Shoot the Rapids to be improved in 2011?

Do you guys think that some improvements will be made to STR in 2011? I am sure the boats will be fixed. If they still have a row sectioned off next year that is completely ridiculous. I hope they find a way to have the ride move quicker.

I mean if you looked at WWL you could see the water always rushing forward. On STR it just sits there and you float very slowly.

Hopefully a couple more elements will be added too.

Also, didn't they add a little something to the front of the boat towards the end of the season to block some of the water from what I hear?

Actually, the water current really sped up from opening to October. I have to say that there are some awkward transitions from the current to the lift hill. Overall I found the ride really awkward but it was pretty fun. I think the boats need something for the first row to block water. The rear seats also get pretty wet so if they put something back there that would be great! The ride needs some more pizazz after going through the tunnel. I personally like Snake River Falls more and sometimes it seems that SRF had a longer queue than STR.

I really enjoyed STR with the caveat that it seemed to be down more often than it was operational. One of the ride ops told us that in her opinion the best improvement that could be made was to tear it down and start over. Not completely practical, but an expression of frustration nevertheless.

coolkid said:
I think the boats need something for the first row to block water.

Pilgrams Plunge received a modification that seems to have solvedit this year. A water shield. It's clear so it doesn't block your view.

Wasn't the idea to build this ride was to GET WET? why do you people want a water shield? it dose not make any sense, that would be like putting a canopy on Thunder Canyon or just turning off the water falls.
If you do not want to get wet do not ride it!

Here we go again...

I don't think keeping the riders from getting wet was the issue. I think it had more to do with not overwhelming the pumps that drain the boats in the station.

RailRunner said:
Wasn't the idea to build this ride was to GET WET? why do you people want a water shield? it dose not make any sense, that would be like putting a canopy on Thunder Canyon or just turning off the water falls.
If you do not want to get wet do not ride it!

it wasn't about people getting wet it was that the boats collected too much water, and when entirely filled with people the boats would bottom out and sink/get stuck/no longer move. too much water and weight tends to be a bad thing for boats.

OH ok i see what you were saying, that could be a problem!!!

Also, there is no place to block water from getting on peoples lap unlike SRF. Jason Hammond mentioned how Pilgrim's Plunge at Holiday world has shields in the front row. It looks like they really help after looking at a video.

If the work on I-305 is any indication, I think we will defintely see modifications to STR for the 2011 season. I think we all can agree that what was presented in 2010 was not ideal.

If Intamin wants to protect their future (Who is going to want to buy an Intamin flume ride after this?), they'd better attack all the problem areas until they're non-issue. So, I think we'll see fully-loaded boats that float, increased flume speed, and better lift transitions for 2011.

Unfortunately, quite a few Intamin rides have had some rough first years, but they've all come around with time. While it seemed there was no hope for TTD after its first year, it has been running fairly reliably in recent years. I expect we'll see a similar story with STR.

While we're on the subject of modifications, I'd love to see the soft straps for Maverick in 2011. I think that simple change would excite me more than rehauling STR. And I do think they'll eventually come, but when?

Count me in with wishing for soft straps on Maverick. I love that ride, but I hate the headache I get afterward. I'd definitely ride more with the new straps.

If there's a God, he will grant us some soft straps on Maverick in the coming year or years. ;)

I agree, the straps would be great on Maverick.

What are the straps? The softer straps that are kind of just like a seatbelt?

Here is a pretty nice video of the straps on I-305 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgB9Jpvlsb4

Oh, I see they put them on I-305. I wonder why they never did it for Maverick. Those straps must be newer?