What would you recommend as pool rules for mermaiding?

Hiya! I'm new to mermaiding, just waiting for my first tail to arrive. I've contacted a local pool about their policies regarding tails, and they replied that they have no special policies in place, meaning I would be free to swim as I wanted to. I'm not complaining, but I started wondering... should there be rules? What kind of rules should they be?

The rules the pool has by default are the usual: only allowed in the deep pool if you can swim, children with supervision etc. However, should there be something in the rules about passing a swim test with a monofin before being allowed in with a mermaid tail? Maybe something like 100 m swimming with a monofin and demonstrating the ability to float with it in case you tire out? Also, should mermaids always be accompanied by a friend, either with or without a tail?

Thoughts, comments, suggestions for possible swim test requirements? Am I just overthinking this?

Welcome, Snowfaerie! Those are helpful suggestions, but most of us come from places where equipment is severely restricted, if it's even allowed at all. That means most pools flat out disallow monofins -- and unless you book a lane and let them disavow responsibility, no dice.

The mindset that anything you use to have fun should be banned needs to change, then the rules can be sorted out.

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Originally Posted by Ransom

Welcome, Snowfaerie! Those are helpful suggestions, but most of us come from places where equipment is severely restricted, if it's even allowed at all. That means most pools flat out disallow monofins -- and unless you book a lane and let them disavow responsibility, no dice.

The mindset that anything you use to have fun should be banned needs to change, then the rules can be sorted out.

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I agree that the mindset of banning things needs to change. ^^ That's kind of the goal of this thread. In my country there don't seem to be many bans yet, which makes it easier to get the pools to listen to our input. If we wait till something bad happens (and statistically it's only a matter of time), the fearmongering will make it more difficult to get even reasonable suggestions heard. Even if an accident isn't actually caused by a tail, it only takes a few negative newspaper articles to get pools to ban tails. I'd like to see if we could come up with a set of rules that we could suggest to pools instead of a flat-out ban, preferably before people get hysterical about it.

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There is not really more danger than other pool toys and the only rule that applies here is children must practice under supervision until they are good enough to manage the dangerous situations by themselves for adults it could be just use it at your own risk.

Not swimming alone. A swim test of 50 metres without the fin. A spotter for under 12's.

Mermaiding isn’t really any more dangerous than regular swimming. But I wouldn’t blame a pool for making swim tests mandatory.


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I think for the swim test;
Treading water for 2-3 mins
Doing a few laps (depending on pool size)
And a little lesson on safety around others.


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These are all amazing points and I’m satisfied with them myself as a lifeguard. With the friend rule, it might not need to be a thing after you hit a certain age, like 14 or 15, and if there is a lifeguard on duty as well. Most pools don’t require adult supervision after 13. The best thing would be to have the test that you do regardless of age and just have the friend rule as a rule of thumb.

for freediving (part of mermaiding) you always need a buddy to watch you while you are under the surface, no matter your age.

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Originally Posted by Mermaid Fenicia

for freediving (part of mermaiding) you always need a buddy to watch you while you are under the surface, no matter your age.

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Wholly agreed. NEVER swim alone with any kind of restraint. (IE weights, a tail, or scuba gear)

For me personally, because I YouTubed most of this, definitely make sure you can get out of your tail in a snap. If you're having a problem in the water, you need to be able to shimmy off your skin and kick off your monofin so you can swim with your legs.

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Originally Posted by MerFantasy

For me personally, because I YouTubed most of this, definitely make sure you can get out of your tail in a snap. If you're having a problem in the water, you need to be able to shimmy off your skin and kick off your monofin so you can swim with your legs.

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I do not think this is a good idea because this only works with the loosely connected monofins. The stronger (professional) ones don't go off easily. A minimum quality of the fin to prevent those situations would in contrast make sense.

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Originally Posted by fabianfrz

I do not think this is a good idea because this only works with the loosely connected monofins. The stronger (professional) ones don't go off easily. A minimum quality of the fin to prevent those situations would in contrast make sense.

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All monofins should have some sort of quick release mechanism as a safety precaution built-in. However, you're right about having a good quality fin to prevent issues. I can see getting out of a silicone tail being extremely hard in the water, where it is likely quite well-suctioned to you.

*this is the moment to reiterate why swimming with a buddy to prevent issues is the most important rule.*

As a lifeguard of a pool and a mermaid instructor myself, I've had to deal with lots of kids that have no business being in mermaid tails- i.e., their mom bought them a lesson when they aren't even a strong swimmer. It's really a hit and miss with kids, but a couple times a year someone brings their own tail to the pool and I can see they are very competent in it. The most common tails are really easy to take off, but young children should definitely have a parent present.

From a lifeguard perspective, it's really mostly up to us to decide when someone is doing something to dangerous. I would only ask a mermaid swimmer to get out if a pool is very crowded or they are being too rough. At that point I'm mostly concerned for other patrons, as a mermaid tail to the face can be very unpleasant.

The monofin I have is a Fin Fun so I just have to kick it off. Its snug otherwise.

Hello, everybody. I don't know a lot about pools. I think the best way to get to know about pool rules is looking for some information on the Internet. I wish you nice mermaiding and following all the rules. Good luck, guys.

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