KANSAS CITY, KS (KCTV) -
Officials with Schlitterbahn Waterpark Kansas City said Verruckt,
the world's tallest water slide, will open on Thursday.
This comes after the ride's initial opening date was moved from May
23 to June 5 to allow for more testing, then pushed back again to
June 29.
The official launch of the water slide was delayed three times.
Layne Pitcher, a spokesman for the water park, would not confirm
Tuesday the exact time the slide will open on Thursday.
Verruckt, which means insane in German, is 17 stories tall and
riders will have to navigate 264 steps to the top before they can
take the heart-pounding 168-foot drop plunge.
The water slide's co-creator Jeff Henry, who is co-owner of the
Texas-based Schlitterbahn franchise, said a variety of issues have
delayed the official launch to the public.
"We had many issues on the engineering side," said Henry, who owns
60 patents for innovations such as land-based water surfing and
uphill water coasters. "Our correction coefficients were all off.
Models didn't show air and water friction. A lot of our math was
based on roller coasters at first, and that didn't translate to a
water slide like this. No one had ever done anything like this
before."
In early tests, rafts carrying sandbags flew off the slide,
prompting engineers to tear down half of the ride and reconfigure
some angles at a cost of $1 million, Henry said.
The water park has made other changes to Verruckt in a couple of
other areas.
Initially, four people would be allowed in the raft, but that
number has been scaled back to three.
A weight limit is also in place. The total weight limit of the
three riders is now 550 pounds.
Schlitterbahn's season started May 23. The park will be open daily
through Aug. 17, after which it will be open two more weekends
before the season ends.
Some people say anyone would be insane to ride Verruckt after all
the delays.
"Oh, I wouldn't. I think it is fantastic. It is quite interesting.
I just don't see the exit where you can chicken out and go. I don't
see the exit, there," Sue O'Dell said.
"No, I'm not doing it. You're not getting me on there. It's too
high for me," said Denise Filley of Kansas City, KS.
She added that, while she wouldn't try it, her fearless son has the
green light to go.
"He is welcome to do it. He's a little braver than I am,' But I've
watched the video so I don't want to do it," Filley said.
