Log flume
From Free net encyclopedia
A log flume is a horizontal structure that has a cavity for flowing water to carry lumber and logs and generally spans a long distance. The longest log flume is the Kings River Flume in Sanger, California.
Image:Log flume sfot.JPG Today, the name describes an amusement ride consisting of a water flume and artificial hollow logs. Passengers sit in the logs, which are propelled along the flume by the flow of water. The ride usually culminates with a rapid descent and splashdown into a body of water.
The first log flume amusement ride is said to be the El Aserradero ("The Sawmill" in Spanish), built by amusement company Arrow Development (also known as Arrow Dynamics, Arrow/Huss, Arrow, and now part of S&S/Arrow) in 1963 at Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington, Texas. The ride proved to be so popular, a second separate flume was opened in 1968. The designer, Bud Hurlbut, drew his inspiration from stories of lumberjacks riding logs down rivers. Another notable log flume is Splash Mountain at the Disney theme parks, based on characters in Song of the South.
Log flumes are a variant on the Shoot the Chutes ride at Coney Island's Luna Park, in which a boat slid down a long chute and splashed into a pond.
Log flumes are generally out in the open. A log flume which is placed indoors instead of out in the open, or at least covered by some sort of shelter, are sometimes referred to as river caves to set them apart from typical log flumes.