Pool News
Pool Rental App Swimply Is The New Side Hustle For Homeowners
![Pool Rental App Swimply Is The New Side Hustle For Homeowners](https://www.poolmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/swimply-is-the-new-side-hustle-for-pool-owners.jpg)
Pool rental marketplace Swimply has created the ultimate side hustle for homeowners. Spending upwards of $100,000 to create the ultimate luxury outdoor living area is an investment some are willing to make. This is especially true if one can be confident they will recoup that investment quickly. Renting the pool to friends and neighbors is one smart way to do just that.
The Pool Rental Concept
Pool rentals are sweeping the nation and the innovative online marketplace Swimply is leading the charge. Described as “Airbnb of swimming pools,” Swimply debuted last year. According to the firm, there are over 20,000 swimming pools in all 50 states, as well as in Canada and Australia.
After recently raising $40M in funding from AirBnB and Lime co-founders last year, Swimply is poised for tremendous growth moving into 2023. The service has been rapidly gaining traction with consumers who are attracted by the ability to rent a swimming pool by the hour.
![Renting a pool by the hour may can be very profitable. Swimply has created the marketplace for renting a pool.](https://www.poolmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/renting-your-pool-by-the-hour-1024x683.jpg)
Swimply’s Business Model is Unique
In the sharing economy, Swimply, definitely deserves recognition for their offering. Providing a marketplace that allows buyers and sellers to connect and rent a pool is at the core of the company’s business plan. The model is simple, Swimply takes 15% of the booking fee from hosts and 10% from guests.
Swimply’s pool rental marketplace can be lucrative for hosts and may not be as weird as it sounds. As water recreational facilities were shut down by COVID in the last two years, Swimply has emerged to fill the vacuum. Consequently, the company has grown exponentially.
We spoke with Swimply Co-Founder and COO Asher Weinberger last year about the revolutionary new technology which is connecting homeowners with an open marketplace of consumers looking to rent a backyard for a few hours.
Listen to our conversation on the Pool Magazine podcast:
Pool Rental Marketplace Grew 5,000% During Covid
After a soft launch back in 2019, Weinberger quickly realized that the public was elated with their offering. “There was a tremendous amount of interest and at the time we could only meet 10 to 15% of the demand,” said Weinberger. “That helped set the stage for us because we learned a lot about what people wanted and how they were using the platform.”
“We caught huge tailwinds in light of Covid and grew roughly 5,000% year over year,” said Weinberger. Since then, Swimply’s marketplace has exploded with consumers searching for a safe recreational experience with friends and loved ones in an open outdoor setting. This has been true both on the guest side and the host side.
Homeowners Look To Monetize Their Pool
It appears that word has definitely begun to spread that renting your pool is a sweet new side hustle. One man in particular recently made the news after he reportedly netted $177,000 just by renting out his pool and backyard.
Jim Battan of West Linn, Oregon, told news sources, “I love to say that the pool has paid for itself and more. I built a man cave last year, and also credit that to my Swimply pool.”
Swimply As a Side Hustle
Being a Swimply host isn’t for everyone, according to Battan. The side hustle does require a fair amount of work on the part of the host. Maintaining the pool between guests involves much more than simply setting out fresh towels. His 26-foot by 18-foot pool and its accompanying pool house has cost him roughly $37,000 in maintenance over the last decade. On a typical week, Battan estimates that he and his wife Lisa spend approximately 12 to 14 hours cleaning and testing the water’s chemicals as well as managing all of their bookings.
“I love the income, but I generally caution people from it,” Battan told reporters. “Unless you’re retired or don’t have a day job, it takes a lot of time to learn about pool chemistry and management. It’s not good enough to just rely on a once-a-week service to come out look at your stuff. I look at my pool chemicals probably five to 10 times a day.”
Renting Your Pool By The Hour Can Be Profitable
It’s also important to note that Battan’s pool represents the best-case scenario. Currently, he’s Swimply’s top earner out of 25,000 pools in the U.S., Canada, and Australia. The average host earnings are between $10,000 to $20,000 per year.
Ned Gilardino is another top earner from Aurora, Colorado who is cashing in on the lucrative side hustle. Last year he rented his pool out roughly 500 times clearing close to $50,000 in the process.
“Not only has the extra money paid for the cost of maintaining the pool,” Gilardino told news sources, “it has actually brought in an entire new revenue stream for my family.”
