Consider the abuse heaped upon water slides: gouges and chips from belts, zippers, locker keys, rivets and buckles ... vagaries of weather such as blistering heat, hailstorms, frosts and freezes. Throw in after-hours acts of mistreatment — apparently, skateboarding down water slides is a temptation hard to resist — and it doesn’t require much imagination to realize that water slides take quite a beating.
Compared with dry-land amusement park rides, water slides are fairly straightforward to maintain. Even so, slide manufacturers say that park operators can’t afford to be lulled into a false sense of complacency. Water slides of all types and ages require a watchful eye and daily inspections to ensure that guests enjoy thrilling, and safe, rides all season long.
An assortment of defects can afflict a slide’s fiberglass flume. When a small defect or crack is overlooked, it can grow to become a hazard to riders.
The following pictorial offer a pictorial look at 16 common types of damage to watch for.
|
