So, so far:

• Schlitterbahn (which operates water parks exclusively) claims that they expected roller coaster dynamics to work here.
• Schlitterbahn admits or does not counter news articles that state that test sandbags flew off the slide.
• Schlitterbahn does not deem it sensible to queue folks on the ground and use an elevator to take one group at a time to the summit.
• I did not see the Travel Channel special - was this footage of a test raft flying off provided by the park or obtained by an outside source?

Again, just looking at the thing gives a particular impression of someone shooting right off the airtime hill.

In this day and age, it seems more or less inexcusable that an attraction - even a water slide - would be constructed without the dynamics being worked out long beforehand. Every element of force at every inch of that slide should have been calculated long before it was even announced, and for every potential rider of appropriate size.

Then again, Maverick. Drachen Fire. Etc. etc.

The footage was taken by the outside source, assuming TLC crews. Schlitterbahn crews were in the shots of both forms testing (the 1/2 scale and full scale).

Sometimes when you seek publicity, you get bitten in places you did not expect. See also Web Cams, onride photos and litigation.

I wonder how much they thought they'd save by not going with an outside ride manufacturer. Kind of like how much did Paramount Parks save by firing the Ohio Coaster Company and being its own general contractor for Son of Beast?

It reminds me of the viral marketing we see so often in Europe. Remember B&M's Wing Rider with its near misses being marketed on-purpose by viral news stories saying test dummies had come back to the station missing limbs? Or Alton Tower's many stunts featuring on-site nurses and "free diapers" for scared riders? Can you imagine it in the U.S.?

If Schlitterbahn hoped to drum up word of mouth by allowing things to be filmed and commenting on the ride's troubles, they've succeeded. Now let's see how the turnstiles spin, eh?

Or how the lawyers use that footage if, God forbid, there are serious injuries or fatalities on this ride.

The United States of America is not Europe.

Foreseeability?

Top Thrill Dragster pushed the envelope.

Shoot the Rapids pushed the envelope.

Pilgrim's Plunge pushed the envelope.

Drachen Fire pushed the envelope.

Son of Beast pushed the envelope.

Chaos pushed the envelope.

Timber Tower pushed the envelope.

Rattler pushed the envelope.

Hercules pushed the envelope.

Maverick pushed the envelope.

The Texas Giant pushed the envelope.

Knott's WindSeeker pushed the envelope.

Most park companies are more interested in safety, reliability, guest comfort and the bottom line.

there are also coasters that pushed the envelope and ended up being a success, Millenium Force, Magnum XL200, The Beast, Flight of Fear the mailman pushed the envelope and many more.

Note WHEN each was built.

Decades ago.

RMC is not pushing the envelope. And their coasters have not experienced such problems. Their coasters' trains, however...

^ I fixed it for him.

I really hope they can get this going this season.

Long time lurker first time poster. Just figured I'd let anyone interested know that the documentary of the building of Verruckt is currently on The Travel Channel and airing again at midnight.

What envelope did Shoot The Rapids push?

First water rafting ride to have an inversion

Too soon?

Welcome to KIC! Shoot the Rapids pushed the awesome water ride envelope.

More like the boring water ride envelope if you ask me.

If Verruct never opens does that mean Kentucky Kingdown will have the tallest?

Video is online, I kinda like the uncertainty, screw it lets just go do it, doing it because I can mentality..

Do I think they should have spent more R&D, oh yeah..but still this thing has such a beautiful pucker factor I rarely see in rides coming out anymore, this might be a ride that genuinely is terrifying, which I love the fact that it is.

http://www.travelchannel.com/video/xtreme-waterparks

If Verruct never opens does that mean Kentucky Kingdown will have the tallest?

Kentucky Kingdom never had the tallest water slide.

http://youtu.be/R8J1HYqGF94 heres the raft going airborne

http://www.ebaumsworld.com/video/watch/84188638/ POV with people on it

Well thats just terrifying....

As long as I stayed in the trough, if there were say high walls, I'd ride it in the original state.

Freaking awesome ride..It has a, hold my beer, pucker up, and go kind of mentality, and that's fantastic

Reminds me of the stupid stunt and thrill stuff I did as a kid with MTB doing XCountry, etc.

Even if they pulled a "water-coaster" move and constructed guide rails that engaged with side tires and prevented the raft from lifting off the slide, the problem would still remain that riders aren't strapped to the raft (nor should they be!) so they could still go flying.

Oh man.

Is there any way to put a trim brake on a water slide?

There are seatbelts on the rafts

Also surprised, must be patented and owned only by Proslide, but surprised they used water pressure/air to move water up the hill, I thought they would use LIMs like other new water rides, but must be a Proslide only thing unfortunately. I'm interested which patents Schlitterbahn holds as they said they have designed alot. Especially during which they showed Flow Riders, or their version at least.

Seatbelts? I'm assuming that the ride ends in a trough, then, and not a pool.

I'm assuming (probably incorrectly) that the black pads at the bottom of the raft are friction pads to slow it?

It finished and slows to a trough that dumps out into a knee high pool but a lifeguard stands at the end of a trough

I believe that is what the pads are for.

Also again, the whole bottom of the drop to the finish was ripped up and redone, all the angles, length, etc. are all different. Only the drop height remains

Still..hold my beer, let me ride.

I actually watched the show last night (the name escapes me) that followed the building of this water slide. The rafts flying off happened twice once on the first slide built 1/2 scale and once on the actual slide. I was a bit surprised that it happened, however, the slide has since been rebuilt and there has been human testing without the rafts flying off. They've since added netting around the slide (above it too).

I watched that as well. I was more surprised that they had a show about the construction of an attraction that had not even opened yet. I was also surprised that they showed the spectacular fails of the boats flying off the slide. I had heard it had happened but figured they would gloss over that. It was pretty cool to watch. It reminded me of many of my early RCT 2 creations.

Reverse POV w/ riders, hopefully some more POVs come out w/ riders on it

But again..pretty friggin sweet..

Also Sail makes everything seem so much more awesome..Seriously..I could go out and mow grass or get dressed, it'll make me seem awesome..Guaranteed..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NG-uY2wze2Y

I want to ride that thing and wish they could have made the original design work. Also that song annoys the crap out of me.

According to WPXI-TV in Pittsburgh on Facebook, Verruckt is expected to open tomorrow.

One of their reporters wrote about his experience here: http://www.wpxi.com/ap/ap/strange/heart-pounds-eyes-close-on-the-tallest-waterslide/ngcLW/ The part of that I found most interesting was this:

Among the warnings delivered to riders before they start their ascent is that one of the possible hazards of going down the waterslide is ... death.

Hooray! Verruckt will open tomorrow!

Whelp.... this could be awesome. Also, you would now understand what its like to go over the edge of Niagra.....