Knott's Boomerang stalls in cobra roll

I hope Deja Vu wont stall anytime soon...

-------------

Let the bears pay the Bear Tax, I pay the Homer Tax.

---

Isn't that the second time to happen on the Boomerang is the past two years?

---

No. You must have confused the Knott's Boomerang with the SFMW Boomerang incident in 1999 where riders were left hanging in the cobra roll for MORE THAN AN HOUR. 1/3 of the riders passed out on the SFMW Boomerang from heat exhaustion. Riders stranded on the Knott's Boomerang were safely taken off the ride in less than 15 minutes as reported with no injuries as well. This was the first train stalling since the ride opened in 1990, more than 10 years ago. I'd have to say this is one of the more safer boomerangs. A lot of the new ones that are barely even 2 or 3 years old have already had stallings and malfunctions.

First Boomers were not made in Mexico it's a European made by Vekoma.

I'm guessing that someone forgot to check a bolt or two.

If this were a seasonal park, I would say that the problem stems from the fact that the ride has just opened and possibly is running a little cold or something. However, this is Knott's, who has a great safety record.

I think the issue is wear. This happens to a LOT of Boomerangs when they shoot up that second hill. I think it's just the stress put on the lift mechanism when the train rushes up that second incline.

-------------
Loopscrew.com
It's coming...

This is not something to get worked up over. It's the Boomerang version of a rollback. It's no big deal.

I shouldn't have bothered posting this if it weren't for the fact I was trying to illustrate the ridiculousness of the other Boomerang incident.

-------------
Jeff
Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com

Yes, I agree. Many Vekoma Boomerangs have problems. LIke the one at my nearest park, Six Flags Marine World got stuck between the cobra roll. Vekoma Boomerangs seem really cheap. Vekoma needs to creat new designs. If B&M built a boomerang, I bet it would have now problems at all. Hopefully DeJa'Vu has no problems.



I know alot about roller coasters. If you have a question E-Mail me at agomez@afes.com

I was there when it happened. Not a big deal. 10 minutes and they were off the ride safely. By the way, the article in the OC Register was tiny, and occupied a small corner in the middle of the local section. I had a hard time finding it myself. I doubt many people even saw it. No big deal. Knotts works hard to have safe rides, puts a lot of effort into that.

-------------
"Clear, Dispatch"

This isn't a safety issue. It's just a rollback. So they had to exit the train and walk down steps at the saddle instead of in the station. This is a non-issue and does not reflect on the safety or quality of Vekoma products or any amusement park.

Clarkbar you obviously haven't ridden an Invertigo, or Woodstock Xpress at CP which are both Vekomas. They also make the Mad House (Houdini's Great Escape at Six Flags) spinning room ride which is also a lot of fun. And from the positive comments I've been reading about X-Flight you're also missing out. Coastermaster, I can't ever see B&M creating a shuttle coaster. It doesn't seem to be in their nature.

I Fan: Don't say "obviously" to people like that, it implies they're stupid and don't know what they're talking about, and it gets people worked up.

"Obviously," you didn't read his track record, because he has been on Woodstock.

Doesn't it piss you off when someone says it like that?

-------------
Jeff
Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com

Man,I wonder what that felt like, Definatly a Head Rush !

This definitely is an issue with the Vekoma shuttle coasters. It appears they not only ride rough, but they have design flaws that cause this problem. This is at least the 4th incident i have seen involving a boomerang getting stuck. There have been 2 incidents posted this year about Kings Island's invertigo rolling back. Why do parks continue to install something that does not ride well, and misfunctions repeatedly?

It makes you think twice about riding any flying dutchman. That is a ride whose safety relies heavily on the design of the restraint system. If this company continues to build malfunctioning rides, is that a ride you would want to be on if something does not work correctly?

The above is opinion, not fact.

Stuff happens... it's not that big of a deal. Rollbacks happen, chains break, that's life. It doesn't mean the rides are unsafe or poor quality.

-------------
Jeff (who never thought he'd find himself defending Vekoma)
Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com

You don't see B&Ms with rollbacks, broken chains, testing accidents, and more down time than up time. I think that Vekoma needs to get their act together and designs rides that will actually work more often than not. They could even throw in a bit of smoothness for an added bonus.

-------------
"This time I think ... I think It's ... It's going to work!" - Dr.Bruce Banner

Like, gag me with a horse collar here come the lawyers! Word has it that this thing is history in a year anyway. *** This post was edited by Skyboss on 6/4/2001. ***

Was it going forwards or backwards at the time?

-------------
3..2..LAUNCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

They should find the cause of the ride malfunction and fix it if it keeps happening then dismantle it. A ride shouldn't go on if it keeps breaking down all the time dismantle it and build a better new one.like for an example SFGA Demon a corkscrew rollercoaster that keeps getting stuck upside down.And keeps getting sued.

Who said that the Boomerang at Knotts KEEPS breaking down? So far its only happened one time that I know about. Its not something to get worried about. Stuff like this happens all the time on coasters.

------------
Home Park: Knotts

Wasn't the Vampire boomerang @ SFKK removed because it was always breaking down ? When I was there during Fright Fest a couple of years ago, it was closed. I asked a ride op. if it was going to open, and he said that it was closed permanently because it was always breaking down. The next year, they moved it to another park.

The Vampire got stuck in the cobra roll on two separate incidents. So they moved it to another park where the general public did not know of this.

The Vekoma incidents aren't a safety issue, so far. But now they are attempting to do more extreme stunts (the super invertigo has the vertical drop, which you are going to be 100% held up by your harness if its anything like invertigo), and the flying dutchman is one of the most extreme rides that exist currently. If there are so many simple malfunctions on their basic designed coasters, then it does not appear they are ready for the extreme designs. You have to walk before you can fly.

I just don't think their rides are fun anyhow, so to me it doesn't matter if they work, i usually skip them. Its just a shame to waste time of your day at a park hanging upside down trying to get off of a cobra roll :).