Swoop Pond Demensions

[AggieDave 6]

Alrighty, we've recieved initial approval to begin the design process for a swoop pond to be built at our airport, but now we need a design.

There has been a bit of discussion about the size of ponds that the folks on staff and at the DZ have seen before, but I wanted to go get some definate input from people with much more experience then me (i.e. the majority of yall) to present at our next staff meeting.

Please tell me the length, width and depth.

Here's what I was thinking:

Length: 300ft
Width: 20ft
Depth: 4ft

Please advise.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[rgoper 0]

the 300 X 20 X 4 is what i've seen Dave, you've seen SkyDiveSpacelands, to the best of my recollection, that is the deminsions of that swoop ditch.

--Richard--
"We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

[ianmdrennan 2]

I'd suggest contacting J.C or the others and asking them. I believe there was a thread not too long ago about a similar topic and it was suggested (Can't remember when though).

Have fun,
Ian

Performance Designs Factory Team

[skygod7777 0]

i personally like more of a square pond. like at rantoul. 200 x 200 x 3(or 4).

i think 20' may be a bit skinny. you can get into it fine, but it doesn't leave very much room for error.

zhill's pond it 185 x 40, it's nice.

later

[ramon 0]

E-mail jim Slaton or call him at the West Coast office.

I'm sure he will be glad to explain his theories on ditch size.

I think you want one wider than 20 ' and the typical landing end should slowly grade from your 4' depth to 0 so that people chowing on the end don't crash in to a dirt bank, but rather slide up a grade.

ramon

"Revolution is an abrupt change in the form of misgovernment.", Ambrose Bierce.

[jdhill 0]

The Perris pond is 180' x 180' and 3'-4' deep in the center grading up to 0 at the edge... the Spaceland ditch is 300' x 20' and starts out about 6' deep at one end down to about 1' at the other end... It could be wider, and does not need all that depth at the one end.

If you have the space, something closer to the Perris model would be my preference.

Josh

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. - Edmund Burke

[SkymonkeyONE 3]

Keeping your pond at between three and four feet deep in the center will greatly aid in recovering people as well as allowing the errant swooper the opportunity to stand up and get his or her container out of the water.

Chuck

[rhino 0]

Rantoul was perfect. Landed in the water once and my rig didn't get wet.

[eames 0]

The dimensions of the pond itself at Rantoul were great, but the fact that there was a high embankment containing the pond made it less than perfect. The perfect pond would be dug out, and level with the ground, and not built on it.

Jason

[SkymonkeyONE 3]

That was the problem with the Quincy pond; it was built on a slope. When swooping it from high end to low end, you then had to go over the embankment and then down a slope.

Chuck

[ManBird 0]

At Skydive Oregon, our pond is 200 by (I think) 60 feet, 3-4 feet deep, and it's a great size. The lip is pretty minimal, as well. The width allows us to have three "lanes". A big wide one for amateurs like me. A super narrow one down the middle for practicing accuracy. And a "normal" one for general practice by people who know what they're doing.

Though, coast to coast is very tough on my Sabre 120 loaded at 1.5. On a no-wind day, I have a 198 foot swoop on a 200 foot pond. Unless I set up closer to/over the pond or there's some wind to push me, I get a bit wet. With a stiff headwind, I can only cover about half the length.

Here's a vid of one of my weak-ass-four-miles-per-hour-set-up-way-too-far-in swoops in the big lane, along with a shot of the three lanes.

http://www.deepart.org/files/sdopond.wmv

"¯"`-._.-¯) ManBird (¯-._.-´"¯"

Click

[rhino 0]

I know what you mean.. I liked it though. It was better than the weeded and grown over pond at Perris lol