Windseeker Testing

Got a few suits standing around watching the ride go up and down. It's been moving around quite a bit today. I don't think it's spinning. but, I'm not capturing, so it's hard to tell. It's certainly not spinning fast enough to make the chairs swing out.

I posted this over on Coasterbuzz. Looks like some new hardware is needed to stabilize the ride arms.

http://www.screamscape.com/html/cw_-_windseeker_0.htm

Just a quick note from my trip yesterday, all the chairs on WindSeeker are tied together in order to stop them from swinging out. I'm presuming that is the same situation today.

Chuck Wagon said:
I posted this over on Coasterbuzz. Looks like some new hardware is needed to stabilize the ride arms.

http://www.screamscape.com/html/cw_-_windseeker_0.htm

That is certainly an interesting addition there, and as Lance states it is kinda weird that a piece like that would be added on in what looks like an afterthought. No doubt they are dampers used to control the forward/back motion of the chairs swing, but they only are on one side of the pole arm so it appears only one of the two motions (forward or backward) has needed to be damped.

I am going to say that this is the forward motion from the position of the picture, which doesn't make much sense to me as this motion would only be encountered during slow down which seems to be taken gradually in the ride cycle. The backward motion would honestly make more sense to me as this is the motion that would possibly need to be counteracted due to the pull of the ride gondola and the resistance of the wind being caused.

I believe those dampers can actually control motion in both directions, as they offer the same resistance regardless.

^ That possibility also occurred to me, but I didn't remember if hydraulic dampers could act in both directions like that. If they can then that is certainly a possibility (and more likely than not exactly what they are doing).

The seats may be tied to each other in preperation for adding the dampers. Kings island's seats were tied up this past weekend as well.

^Four posts above yours

RideWarrior18 said:
Just a quick note... all the chairs on WindSeeker are tied together...
.

:)

I knew it wasn't a weather delay. ;)

According to Canada's Wonderland facebook page, they just opened their Windseeker.

Next is KI's turn, then Knotts then CP.;)

Knotts THEN Cedar Point?! I certainly hope not :)

Jason, while WS was raised to varying heights today, I never caught it spinning in person.

I wonder if what they're doing is taking the gondola up and down the tower very slowly to allow for proper tensioning of the cables or set somekind of block system. Grrrrr, soo many questions, soo many people who can't say anything.

I never actually saw the gondola move at all. Sometimes I would look, and it'd be on the ground -- just sitting there, or at the top -- also not moving, or about halfway up -- (ding ding ding, you guessed it!)

CP's Windseeker was moving the entire height of the tower, literally all day, but excruciatingly slow and not spinning. I happened to see three construction workers on their way out of the park and they were in no mood to answer any questions. They were in the gondola all day and from the ground they seemed pretty active in their work, but I have to wonder what they could possibly be doing in there all day.

There's a scissor lift on site and it looks like they may have begun installing the dampers.

And only 32 to do. :)

I am re-hopeful that it will be fully operational by our trip next Tuesday. :)

KI's Windseeker will be next only if it doesn't spontaneously combust like their Dinosaurs Alive exhibit...... :)