Log Jammer being removed from SFMM

They have confirmed that Log Jammer will be removed and the site will be used for something in 2013.

Anybody have any idea to why they are removing it? Also, is it just me or have parks been removing their classic log rides in the past decade? Such as Skull Mountain at SFA, White Water Landing at Cedar Point, Wild Thornberys River Adventure at Carowinds and now Log Jammer at SFMM. I know there are others I just can't think of them off the top of my head.

But why do you think parks are removing their log rides and why is Log Jammer being removed?

My guess would be maintenance costs due to age. Otherwise it would be stupid to remove them since they are great family rides.

SFGAm still has both of their flumes which I am surprised at.

I know one park in the UK gave four reasons when I asked:

• Increasingly high maintenance and operational costs
• Problems with maintaining required water quality due to the way the ride was built in the 60s
• The park was worried that the general public were no longer content to sit in the log and enjoy the ride. There was often a desire to rock the logs or stand up and the staff were unable to see every inch of the channel, making it difficult to 'police' the ride.
• Took up a large amount of land in a park that struggles for space, which combined with the reasons above, sealed its fate.
  

^ I think all of those reasons pretty much nail it. I will miss Log Jammer (one of the better flumes out there), but the ride was 40 years old.

When they say high maintenance costs, does that mean that the fiberglass troughs wear out and need replaced or is it something else.

Thew conveyor belts, motors, water pumps and filtration systems are all considerations as well as the trough and boats.

Ten years from now, when there are no more traditional log flume rides, the world will be a sad and dismal place to live. No other ride type can beat the dynamics of a log flume. They are so relaxing before the big drop, and then so exciting during. They can offer slow floating through the trough one moment, and then quick, jarring movement the next. They sometimes offer tunnels and fun themeing to help make them even more exciting.

I will miss them when they are all gone. Ride them while you can.

Sorry Travis, but if not having "traditional log flumes" makes the world "sad and dismal", I think it's time for a priority check.

There's a lot worse out there. Just sayin...

I know... starving children, pound puppies, cancer, Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome...

But to a huge fan of something that exists in the world, when said thing begins to disappear, it is natural for one to feel sadness. (Here is a stickie-out tongue face to let you know that while I am serious, I'm not THAT serious.) :p

Actually, I was going to say that Kim Kardashian is getting a divorce! Talk about sad and dismal. :)

Who is Kim Kardashian? :)

She's the president of the Classic Log Flume fan club. :)

Raven-Phile said:
She's the president of the Classic Log Flume fan club. :)

Well, she dumped Kris Humphries' Log pretty quick.

Maybe she decided that there was too much quick, jarring movement and not enough slow floating.

kpjb said:
Maybe she decided that there was too much quick, jarring movement and not enough slow floating.

I heard the boats were taking on water.

I guess the boat was too big for the channel.

Maybe the flume dried up.

Raven-Phile said:
She's the president of the Classic Log Flume fan club. :)

I didn't know that was Skanks 'R' Us.

As of May 2011, Log Jammer was in its 40th year of operation. That's a long lifespan for any ride, even more so for a flume. The last operating day was on Halloween day of this year.

Lots of reasons why Log Jammer was a candidate for removal -

1. High maintenance costs, as mentioned by others. Pumps, conveyor belts, drive systems all need to be replaced and tend to wear quicker because they are constantly in contact with water. This increases in frequency and cost as the ride ages year after year.

2. Requires higher minimum staffing to operate. Log Jammer has a sprawling layout and requires a "watch tower" operator stationed at points along the ride to ensure riders are not "rocking" the boats or standing-up prior to the drops.

3. It's not the only log flume operating at the park. It's technically a redundant water attraction experience that if removed, can be found across the park in Jet Stream.

4. Log Jammer covers an extremely large wooded and undeveloped hillside of the park. It is very ideal for a park expansion.

5. Electricity and power bill. Because the flume's layout is so spread-out and it covers so many elevation changes with the hillside, the energy required to power the pumps to operate the ride are substantial.

I agree that it was probably for economic reasons. Log flumes definitely are a money hog with the filtration and water amounts. Anyone got any preferences/rumors for what should take its spot since the old metro station combined with the old flashback lot is open as well. I'm votin for an Intamin giga