![Pool rentals vary by price and can be filtered to meet price, features, and amenities. - Photo Credit: Swimply](https://www.poolmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/pool-rentals-swimply-1024x450.jpg)
Homeowners who are looking for MSI’s (multiple sources of income) can certainly put Swimply on their list of resources. Typically most swimming pools on the platform rent between $15 and $75 an hour. However, there appears to be no limit on how much hosts can earn. We’ve seen some pools in premium areas such as Beverly Hills rent for as much as $200 an hour. Those with luxury amenities in their backyard obviously can charge towards the higher end of the spectrum.
![](https://www.poolmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/pool-rental-search-filters-727x1024.jpg)
Guests can search for an ideal backyard in their price range to throw a pool party and even filter their search to show properties that have specific amenities. Finding a backyard with a fire pit, or an outdoor grilling area, or one that allows pets, is easy. Swimply made it simple to narrow down selections with the ideal features consumers are looking for.
The interface is simple and intuitive to use on both ends. Swimply also made it super easy for homeowners to track their reservations, communicate with guests and quickly get their pool rental up in their easy-to-use marketplace.
Swimply’s Contribution To The Shared Economy
Given that public pools are closing at an alarming rate, Swimply has also started filling a gap in underserved communities, much the way Uber and other sharing economy platforms have.
While the shared economy is a young concept itself; Swimply’s arrival simply ushers something we will undoubtedly see even more of in years to come. Though unexpected and a newcomer; one thing is certain, homeowners and consumers have embraced the concept of renting a pool by the hour.
Pool News
French Diver Makes Splash After Flop At Opening of Olympic Pool
![French Diver Makes Splash After Flop At Opening of Olympic Pool](https://www.poolmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/french-diver-flops-at-olympics-pool.jpg)
French Olympic diver, Alexis Jandard, created a memorable moment at the grand opening of Paris’s new Olympic pool, though not quite in the manner he had envisioned.
A startling video captured during the inauguration of the state-of-the-art Paris Aquatics Center on Thursday showcased the 26-year-old Olympian’s unfortunate landing on his right foot while gearing up to dive alongside two fellow athletes. Adorned in a Speedo reflecting the hues of the French flag, Jandard’s discomforting descent saw him landing on his back, ricocheting off the nearly 10-foot-high dive board, and somersaulting into the pool in a rather ungraceful manner.
The incident unfolded in front of a sizable crowd of onlookers, including French President Emmanuel Macron and various dignitaries. Jandard later displayed his scraped back on his Instagram account, maintaining a light-hearted approach to his embarrassing mishap by quipping, “For your information, my back is fine, but my ego…”
Sharing a photo of his reddened back, courtesy of the encounter with the diving board, on Instagram Stories, Jandard assured followers of his well-being. Speaking to RMC Sport, he recounted the unexpected turn of events, stating, “I’m fine. I didn’t hurt myself; unfortunately, these things happen. It happened at a time when I wasn’t expecting it at all.”
![Alexis Jandard injured his back at the inauguration of the new Olympic Pool in Paris. Photo Credit: @alexis_jandard - Instagram](https://www.poolmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/alexis-jandard-back-1024x576.jpg)
Reflecting on the incident, Jandard humorously noted, “I’ve broken boards before, but the board had never broken me before. Now it has.” Despite the hiccup, he maintained an optimistic outlook, remarking, “I would have preferred this ceremony to have gone well from A to Z. There was that little hitch. If it made people smile a little, so much the better.”
Explaining the mishap, Jandard clarified that his leg gave way upon landing but denied any slippage, emphasizing, “It’s a non-slip [board], and what’s more, the board was new, beautiful, and I think there’s still [some of] my back on the board there.”
With a silver and bronze under his belt at the 2022 and 2023 World Aquatics Championships, respectively, Jandard took the incident in stride, admitting, “It’s a shame, but it’s funny. When you take a step back, it’s funny.”
Looking ahead to the 2024 Paris Games this summer, where he is set to compete, Jandard acknowledged the inevitability of such occurrences in his sport, jesting, “These things happen,” while playfully lamenting, “It had to happen in front of the president and the whole of France. I think we chose the right moment.”
Despite being inundated with supportive messages and playful jabs, Jandard maintained a good-natured stance, urging his followers on Instagram, “Enjoy yourselves, make fun of me. I seriously deserve it!”
Pool News
Earthquake in Taiwan Causes Waterfall From Rooftop Pool
A massive earthquake in Taiwan transforms a rooftop pool into a waterfall. View viral footage.
