Moveable Pit Base

[ahodges]

Hi Guys,

Looking for a bit of wisdom & experience here.

I'm interested in fabricating a moveable base for the pole vault mats so we can move them easily at the start of a session based on the wind direction. At our Uni in Aus we have 4 in ground (outside) box locations for the pole vault setup (each in a different direction). I'd say this project is in the feasibility stage at the moment. The dimensions of the mats are 6.5m in length and 5m in width & i don't know the weight of them. I'd like to get some wheels that wind up and down such as on portable soccer seating.

Has anyone done anything like this or know of anywhere that has such a setup?

Here is a photo of the location:

[KirkB]

I'm interested in fabricating a moveable base for the pole vault mats so we can move them easily at the start of a session based on the wind direction. At our Uni in Aus we have 4 in ground (outside) box locations for the pole vault setup (each in a different direction). I'd say this project is in the feasibility stage at the moment. The dimensions of the mats are 6.5m in length and 5m in width & i don't know the weight of them. I'd like to get some wheels that wind up and down such as on portable soccer seating.

Has anyone done anything like this or know of anywhere that has such a setup?

It's not clear from your pic where the 4 box locations are (you only circled 2). It looks like they're on either side of the HJ area.

While it may be OK to have to decide prior to each meet or training session which direction you wish to use, the basic problem is (usually) that the wind shifts, and if it takes too long to move the pits, you will be reluctant to move them more than once per session. This is nothing new.

Each move takes time (often the time of the coaches and vaulters who should be training - not worrying about logistics), and there is also a cost of making the pit mobile.

If this is truly still just in the planning stages (runways not laid yet) ...

Have you considered a design whereby you have a single pit that you can approach from 2 different directions? This is what they've done at U. of Oregon, and I think it's about the best design you can make. It's a single pit, with an additional front apron on the back of the pit.

So there is the cost of the additional front apron, and the cost of the additional runway, but changing directions is as easy as moving the standards to the other side of the pit - barely any time or labor at all!

At UO, they have 2 double-runways like this, for Group A and Group B vaulters competing/training in parallel.

I have posted an aerial view of their setup in another post on PVP here:

http://www.polevaultpower.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=46274&p=205785&hilit=kirk+hayward#p205785

Just an alternate idea.

Kirk