Undertow (roller coaster) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Undertow |
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|---|---|
| Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk | |
| Location | Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk |
| Coordinates | 36°57′52″N 122°01′05″W / 36.9644°N 122.0181°W |
| Status | Operating |
| Soft opening date | October 19, 2013 |
| Cost | US$5.5 million |
| Replaced | Hurricane |
| General statistics | |
| Type | Steel – Spinning |
| Manufacturer | Maurer AG |
| Model | Spinning roller coaster |
| Lift/launch system | Chain lift hill |
| Height | 50 ft (15 m) |
| Length | 1,410 ft (430 m) |
| Speed | 40 mph (64 km/h) |
| Inversions | 0 |
| Capacity | 900 riders per hour |
| Height restriction | 48 in (122 cm) |
| Trains | 7 trains with a single car. Riders are arranged 2 across in 2 rows for a total of 4 riders per train. |
| Undertow at RCDB | |
Undertow is a super fun roller coaster at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. It's a special kind of ride called a spinning roller coaster. This means your ride car spins around as you go on the track! It was built by a company called Maurer Söhne. Guess what? It's the only spinning roller coaster in Northern California!
Contents
How Undertow Was Built
Before Undertow, there was another roller coaster at the Boardwalk called Hurricane. On March 23, 2012, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk announced that Hurricane would close. They said a brand new, exciting ride would take its place in 2013.
Announcing the New Ride
On August 27, 2012, the Boardwalk officially announced that the new ride would be named Undertow. People were very excited to hear about this spinning coaster!
Construction and Opening Day
Construction for Undertow began right after Hurricane closed on September 3, 2012. Workers got busy building the new tracks and ride system. After months of hard work, Undertow officially opened to the public on October 19, 2013. It quickly became a favorite ride for many visitors.
Ride Experience and Features
Undertow is a steel roller coaster, which means its tracks are made of strong metal. It's known for its unique spinning cars. Each car can spin freely, so every ride is a little different! You might spin a lot, or just a little, depending on how the weight is distributed.
What Makes it Spin?
The cars on Undertow don't just go forward; they also rotate! This spinning motion adds an extra thrill to the ride. As you go around curves and up hills, your car can be spinning at the same time, making it feel like a wild, unpredictable adventure.
Ride Statistics
Undertow is 50 feet tall, which is about as high as a five-story building! The track is 1,410 feet long, which is almost a quarter of a mile. You'll zoom along at speeds up to 40 miles per hour. The ride has a chain lift hill to get you to the top, ready for the fun to begin. It cost about US$5.5 million to build this amazing attraction.
