Water parks vie to open first U.S. looping water slide

[The Interpreter]

But, it's all a matter of degree. EVERY ride ever made represents a potential tragedy. Getting out of bed and getting one's newspaper represents a potential tragedy:

http://www.herald-dispatch.com/news/x30069...-in-Boyd-County

[Guest rcfreak339]

You guys are over reacting into thinking "omg someones going to die!" Which most likely will not be the case. The slide will be set to state Amusement standers and will most likely have more guards then most, it will be safe. I will also be willing to bet that SFKK will get one in there 2011 expansion.

[Diamondback FOF]

^^Also, some slides don't have a view of the bottom, so the rider has to pass a certain mark on the slide (marked with tape or something), and then the next person can go.

That would never work on this slide, as the rider may pass the mark but still not clear the loop. That can only be done on 100% downhill slides.

I realize that. I was just adding to how lifeguards know when to let another person go, since that is what was being talked about.

[Beast79]

There are several ways to insure a safe dispatch if the guard at the top can't see the bottom run off or splash pool 1option they can have a photoeye to control a lighting system, example; guard at top gets the green light pushes dispatch button to release trap door and guest drops down slide, green light turns red and guard loads next guest then guest in slide passes photoeye at the bottom and red light turns green!

2 option co-dispatch when the slide is clear the guard at the bottom can push a bottom to give the go signal to the top guard and send the guest down the slide, works just like the photoeye but the guard at the bottom asks like the photoeye. Both are complected but could easily be set up on a PLC.

[CedarPointer]

The problem with the photoeyes is that sometimes splashing water will set it off, and it will turn green long before the rider actually clears the slide. I've seen this happen. A combonation of having the lifeguard clear it and having the photoeye would probably be the best bet.

[CincyMan98]

I actually don't think the waterslide in that video looks that bad. I would just freak out if I didn't gain enough speed, and I went down the loop backwards, and I was stuck in between the drop and the loop........what would happen then? How would you get out? I'm not saying it would happen but if......

[Coney Islander]

That sort of thing happens on any slide that has up hill sections. For tube slides, the life guard almost always can push the tube up the up hill section in which it is stuck.

In these type of slides, there is a little door, right over the lowest point of the slide.

[CincyMan98]

Ahhhh okay, that makes me feel a lot better. So you just climb out the door? Lol that seems weird.......

[Touchdown]

You do realize that this one does not actually cause you to go upside down right? Think of this loop as Mantis' inclined loop. Also, Noah's Ark has an excellent safety record, I highly doubt they would put this in if it was not deemed safe.

[Coney Islander]

No, the rider does go completely upside down. The way the rider is positioned inside the slide, it is more like a corkscrew, even though it technically is an oblique loop.

The rider does go completely upside down, due to the fact that there is not a set rail the slider is positioned on.

Edit- This is kind of hard to explain... just watch the video again, and you'll get what I'm saying.

[Diamondback FOF]

I don't know. I don't see the rider going upside down. I see them riding the tube like a hammerhead, where they start to go up and around, but only go to about 115*-140* (between verticle and halfway).

[CincyMan98]

Yea, it looks more like a hammerhead or the inversion in Mantis, like Touchdown said. If that's officially true, then why would they call it a "looping waterslide"?

[Diamondback FOF]

Because it is designed like a loop, only at a very low angle.

[coaster_junky]

That would never work on this slide, as the rider may pass the mark but still not clear the loop. That can only be done on 100% downhill slides.

they could always put the mark, dare i say, after the loop. then there would be no worry of being hit by the next person because it's all down hill from the point where the tape is.

and doesn't the other looping water slide have a piece of clear tubing at the top of the loop? if so couldn't they just say, hey he/she/it just cleared the loop and now the next person can go?