WhiteWater’s Mat Blaster and Smart Blast Win IAAPA’s Brass Ring Awards for Best New Products
Each year, the IAAPA’s Brass Ring Awards’ Best New Product recognizes the best new products or services in the amusement park and attractions industry. This year, they recognized WhiteWater’s Mat Blaster and Smart Blast.
Mat Blaster is a first-of-it-kind slide that combines the fun of mat racing with the thrill of an uphill water coaster. This unique concept was inspired by riding a Master Blaster with a foam map. On the first drop of this slide, riders plunge down a 4 meter drop into a valley before climbing two hills that lead into a 360-degree Whizzard loop. This experience is truly unique from anything done before. WhiteWater has been making the Master Blaster for decades, but now they’ve combined the drop feeling of the Master Blaster with the thrill of a mat racer.
The world’s first Mat Blaster has been operating since June 2016, but you’ll have to go to Yinji Xinmi Waterpark in China to ride it. The ride also features WhiteWater’s Smart Blast technology (also recognized by IAPPA’s Brass Ring Award!) on its uphill sections. The technology has created significant savings in power consumption (by 50%!) without taking away from the ride experience.
Smart Blast is designed to save park operators money when it comes to operating their Master Blaster or Mat Blaster. Typically the propulsion system used for these rides uses a lot of power because the jets are continuously on and pumping. Smart Blast technology uses variable frequency drives and a proprietary control algorithm to dynamically adjust pump speed while the ride is in operation. Not only does this system save park’s money, it also reduces the wear and tear on equipment. You can find out more information about this technology here. For those wanting to experience this technology first hand, it’s inaugural installation is at MASSIC, the world’s tallest water coaster at Schlitterbahn Galveston Island in Texas.
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