Water temperature for swimming

[smallpooldad]

Most health experts agree that 78 F to 82 F is ideal. Higher if you are just paddling around. Too high and the body has a problem with dissipating heat because it becomes harder to sweat. At 98.6 F you cannot sweat or lose heat so if you are having a LOT of fun in the pool it could be dangerous.

International Swimming Federation guidelines for pools are 25 C to 28 C, or 77 F to 82.4 F. You will also swim better if the outside temperature is about 3.5 F higher than the pool temperature. This is the temperature maintained at the Olympics, or so I am led to believe. This why we are all so supple here in Hawaii the temperature outside is nearly allways much higher than the pool. The Mai Tais help as well.

If you are training 78 F is ideal and the reason can be found at the link below at the Dept. of Energy's Ask a scientist site:

http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasc...1/gen01082.htm

And one final totally useless fact is to cool a 20,000 gal swimming
pool from 70 deg to 69 deg, you would have to add over 500 gal of 32
deg water (4000 lbs, more than 4 times as much as if you add 32 deg
ice).

That's a lot of Mai Tai drinks but then again after so many drinks you most probably would not know if it were 58 or 98.

Why are you getting rid of your DE filter and replacing it with a sand? I'm dreaming of the day I can do the opposite so I can have crystal clearwater. All be it with a little extra work.

Aloha I'm off to do my suppleness training 80 F pool, 83 F outside - perfect.

[fcfrey]

Well ---- about 45 years ago I went swimming in the Upper Falls of the Ammnnoosuc River in New Hampshire in May --- There was still ice on the Lake of the Clouds near the top of Mount Washington where it comes from. (Worked at the Cog R.R. for a couple of summers).

Yep ---- YOUNG and DUMB Water temp was just over 50 deg F.

Now my pool needs to be over 80 for my big toe to even get close ---- I prefer about 85. At age 60 my heart doesn't need a jump start like it got back then.

[CarlD]

I remember swimming in icy mountain streams at swimming holes as a kid, riding over the rocks in natural slides and having a blast.

Now I don't get in without a 3/4 wetsuit if it's below 82! My wife won't get in until the water hits 92...call us soft, call us weak...call us COMFORTABLE!