I’m tiling my pool now, but I can not for the life of me find the exact distance from the wall to where the swimming T starts. I tried to measure in my masters pool, but the bottom is curved and the dept is 7 ft. So when I go up, I believe I lose some exactness. I figure it is about 62 inches from the wall to the top of the T. I’m throwing this out to the forum 8 ball for the exact answer… Somebody must know…
My bf found the specs somewhere on the internet. Don’t remember where, but if you google it, you’ll find what you’re looking for…kj
I tried that, but is it must be buried in the 8 thousanth page or something…Come on, someone out there must know this worthless fact…
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=competition+swimming+pool+markers+bottom&btnG=Google+Search
Third link down:
http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761565444_3/Swimming.html
"Pools for competition come in two basic sizes. Short-course pools measure 25 yd (22.8 m) or 25 m (27.3 yd) in length. (The United States is the only country that conducts competition in 25-yd pools.) Long-course pools measure 50 m (54.6 yd) in length. Most major swimming events take place in 50-m pools.
Most pools for high-level competition have eight lanes—one for each swimmer. (Many public pools or pools at recreational facilities have only six lanes.) The lanes extend the full length of the pool and range up to 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) wide. Floating plastic lane markers separate the lanes, reduce turbulence, and help each competitor swim in a straight line. Each lane also has a line painted on the bottom. This line serves as a visual reference for the competitor when swimming with the head down. At 5 m (5.5 yd) before each wall, the line becomes a T, signaling the swimmers how far they are from the wall, so that they can prepare their turns or their finish. Also at 5 m, a line of flags is strung across the width of the pool, providing the same information to backstrokers.
Pools used for competition also have lines at the sides of the pool at the 15-m (16.4-yd) mark. Used by judges during competition, these lines indicate the farthest distance a swimmer is allowed to swim under water after the start and when making a turn.
Crawl, breaststroke, and butterfly competitors begin racing by diving from starting blocks that are 75 cm (30 in) above the surface of the water. Backstroke swimmers start in the water by holding on to the side of the pool in a crouched position, and then lunging backward away from the wall.
At most high-level competitions, electronic timing devices record how long each competitor takes to complete the course. The device starts timing when the starter’s horn goes off. Each lane has an electronic touch pad on the wall that the swimmer pushes when completing the race. The pad stops the timing device and records the swimmer’s time in a computer. The score is then transferred to a scoreboard that the swimmers, fans, and judges can see. Each lane also has a timekeeper with a handheld stopwatch, in case the electronic timing device fails. All timing is done to the hundredth of a second, and many races are decided by small margins."
Not exactly what I was looking for. I know the back stroke flags are 15 ft. from the end of the pool, but I’m absolutly sure that the T is not 5m from the end. I’m not sure what they are talking about there. It is absolutly in the neighbourhood of 62 inches, but thanks for trying…Monty
Hmmm… Hopefully, I’ll remember to pay attention tomorrow morning at masters. I’ll be sure to post back here if I do.
From the USMS website for their competition allowed pools:
Minimum 10-inch (25-centimeter) wide lines of a dark contrasting color (preferably black) shall be provided in the middle of each racing laneon the bottom of the pool. The lines shall, preferably, be uninterrupted the length of the course and shall end with a distinctive cross line 3 feet, 4 inches (1.0 meter) long and the same width as the bottom marker. The line, including the cross line, shall terminate 6 feet, 7 inches (2.0 meters) from each end wall.
that’s what happens when you use funky units noone else in the world uses 
.
Yeah, a great big kiss…want me to send you directions to my house?
no “t” needed hitting the wall would be more funn
.
So by your calculation it is 79 inches from the wall. I’m very puzzled at this because as I stated before, it appears to be in the 5 ft range when I actually measure it. I’m beginning to wonder if there is a range of distance between a yard pool and a meter pool. I know this is a boring topic, but would some of you please get a plumb bob and a tape and let me know what the actual distince from the top of T to the flat surface of the wall is in your masters pools…I would have this would be an exact measurement, but I’m thinking it might just be whatever the pool maker figures it should be…
USA swimming lists the same 2 meter dimension on their website. It’s possible that the standard changed at some point and used to be closer to the wall. Or maybe non-competitive swimming pool installers just gowith whatever they feel seems right. I’d go with the 2 meter figure…besides, once you get used to swimming with that dimension it becomes almost innate.
You gotta get a hold of a USA Swimming rule book. Info is in there.
25 Yd and mtr pools are different for BK-stk flags so would nt surprise me if bottom is also different.
I think you are right, but it just seems such a drastic difference, and the pool I’m measuring was built this year. Maybe they are measuring to the bottom of the T, or middle. Thanks for your help, still waiting for solid, real life measurements, Still don’t trust these written rules…
The NCAA rules are here: http://www.ncaa.org/library/rules/2005/2005_swimming_rules.pdf
The rules regarding the lane markings are on page 18, and there is a really nice picture, which shows 60 inches from the wall to the end of the T, on page 16.
Five feet seems right to me as I am less than 6 feet tall and do pull past the T before turning. It would not surprise me if the LCM rules were different as there are lots of silly LCM rules. The NCAA rules seemed fairly consistent with the “common rules” of American swimming from the time I was a 10 & under to the time I got to college. Of course, I graduated in 1986, before lots of rules changes like these new backstroke turns etc so my recollection is probably not incredibly relevant for determining current rules.
Thank you, so far this makes the most sense of what I’m visually looking at out there. I still have a week to go, but right now 60 inches is the winner…
Great site!!
Now that I too have the dimensions–does anyone know if the lane can be marked—temporarily–in any way while the pool is filled!! Either with self-adhesive stickers, paint, pen markers, whatever until the pool is drained in about six months?? I’ve called around to pool suppliers, but to no avail.
Thanks!!
Pauly
From the little bit I searched Somay makes a product called Hycote that can be applied underwater. It appears to be more for commercial use (pictures were of an oil rig at sea). Couldn’t find a cost though
This is the low tech solution, but I would think a large piece of flat iron with a water proof paint would work for the T portion. Big/flat enough and it shouldn’t move by wave action alone.
Short of drilling into your pool, I couldn’t find/think of anything else…
Thanks!!
I did call the company; they do not recommend the application for public pool use—only commercial/Govt. and will not sell the product to the public!!
Checked FINA, the international governing body for swimming.
They also list 2m from the end. Check FR2.13 here: http://www.fina.org/H2O/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=365:fr-2-swimming-pools&catid=88:facilities-rules&Itemid=184
SO I wonder if there are different requirements for yd vs meter pools.