Posted on 07/07/2014 11:09:31 AM PDT by nickcarraway
It's like sliding off the top of a 15-story building on nothing more than an air mattress. That's the experience promised by the Verrückt, the attraction called the world's tallest water slide by the Schlitterbahn water park in Kansas City.
The giant water slide stands at 168 feet tall, resembling a NASA launchpad as it towers over its surroundings. Instead of a rocket, the slide launches people on a large raft that organizers say will reach speeds topping 60 mph before it comes to rest after completing an initial large drop that's followed by a second rise and fall.
The Schlitterbahn Development Group recently posted video of the first humans to try the ride, with water park designer Jeff Henry and ride engineer John Schooley testing their work. A "raw" version of the footage, without a musical soundtrack, includes several profanities. The company says its test camera stopped working during the test run.
The slide was scheduled to be open for business at the start of this summer. But as the tech site io9 notes, there were problems:
"Also, remember a few months back when we reported the rumor that sandbags were being launched off the ride, and then everyone freaked out because the park claimed that wasn't true. Well guess what? It was true. In earlier models of the ride sandbags were launched into the air. And on the actual ride itself, early tests showed the entire freaking raft lift off into the air."
We reported on a decidedly less heart-pounding water slide in May, as the city of Bristol, England, made way for a long water slide that let people take a leisurely trip down a central street.
Oh HELL YEAH!!!!!!!
Human beings are NUTS!
It should have been made out of a clear substance... lol
Not me. I remember sitting at the top of a similar ride at Six Flags over Texas thinking, “What on earth am I doing here?” Then I rode it again! The second time, I swore of that stuff forever.
I love water slides. However anything traveling down a 168 ft structure then goes over some bump is a sure fire lawsuit waiting to happen.
Now if it was a lie on your back, hold your junk and pray water slide, the steeper the drop before connecting with the slide the better.
I think Verrückt translates into ‘batsh*t crazy’ in German or something like that. You can see the thing from the interstate as you drive by. No way I’m ever getting on it.
Who wears boots on a water slide?
That climb up the tower should suffice to frighten away those who shouldn’t ride the thing ...
The building of this water slide was carried on the Travel Channel program of Extreme Waterparks. It was the season premier a week ago yesterday.
In related news, I noticed that Action Park in New Jersey is open again ...
Clear substance plus another 10 degrees to the vertical.
Yea, oh hell no... They screwed up the math big time... 60 MPH with nothing restraining the boat or the people to the slide with a ramp, UH hell no... Whoever designed this screwed up big time... no wonder it got its opening delayed....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8J1HYqGF94
And delayed once again... shocking for safety... they screwed the pooch on basic engineering.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gv3qZulRajA
the youtube clip only verified what I instinctly knew from the photo.
hmmm ... when I’m ready to check out ... I think I’ll check THIS out .... what a heart attack !
That takes my breath away just looking at that first steep drop. I can feel the cold misty winds wooshing by as I sink down. YES! Yes! I want to ride it. I just don’t want to stand in line for over 90 minutes in the hot sun waiting my turn.
Close. Verrückt means 'insane'.
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