A popular amusement park in Williamsburg, Virginia had one ride that needed replacement drives. The flat-bottom boat attraction moves passengers through a series of dramatic scenes with special effects along a shallow water canal. The climax of the ride is 50 ft. vertical plunge to an 80 ft. chute into a splash lagoon.

Gear motors drive approximately 30 submersed, rotating rubber wheels that make contact with the bottom of the boats as they pass, propelling them through the canal. Nearly 100 photo-eye sensors monitor each boat’s position to ensure that proper spacing and safety levels are maintained. The sensors feed information into the master control room allowing the speed of each wheel drive to be adjusted or completely stopped in an emergency.

The problem was that, due to water ingress, the original geared motors installed on the ride were failing at an unacceptable rate, causing multiple, untimely shutdowns that amounted to almost half of the first peak season. The situation was upsetting the park’s visitors.

To solve the problem, Bauer BG Series geared motors were selected to replace the failing competitor units. The modified BG50 units supplied feature IP 68 motor gearbox, brake sealing, shaft seals with stainless steel springs, and V4A stainless steel output shafts. A WIMES coating was also added to provide an extra level of corrosion protection.

The customer is very pleased with the Bauer solution since there have been no BG Series failures due to water ingress after more than three years on the job.

Highlights

• BG Series compact, economical gear motors with high-tensile cast housings
• Complies with NA and International standards, including NEMA, IEC, CSA, and CE
• Torque rating to 18,500 Nm
• IP 68 Enclosure, sealed against dust and moisture
• Pre-wired 10-meter cable
• WIMES (Water Industry Mechanical and Electrical Specifications) compliant coating