THE PRO SWOOP POND

The construction of a swoop pond should be thought out considerably. There are several considerations the DZO, organizer and builder should consider. We are going to list a few of these considerations so you'll better understand what you are dealing with.

HOW BIG DOES IT NEED TO BE? - The bigger the swoop pond the better and the safer it will be. A bigger pond makes it less likely for a swooper to miss it while attempting a swoop. The most likely scenario is a swooper will strike the pond in the safe zone and bounce out onto the hard ground. This usually happens on “Swoop ditches” that are long and narrow. Make the pond as wide as possible or at least 75ft wide.

The other consideration for size will be the ability to fit all the competition courses over the water. If you are building a pond then we assume you are doing so because you want swoopers to have a location to train, as well as, a place to hold competitions. If you are considering holding competitions at your new pond then you should make sure all the IPC Canopy Piloting courses will fit. In addition, you should consider making the pond large enough to fit any additional PST courses. All the current IPC courses for Canopy Piloting came from the PST so you can be sure more courses will follow.

DIMENSIONS - There are several acceptable pond shapes and sizes that you can build for your DZ or event but they are not all ideal. Here is a list of the most widely used pond shapes:

1)     DIAMOND POND-This pond is shaped like a stretched diamond measuring 275ft long X 150ft wide X 3 ft deep.

2)     SQUARE POND-This pond is shaped like a square typically measuring 250ft X 250ft X 3 ft deep.

3)     RECTANGLE POND-This pond is shaped like a rectangle typically measuring 250ft X 100ft X 3ft deep.

4)     ROUND POND-This pond has a completely round shape with a typical radius of 125ft making the pond 250ft wide all the way around.

The DIAMOND and SQUARE shaped pond is the most widely used in the industry. Current pond sizes are reaching 400ft X 200ft X 3ft deep. Again, the bigger the better and swoopers are swooping farther than ever before with the current distance swoop record set at 678ft!

PLACEMENT & POSITIONING -The placement and positioning of the pond is as important as the size itself.  The designer should make sure the pond is positioned as far from obstacles as possible and run parallel to the predominant wind line. The RECTANGLE shaped pond is the pond the designer must make sure it is laid out parallel to the predominant wind line. So this is clear, we mean the longest part of the swoop pond faces into the wind (parallel to the wind line). There needs to be enough run out so swoopers can miss, overshoot or swoop beyond the boundaries of the pond without the risk of striking an obstacle. The Pro Swooping Tour’s minimum recommended clearance is at least 300ft in all directions.

MAINTENANCE AND COST–The main factor for maintenance and cost will depend on whether you as the designer use a plastic liner or not. There are several pros and cons when using a liner so we will list both so you can make a solid decision on which way you will choose to go.

PROS & CONS

1)     Liners are expensive-One piece liners large enough for the average size swoop pond range between $2,500 and $10,000 USD.

2)     Water level must be maintained- The water level must be maintained at all times so the plastic liner is not exposed to direct sunlight. Under direct sunlight the liner will eventually crack and weeds will grow up through these cracks. (labor intensive scenario)

3)     Eventually the liner will have to be replaced- Sooner or later that expensive liner will have to be replaced. Also, the pond will have to be drained and the old liner will have to be pulled out which again is very labor intensive.

4)     Liner keeps pond cleaner and weed free- The liner will keep your pond cleaner in the beginning and reduce the number of weeds that can grow under the surface of the water.

5)     Liners can help maintain the water level- A good liner will help maintain more water since there will be less water absorbing into the ground. You should be aware however that black colored liners used in hot regions accelerate evaporation so if you use a liner utilize a white one!

If you choose not to use a liner then you can just create a basic maintenance program to help maintain the water level and reduce algae. Designers of liner free ponds usually use a pond dye that does two great things at once. First, the dye makes the water in the pond an attractive dark blue color. Second, it reduces the amount of sunlight in the water, which in turn reduces the amount of algae growth. Weeds and algae grow to the surface of the water. So, what are the main costs associated with maintaining a swoop pond?

1)     Water and a lot of it- Hopefully you are building the pond outside of a desert region.

2)     Liner- If you choose to use one (see cost above).

3)     Pond dye- You will need about four gallons a year.

4)     Weed puller- A general maintenance hand that will pull weeds and keep up the pond.

5)     Recirculation pump- If you are not using a liner and want to reduce weed and algae growth then purchase and install a recirculation pump. This little gem is used at golf courses and parks. It typically looks like a small water fountain spraying out of the pond and keeps the water circulating at all times. This greatly reduces most algae growth under the surface of the pond.

If you have any additional questions please contact the PST at info@proswoopingtour.tv