Rockin' Tug

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Dolle Dobber at DippieDoe, Netherlands.
Video of Lilla Lots at Liseberg, Gothemburg, Sweden.

Rockin' Tug is a flat ride manufactured by Zamperla. The ride is manufactured in both traveling and park versions. It is the first of a line of new "halfpiperides". Zamperla's Disk-O is another popular ride from that "family". The difference is that the Tug has a friction wheel, while the Disk-O is powered driven.

The idea itself is not new. Schwarzkopf made a ride called "Shuttle Boat" in 1978, in both portable and park versions.

Design and operation

A Rockin' Tug in the racked position

Twenty four riders are loaded into a tugboat shaped gondola, in six rows of four. The rows face into the center of the ride. The ride is driven back and forth along a track shaped in a concave arc, rocking back and forth. While this is happening, the entire tugboat rotates around its center.

The traveling version of the ride racks onto a single 28 foot trailer.

Variations

Several theme variations exist. The most common one is a tug boat, but other versions include a longboat, a pirate ship, and a skateboard.

Appearances

  • Australia - Two, a travelling model owned by Better Amusement Hire[1] and Big Red Boat Ride at Dreamworld
  • Austria - At least two travelling models (Grubelnik)
  • Belgium - At least one travelling model
  • Canada - Two, at Canada's Wonderland known as "Lucy's Tugboat",also one with Bob Hauser at West Coast Amusements named the "Rockin Tug".
  • Germany - At least five: one travelling model (Schäfer), and at least four permanent versions in Germany (Kernwasserwunderland, Legoland)
  • The Netherlands - At least six: Rolling Stones at Drouwenerzand, Dolle Dobber at DippieDoe, Swampies Swing at Toverland, Moby Dick at Deltapark Neeltje Jans and Koning Juliana Toren, Frogg's Trouble at Slagharen.
  • New Zealand - One, a traveling model owned by Mahons Amusements[2]
  • Sweden - At least one: Lilla Lots at Liseberg.
  • Switzerland - At least one travelling model (Lang)
  • United Kingdom - At least five: Rocking Boat at Butlins, Skegness Rocking Tug at Flamingo Land Resort.,[3] Rocking Bulstrode at Drayton Manor's Thomas Land (themed after the Thomas and Friends character Bulstrode the barge), Heave Ho at Alton Towers, Longboat Invader at Legoland Windsor (a Lego/Viking themed longship) and Rockin' Tug at The Flambards Experience, Griffin's Galleon at Chessington World of Adventures, Rockin' Tug at Woodlands Family Theme Park Devon.
  • United States of America - At least ten: travelling models owned by Murphy Brothers Exposition, Shamrock Shows, and by American Traveling Shows; and park models owned by Six Flags over Georgia, Six Flags Great America, Valleyfair, Knott's Berry Farm, Knoebels, Kennywood, Waldameer Park, Oaks Amusement Park and Santa's Village (NH).[4]

References

  1. ↑ "Better Amusement Hire - Family Rides". Archived from the original on 2006-08-22. Retrieved 2007-01-26. 
  2. ↑ "Mahons Amusements - Show Rides". Mahonsamusements.co.nz. Retrieved 2008-10-27. 
  3. ↑ "Flamingo Land. Wild Animals, Wilder Rides - Kids Rides". Flamingoland.co.uk. Retrieved 2008-10-27. 
  4. ↑ http://oakspark.com/intermediaterides.html

External links

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