Shoot the Rapids still not running fully loaded boats

I agree with CPboy77. When I go on it the only water that gets on me is what drips off of the second hill when leaving the station.

I miss WWL quite a bit and have great memories of riding it.

But, like all things historical we tend to forget the bad parts. In the case of WWL, I did not enjoy smelling like crap after riding it, if I got wet. That water was nasty... much like thunder canyon.

You don't know what nasty water is unless you've experienced (or better yet worked on) the original Shoot the Rapids. Now that was rank!

I think when they made Shoot the Rapids, they designed it to not get you completely drenched, just a little wet kind of how White Water Landing used to be. This is the reason I like Shoot the Rapids. I know most people on here don't like it, but it's a nice relaxing water ride that is good for the whole family to enjoy.

Nope. WWL was a family ride. They couldn't even get the family part right.

Another good example of WWL being "replaced" by Shoot The Crapids is Windseeker.

Now I know Windseeker is and was not a replacement for Space Spiral, but replacing WWL with STR is a perfect example.

WWL = A boat ride that the whole family could ride together. It featured no restraints, and you went up a hill and down a hill. You rode in your own private boat. You got only a little bit wet.

STR = A boat ride that only those taller than 46 inches with an adult or those over 48 inches tall can ride. It features restraints, and you go up and down two hills. You do not ride in your own private boat. You get moderately wet to drenched.

Space Spiral = The entire family could ride in the closed cabin Gondola with no restraints. You went up a pole while slowly spinning. You recieved a good view of the parking lot, beach, and the front of the park.

Windseeker = Only those taller than 52 inches may ride the open air Gondola with restraints. You go up a pole while slowly spinning. You are strapped into a seat with your feet freely hanging below you. You recieve a good view of the parking lot, beach, and the front of the park.

I don't really understand the whole "I want to ride a water ride and not get wet" mentality. There are dozens of rides in the park where one does not get wet. If you just want a light misting, find a spot near SRF's bridge. Or dump some water on your head. Water rides should get riders wet.

Detroit Basketball said:
...Shoot The Crapids...

Ugh. Reminds me of standing in line for GateKeeper's passholder ERT and hearing someone refer to TTD as "Top Thrill Dumpster".

If you're trying to be clever, you're failing pretty hard. ;)

I apologize if this has been asked and answered a hundred times in the past. What exactly is the problem(s) with the boats? At first I heard they were too long; I remember reading that they weren't cresting the hills properly. The ride's certainly not as fast as anticipated - at least by me based on the animation - and there does not appear much CP can do about that. But, couldn't new boats fix whatever's wrong? Or is it just bad engineering all around?

I think the ride just needs some more engaging theming, ie animitronic interaction , more drama as you enter the canyon and more interaction in each of the main venues, especially on the turn around leading into the canyon

Perhaps a hillbilly version of Kevin Bacon and one of those giant worms pulling in one of the dinosaurs.

But seriously, just a more immersive experience to make up for the laggy speed . I think the ride itself is beautiful and lends itself well to that area . I love the interaction of the train passing thru there.

Maybe they could get Garner Holt Productions to come in and spruce up the themed elements like they did for the Timber Mountain Log Ride at Knott's.

As long as they don't get rid of the 'used cows'. I would not want to pay full price for a new one.

What appears to be the problem with the boats on STR is that as designed they are too heavy. Intamin's engineers seem to need a refresher course in the laws of displacement. Long and narrow, with all the seats full results in the boats bottoming out on the flume. Part of the reason for this is the use of coaster style individual seats and restraints, which adds considerably more weight to the boat compared to one that just has a bench seat. I would surmise that a boat that is built to just seat six in this configuration would perform satisfactorily. There were rumblings that Intamin was going to refit the ride with new boats. Nothing else in that regard was heard, at least to my knowledge. Perhaps they declared that there wasn't anything wrong with the boats, that it was the "overweight Americans" that were the problem (I actually overheard one of their reps from Switzerland say this. Whether he was serious or not , who knows, but he did say it).

Is there any other ride like Shoot the Rapids around?

It looks like Giraffica (Pilgrim's Plunge) and Shoot the Rapids have evolved into this:

http://www.intaminworldwide.com/amusement/WaterRides/Water+Coaster/...fault.aspx

POV:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHxqNFut2d8

No more issues with sinking... ;)

While that particular layout might not be the best, this is basically what I was hoping StR would be. I wanted that elevator lift, about 75% coaster, and 25% water ride.

^ yes that would add alot of charm to the view from mine ride and the train

djDaemon said:

refer to TTD as "Top Thrill Dumpster".

Employees called it that in '03 and '04... when it was a very appropriate name.

djDaemon said:
I don't really understand the whole "I want to ride a water ride and not get wet" mentality. There are dozens of rides in the park where one does not get wet. If you just want a light misting, find a spot near SRF's bridge. Or dump some water on your head. Water rides should get riders wet.

I am glad
I am not the only person thinking this...

Gravity said:
Employees called it that in '03 and '04... when it was a very appropriate name.

That still doesn't make the name remotely clever. :)

I called it/still call it shoot the shi* lol

RE: "why ride a water ride that doesn't get you soaking wet" - well, misters aren't rides. Play fountains aren't rides. There's numerous examples of log flumes that exist in the world which don't get rides completely and utterly drenched. The 4 such rides with the highest ridership in the world would certainly fall in that description, as would untold more. In fact, it is argurably more absurd for Cedar Point to not have an attraction like that given the common place nature of the standard non-"drenching" log flume in most non kiddieland/storybook amusement parks and even large fairs in the US.

As far as log flume construction goes, most amusement parks seeking log flumes already have them in the west. The places buying log flumes now are places that are adding rides to their collections (like zoos) and new amusement parks in countries like China.

(for the record, not that anyone actually cares, I'm not "anti" STR. They did a lot of work building landscaping around it and it looks kinda nice. I'd probably have preferred something like a OD Hopkins Superflume but I'm not managing the park obviously and so we got something I probably ride once every 3-4 years instead of something I'd ride anytime the temps broke 70. somewhere Dick Kinzel is rich and I'm not and maybe that will get brought up in discussion about how I have a differing opinion about a log flume constructed with the "finest" 21st slovakian engineering)