Quick Question... fast pool

Originally posted by Bob McAdams Does anyone know why they want to use balls-on-a-rope most of the time (rather than just leaving in the good lane lines)? They're far cheaper to purchase. And even more, they're cheaper and easier to repair.

Originally posted by Guvnah Lane lines (or even double lane lines). They should be tight, and big and have surfaces facing various directions so that waves in all directions are "eaten" (therefore, they should not just be balls-on-a-rope.) The pool where I swim has a good lane line down the middle of the pool, but uses balls-on-a-rope for the other lane lines. But the problem isn't that they don't have good lane lines for all the lanes. When there's going to be a swim meet, they put lane lines in all the lanes that look just like the one they normally have down the center. But then they take them out again when the meet is over. Does anyone know why they want to use balls-on-a-rope most of the time (rather than just leaving in the good lane lines)? Also, a question about grippy versus slippery walls: I've been to masters meets where they had touch pads on the lanes that were so slippery that it was almost impossible to plant your feet on the wall for a backstroke start. (I can actually remember hearing the command to "plant your feet" at the start of a backstroke heat, and doing it, only to have my feet come sliding down the pad!) Why do they make touch pads this slippery, and why does anyone use them?

Originally posted by Bob McAdams Does anyone know why they want to use balls-on-a-rope most of the time (rather than just leaving in the good lane lines)? Maybe cost?

Older, and usually white, pads tend to be very slick. It's almost impossible to be aggressive on the start with them. Newer pads are much better. The ones you see at large national and international meets generally aren't a problem. That includes, so far, USMS nationals.

Originally posted by Bob McAdams Does anyone know why they want to use balls-on-a-rope most of the time (rather than just leaving in the good lane lines)? Because chlorine (and UV if an outdoor pool) eats up the lane lines over time. By putting the good lane lines in only for competitions they will last a lot longer.