Istanbul, Turkey (October 5, 2015) — Polin introduces a unique, new Class-A signature ride: the Space Race waterslide. The ride’s geometry is similar to other bowl-type slides, such as Polin’s own Space Boat – a tube ride that launches from a tower, shoots riders down a chute and into a bowl where they gain ever-increasing velocity as centrifugal force sends them shooting around and around before they plummet through the bottom.
That’s where similarities end between the Space Race and all other family slides.
The Space Race introduces a wholly new opportunity for fun by giving groups of riders a chance to compete as they urge their teammates to be the fastest in crossing the finish line. The slide pits two four-rider family rafts against each other. The rafts enter the bowl from opposite directions at a speed of more than 43 kilometers per hour (27 miles per hour). Separated by a patent-pending divider, the eight riders follow identical helical routes, starting at the perimeter and ending at the center of the bowl. The giant specially designed basin allows the racing teams to see each other as they careen around the bowl, providing incentive for them to lean, bend, crouch and tilt in every way possible to give them an advantage in increasing their speed to gain an edge over their opponents.
Eventually, the teams exit the bowl at the center, shooting in opposite directions as they finalize their sliding adventure via two separate but identical dry or pool run-outs.
Another distinctive characteristic of the Space Race is its entry tower. Riders begin building their adrenaline rush even before they step into their rafts due to the tower’s design. It allows all riders to see other teams competing against one another as they wait their turn to enter the race. As they view other riders, they can start to develop their “secret” competitive advantages for racing through the 218-meter (715-foot) attraction’s slide path.
Once they reach the top, riders face the exact same challenge as their opposing team, providing a rush as they speed through every twist and turn while safely separated from collisions. At the end, riders can congratulate one another as the winner is announced.
Specs on this specialty ride include:
- –Maximum capacity (120 x 8 riders per hour)
- –Optional “Natural Light Effects” (which allows the sun’s rays to stream into the tube via translucent stripes and/or other designs to create a different experience on every ride), “Natural Sound Effects” and “Special Pattern Effects” (which allow a variety of theming and patterns on the slide’s surface)
- –Unique tower centered between the two raft entry points
- –A “shared” slide experience with others in the queue
- –A distinctive, attention-grabbing appearance with the attraction’s massive size ( iconic design)
- –Exclusive options when combined with other slides via specialty design considerations offered in consultation with Polin’s design team professionals
- –Translucent applications
- –A 13/20 percent slope
- –Resin-transfer molding (RTM) technology to create perfectly smooth, shiny slide components inside and outside with perfect component alignment.
- –Space requirements of 20 meters high and 66 meters by 52 meters wide (65 feet high and 216 feet by 170 feet wide)
- –Bowl size of 5 meters (16 feet) high by 26 meters (85 feet) in diameter and an angle of 15 degrees.
- –Theming possibilities