![Earthquake in Taiwan Causes Waterfall From Rooftop Pool](https://www.poolmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/taiwan-earthquake-pool.jpg)
In a harrowing turn of events, Taiwan was struck by a powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake, leaving devastation in its wake. The quake, the strongest to hit the island in 25 years, shook the east coast of Taiwan, particularly affecting the city of Hualien and its surrounding areas. With a depth of 34.8 kilometers, the epicenter of the earthquake was located 18 kilometers south of Hualien, according to the US Geological Survey.
As rescue efforts are underway to free those trapped under rubble and debris, the toll of the disaster continues to rise. At least nine individuals have lost their lives, while over 900 others have sustained injuries. The aftermath of the earthquake has left over 100 buildings damaged, with reports of landslides and collapsed structures adding to the chaos.
The force of the quake was so immense that it caused a surreal sight—a rooftop swimming pool overflowing and cascading down the side of a building, creating an impromptu waterfall. Footage captured during the earthquake also shows the sheer force as a man inside a pool struggles to maintain balance, the water swaying violently from side to side.
The region of Hualien County, with a population of approximately 300,000, faces immense challenges in assessing the full extent of the damage. Many inhabitants reside in remote coastal or mountain communities, making it difficult for rescue teams to reach them promptly. The precarious situation is exacerbated by the expectation of aftershocks, with 29 aftershocks greater than a magnitude of 4.0 already recorded near the epicenter.
Compounding the crisis are reports of miners trapped in two mines in Hualien, adding urgency to the rescue operations. Furthermore, over 91,000 households are grappling with power cuts, amplifying the difficulties faced by residents in the aftermath of the disaster.
Despite the widespread destruction, medical facilities in Taiwan’s capital, Taipei City, are functioning, albeit damaged. The Municipal Government has confirmed that hospitals are operating normally, providing critical care to the injured.
The international community has responded swiftly to the catastrophe, with the Biden administration monitoring the situation closely and expressing readiness to offer assistance. In the face of adversity, Taiwan is rallying its resources and resilience, demonstrating solidarity and resolve in confronting this natural disaster.
As the dust settles and the extent of the damage becomes clearer, questions arise about the effectiveness of early warning detection systems in mitigating the impact of natural disasters. Despite Taiwan’s investment in advanced seismic technology, including early warning systems designed to provide crucial seconds of alert before an earthquake strikes, many residents were caught off guard by the sudden and violent tremors. Reports indicate that the early warning detection system, while operational, did not reach a significant portion of the population in time to take preventive action
Pool News
Patent Pending Apple Watch SOS Feature Could Prevent Drownings
![Patent Pending Apple Watch SOS Feature Could Prevent Drownings](https://www.poolmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/apple-watch-sos-drowning-prevention.jpg)
A forthcoming feature potentially destined for the Apple Watch, as detailed in a recent patent application, could serve as a lifesaver for swimmers at risk of drowning.
Outlined in the patent is a capability for the Watch to identify “irregular behavior” and automatically trigger a distress call for assistance.
Apple underscores the alarming statistics surrounding drowning, particularly its prevalence among children, as a leading cause of accidental fatalities.
In the United States alone, drowning claims the lives of over 3,500 individuals annually, ranking as the fifth most common form of accidental death. Tragically, a significant portion of these victims are children.
Emphasizing the critical importance of swift intervention during water emergencies, Apple highlights the dire consequences of prolonged submersion without resuscitation, which can result in brain damage and ultimately, drowning.
A Growing Need For Cost-Effective Wearable Solutions
While acknowledging existing underwater camera systems in some swimming pools aimed at detecting distressed swimmers and alerting lifeguards, Apple notes their costliness and unreliability.
Consequently, there’s a pressing need for a simpler, more cost-effective drowning prevention solution suitable for all types of water bodies, including public and private pools, as well as natural settings like lakes and ponds where installing underwater cameras is impractical.
The patent proposes leveraging wearable devices such as the Apple Watch for broader applicability, increased reliability, and the ability to detect various types of emergencies.
Alerting When Swimmers Are In Distress
For instance, if the Watch detects a wearer who is not proficient in swimming entering deeper water, it can promptly dispatch an alert instead of waiting for signs of distress.
These alerts can be transmitted to nearby devices, including those of friends and family, and seamlessly integrate with existing drowning detection and alarm systems to ensure lifeguards are promptly notified.
Apple Watches already boast capabilities to detect and respond to falls, vehicle accidents, and cardiac irregularities. Heartwarming testimonials featured in Apple’s “Dear Apple” video series show individuals whose lives were saved by these functionalities.
As with many patents from Apple, it’s important to note that not all concepts may materialize into actual products. Nonetheless, this innovation stands as a promising addition for potential integration into future watchOS updates.
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