I am trying to figure out a way to cover my pool. Here is a picture of
it... www.drumrx.com/9.jpg

Priority # 1 - I need to keep my 1 year old and 4 year old from
drowning.

Priority # 2 - I need to have the rain run off toward the back of the
property (narrow decking on opposite side of pool in pic)

Priority # 3 - Notice the trees... no leaves allowed!!!

Priority # 4 - It would be cool to be able to claim some of the space
in my yard in the 9 months that we do not use the pool. We are in the
north east.

The problem...

Notice the brick patio and the wood decking near the pool stairs... It
is about 14 to 16 inches above the rest of the decking around the
pool.

Notice the cut-out for the stairs, this makes the pool somewhat of an
L shape.

I have been told by the company that services my pool that a standard
safety cover will not be suitable for my application because of the
height of the patio.

I thought about 2 options...

First, to build some sort of a removeable deck that can span the 15
feet from the brick patio to the narrow decking on the other side of
the pool, and cover it with a tied down tarp. The problem with this is
A. I am worried about the weight of the entire thing when on the pool,
and B. because I would have to remove and store these "removable deck
sections" they could not be that wide, or that heavy. Fat chance being
that I would have to use 2 x 12's of PTL to span the 15 feet.

Second, I thought it would be cool to have a bunch of floating dock
sections like offered by a company called EZDock... Again, covered by
a tied down tarp. I thought this was a neat idea until I found out
that it would cost about $13,000... Not worth that kind of money.
Although I would not rule out some other floating mechanism as it
would allow me to walk on it and use the space in my yard.

I still do not know what to do. I need to replace the "tarp with water
bags" system that I have now, it is a pain to maintain, and my kids
cannot use my yard for 9 months out of the year for I fear that they
would drown.

Any suggestions would be helpful...

Thanks,

Frank