Log flume (ride)

and Bud Hurlbut ride the Timber Mountain Log Ride at Knott's Berry Farm Log flumes are a variant of the chute rides and old mill rides that were popular in the United States in the early 20th century. Shoot the Chute rides continue to be built today. Both of these types of rides took rather simple approaches to handling water flow. It was not until Karl Bacon of Arrow Development got involved and studied hydrodynamics that the use of water flow in an amusement ride was fully exploited. The first modern day log flume amusement ride constructed by Arrow was El Aserradero at Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington, Texas, which opened in 1963 and is still in operation. The Mill Race, Arrow Log Flume number two, opened just a few weeks later at Cedar Point. Log flumes proved to be extremely popular and quickly became staples at amusement and theme parks throughout the world. In 1976, the French company Reverchon Industries started building flumes and in 1979 Hopkins Rides entered the flume building business. Mack Rides cooperated with Arrow to start building log flumes in 1977 and Intamin followed with building its first log flume in 1986. == Ride design ==

Log flumes are generally out in the open, though some may contain enclosed or tunneled sections. The flume is usually made of fiberglass, concrete or galvanized steel. In a typical course, the boatful of riders floats through a small section of channel upon leaving the station, then engages a lift hill that takes them on a winding course in the water-filled trough. A second lifthill then culminates with an exciting drop and a splashdown finale. The amount of splash can be controlled by using rubber belting of differing widths and differing heights. To increase the chance of being soaked, the flume can be designed to be turbulent, or to run underneath waterfalls. Water cannons (typically coin-operated) aimed along the path are sometimes installed alongside the flume. Additionally, the exit path from the ride may cross over or go near to the flume, such that departing riders are drenched by the boat currently en route. ==Notable flumes==

, Sweden One of the first elaborately themed flumes was Timber Mountain Log Ride at Knott's Berry Farm. Originally built as a concession run by Hurlbut Amusement Company, most of the ride is inside a man-made mountain. Bud Hurlbut and his right-hand man Harry Suker were responsible for the theme of the ride. Luna Park's Wild River contains a few turns, then a lifthill which holds the riders (usually 4 or 5) upwards for 15 seconds then the log turns left and drops down. The second lifthill lifts up higher with audio playing in the back and then a drop occurs and the riders return. Dudley Do-Right's Ripsaw Falls at Universal Islands of Adventure is themed to the animated character Dudley Do-Right. The ride was manufactured by Mack Rides and features multiple smaller drops before a 75-foot drop at the end. In addition, the ride is one of the few of its kind to use lap bars as a method of restraining riders. Manufacturers • ABC Rides • Arrow Dynamics • Barr Engineering • Bear Rides • Big Country Motioneering • D.P.V. Rides • Fabbri Group • Hafema • Hopkins Rides • I.E Park • Intamin • Interlink • L&T Systems • Mack Rides • Mimafab • Preston & Barbieri • Reverchon Industries • Rides and Fun • SBF Visa Group • Schwarzkopf • Senyo Kogyo • Soquet • Van Egdom • Venture Rides • WGH Transportation Engineering • WhiteWater • Zamperla ==Installations==