WindSeeker Closed

No, they removed it because the state practically said you can't operate it because its too unsafe.

The state of California didn't say it was unsafe. They wouldn't sign off on it because they didn't like the evacuation procedure, either one of them. Their big hang up is that they consider the three hour evacuation time (which is how long that it takes to crank it down manually, or the use of the rescue basket) not to be reasonable.

I wonder if any other states will follow California's lead. If a 3 hour evac time is not OK for California what makes it OK for Ohio?

I fail to see the point in renaming it. All other parks calls theirs WindSeeker. Changing the name really won't do any good unless they're adding some modifications to it to make it different from other WindSeekers.

Steelhawk sounds like a name more suited for a coaster.

A three hour evac time isn't that unheard of. Ski lifts have to be evacuated occasionally also. When the Breckenridge Peek 8 SuperConnect broke down last Dec., the problem happened at 1:30pm and the evacuation was completed at 4:15pm. See http://www.denverpost.com/ci_22235330/40-people-evacuated-from-ski-...eckenridge

That was in the winter cold, so is three hours in the summer really that unreasonable? If it's good enough for Colorado, why isn't it good enough for California?

Good question. I've been dealing with Cal OSHA/DOSH on and off for about ten years now. Why they do some things is beyond me. I had one inspector ask for the manufacturers onwers and maintenance manual for a carousel that was built in 1890. Well, they didn't do that stuff back then. When any of the ride builders of that era delivered a ride, someone from the shop came out with it, supervised the set up and gave maintenance instructions to the rides owners/staff in person. I know this because I've talked to the surviving members of several of the carousel builders that did this. The DOSH inspector refused to believe this. It took a lengthy letter from an acknowledged historian with the documentation to satisfy this person. These are bureaucrats, what more can I say?

It's been closed at Knott's since the incident last year.

And California wonders why many companies are choosing to do business elsewhere!