Ride the Ducks facts for kids
Ride the Ducks logo
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| Subsidiary | |
| Industry | Tourism |
| Fate | Permanently shut down (except for Guam) |
| Founded | Branson, Missouri, 1977 |
| Founder | Robert McDowell |
| Headquarters | , |
| Services | Duck tours |
| Parent | Ripley Entertainment Baldgya Group (Guam Operations) |
Ride the Ducks was a company that offered special tours in the United States and Guam. It used unique vehicles called "ducks" that could travel on both land and water. These tours allowed people to see cities from both the streets and the water.
The company was first bought by Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation in 2004. Later, in 2012, most of the company was sold to another investor. The part of the company in Branson was then sold to Ripley Entertainment in 2017. In 2019, Ripley announced that the Branson "Ride the Ducks" tours would close forever. This decision came after a serious accident in 2018 on Table Rock Lake, where 17 people sadly lost their lives.
Contents
How the Duck Boats Worked
The company used special vehicles that looked like trucks but could also float and move in water. These "duck" vehicles were based on a design from World War II called the DUKW. Some were custom-built, known as "truck ducks." Others were original DUKW vehicles that were made longer to hold more people; these were called "stretch ducks."
All the vehicles were designed with modern safety features for water travel. The drivers were specially trained and certified by the Coast Guard. They also had special licenses to drive commercial vehicles. Every duck boat was equipped with personal flotation devices (life vests) for everyone on board. The company also built these special vehicles for other tour operators.
Places with Duck Tours
"Ride the Ducks" used to operate in many different cities across the United States and in Guam. Here are some of the places where you could take a duck tour:
- Branson, Missouri (Opened: 1977, Closed: 2018)
- Boston, Massachusetts (Known as "Boston Duck Tours") (Opened: 1994)
- Seattle, Washington (Known as "Ride the Ducks of Seattle") (Opened: 1997, Closed: 2020)
- Baltimore, Maryland (Opened: 2002, Closed: 2009)
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Opened: 2003, Closed: 2016)
- Stone Mountain, Georgia (Opened: 2003, Closed: 2018)
- Memphis, Tennessee (Opened: 2005, Closed: 2007)
- San Francisco, California (Opened: 2008, Closed: 2015)
- Newport, Kentucky (Opened: 2008, Closed: 2018)
- Tamuning, Guam (Opened: 2014)
- Mobile, Alabama (Known as "Gulf Coast Ducks") (Opened: 2016, Closed: 2019)
Important Incidents
The duck boats operated by "Ride the Ducks" were involved in a few serious incidents over the years.
2010 Accident in Philadelphia
In July 2010, a "Ride the Ducks" vehicle stopped working on the Delaware River in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was then hit by a large boat being pushed by a tugboat. The duck boat sank, and two passengers, who were tourists from Hungary, died.
Investigators found that the tugboat operator was not paying attention. The tugboat operator was held responsible for the accident. Six years after this incident, "Ride the Ducks" stopped its tours in Philadelphia.
2015 Accident in Seattle
On September 24, 2015, a "Ride the Ducks" vehicle in Seattle, Washington, had a mechanical problem. Its front axle broke, causing it to cross into another lane and crash into a bus. Five people died in this accident on the Aurora Bridge.
The duck boat had been bought from the company that made it in Missouri. It had not received a recommended repair for its front axle. The Missouri company had to pay a large amount of money because of this. In 2019, a jury found "Ride the Ducks International" largely responsible for the accident.
2018 Accident in Table Rock Lake
On July 19, 2018, a "Ride the Ducks" vehicle sank in Table Rock Lake near Branson, Missouri. This happened during strong winds from nearby thunderstorms. There were 31 people on board, and sadly, 17 of them died.
The day after the accident, "Ride the Ducks" announced that its Branson operations would close. This was done to allow for an investigation and to show respect for the victims' families. The boat involved in this accident was an original vehicle from World War II, built in 1944. In March 2019, "Ride the Ducks" announced that its Branson tours would be permanently shut down because of the investigation and many legal issues after the incident. A new attraction called Top Ops opened in June 2019 at the same location.
