: Fees to convert from yards to meters and back

SLOmmafan — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 01:41:08 GMT

I worked at a private swim facility for nearly 5 years going to college. We moved a bulkhead 3 times per week to change our pool from 50m to 25m for a swim team. Moving the bulkhead plus lane-lines (in addition to random cleaning, etc) took a team of 2 about 25 minutes - top. We made about $12/hour...you do that math!

RE: Fees to convert from yards to meters and back

Former Member — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 15:29:37 GMT

1400 sounds like the "we don't really want to help you." price. Like an amount to shout out that will hopefully make you drop your request.

RE: Fees to convert from yards to meters and back

knelson — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 12:21:29 GMT

If they do allow you to move the lane lines yourself, make sure everyone wears a hardhat and protective clothing. It sounds very dangerous! :bolt:

RE: Fees to convert from yards to meters and back

Former Member — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 12:03:55 GMT

We have a 25 meter by 25 yard pool and we are asking the pool management to switch the normal yard direction to meters for a meter meet. Has your pool been measured in the 25-meter direction? If not, you may want to measure it to make sure that it is long enough. It would be a shame to spend the time (and money) converting the pool, only to find that it is too short.

RE: Fees to convert from yards to meters and back

swimshark — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 08:57:52 GMT

Charlie, I can't believe they are asking you all to pay for this. I'll come help you do it for free. Their blocks aren't that hard to move and, although the lane lines hurt when you hit them, they should be super simple to change over. In fact, my team, which also practice at your pool, change our pool from 50m to 25 yards after every practice in the summer. We take out 9 50 m lane lines and put in 10 25y lane lines while the lifeguards move the bulkheads. Can you talk to the mayor about this one? I know how supportive he is with the team. And if you need me, call, I'll come help move things around. When is this meet, by the way?

RE: Fees to convert from yards to meters and back

Former Member — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 15:14:20 GMT

Yeah sorry this is really fishy. If this is a public pool, I'd contact someone as this may be intending to pocket the money. There really are some operators out there. If it's a private pool, well...idk you are at their mercy.

RE: Fees to convert from yards to meters and back

Former Member — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 13:43:59 GMT

That's insane At one of the local city pools they switch from 8 50 Meter lanes to 25 yards twice a day and that includes moving one of those bulkheads My other pool Starting blocks are pulled in and out everyday. They are just trying to make some money off of you

RE: Fees to convert from yards to meters and back

swimflyfast — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 11:57:22 GMT

The 25yd lanes have a split connection in the middle. A short section is added to get correct length in middle. Simple. We tie a red bandana to set 15 meter marks on line.

RE: Fees to convert from yards to meters and back

Muppet — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 11:38:29 GMT

If they're worried about insurance, does anyone know if the USMS insurance covers moving lane lines/flags/blocks? I was thinking the same thing - it seems reasonable to think that swimmers and coaches would be covered during activities related to pool setup.

RE: Fees to convert from yards to meters and back

Muppet — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 11:33:39 GMT

Charlie, For just lane lines, flags and a few blocks, it's almost insulting that you'd have to pay anything extra for that. Even with only two people, it should take 15-20 minutes to change everything - $1400 is insane; even $300 is unreasonable. As an aquatic facility manager myself, I can tell you that most of these "fees" are typically built into the standard lane rental fee. Lane space, lifeguards, other facility staff, timing/scoreboard equipment - that should all be lumped into one round figure (and is standard practice). The only exception is in instances where a facility had to move a bulkhead; there, I could see them charging $300 (man and machine power to move those things).

RE: Fees to convert from yards to meters and back

jim thornton — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 11:22:25 GMT

Are lane ropes designed for 25 yards even going to work for 25 meters? Maybe they need to add cable and buy some more of those plastic floaty wave-busting things. Are there lines painted on the bottom that go in both directions? Are there fittings already in the walls to hold the lines no matter which course is set up? It's possible the $1400 would be the cost of retrofitting the equipment to fit and hook on to the 25 meter walls. But if this is not the case, it definitely sounds like a rip off. Can you post a picture of the pool?

RE: Fees to convert from yards to meters and back

200free — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 11:09:25 GMT

They said they don't want us to move the lines for insurance purposes Hah. Swimmers move lane lines every day at pools all over the country. At our summer pool the 9 to 12 year olds put in lane ropes every day and nobody has ever been injured. The pool I've been swimming at this summer, the masters swimmers move the lane ropes from 50 meters to 25 yards at the end of every practice. As long as you've got more than 2 people doing it, it goes pretty fast and I can't see any liability issue at all. Moving flags takes 2 people about 5 minutes so that's a moot point too. And here too, nothing dangerous about moving flags. I can see where they might have a point about moving the blocks, it takes a very large wrench and a fairly strong person to loosen the collars that hold the blocks in place at our pool. And they are a bit heavy so I guess someone could drop a block on their foot or something when moving it (I know a stretch but I'm trying to see this from the pool's viewpoint). It probably takes 2 lifeguards 20 minutes to move 4 blocks so you could pay each lifeguard $25 and they'd be happy. I agree with the other poster, someone's trying to rip you off. I can't fathom how they could possibly come up with a $1400 price tag for what you're asking for. I would ask again if you can do it yourself. Offer to bring a group of masters to the pool the night before the meet to set it up. And maybe offer to sign some liability waiver that you won't sue them if you get injured doing this very dangerous mission. If they're worried about insurance, does anyone know if the USMS insurance covers moving lane lines/flags/blocks?

RE: Fees to convert from yards to meters and back

Former Member — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 11:00:18 GMT

At the public pool I swim at, there are 2 adult swims a day that are 50 meter with lane markers. One at 11 am where the lane markers are usually already in from the morning swim team (and the evening swimmers) and the other at 8:15 pm. the rest of the day, there are 4 lanes of 25 yards with lane markers. it takes 15 minutes (it should take only 5-10 but the teenage guards are in no great hurry to move the lanes for the 8:15 swim). There are no starting blocks moved as the starting blocks are already in the 50 meter length of the pool and I don't recall if the backstroke flags are available in the 25 yard lengths. Cost to the swimmers--nothing.

RE: Fees to convert from yards to meters and back

Karl_S — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 07:09:51 GMT

We said we would move the lines and flags. We think $300 would be high but we would pay it. Seems pretty reasonable. They said they don't want us to move the lines for insurance purposes. Sometimes I wasnt the world to stop so I can get off. Swimmers can't move lane lines and backstroke flags? Who then *does* have the right skills to do it? Grrrr.