U. alum designs waterpark rides

Even tough economic times could not stop 42 million thrill-seekers from visiting water parks last year. For Fred Langford, president of the New Jersey-based Surf Coaster Corporation, this comes as no surprise. Langford, who attended the University as an architectural engineering student in 1945, has designed and built water slides in over 50 parks around the world. "This entertainment business hasn't been affected at all by the recession," he said. In January, 1978 he was asked by his friends Will and Bill Morey to build a water slide complex, although he had previously only designed buildings. "I replied, 'What is a water slide?' " Langford said. "I didn't even know in 1978." After he received his third request in 1978 to build slides, Langford said he was convinced that the industry would be prosperous. Before 1978, water slides were simply concrete chutes -- called flumes -- which were embedded into hillsides. Due to this construction, the slide had to follow the path of the hill. But Langford substituted fiberglass for concrete and lifted the flumes off the ground and onto wooden supports. "We didn't have to answer to the Earth," he said. "Now we had more freedom of design." Langford starts each project by drafting a prospective slide, including the turns, drops and loops. The drawing is then analyzed by a computer which determines the parts necessary to complete the structure. The fiberglass is constructed from one or more of the 140 molds which Surf Coaster Corporation has developed. Next, Langford's crew starts erecting the slide. Depending on the size of the project, a crew of between 12 and 30 people work up to six months to construct a slide complex of three flumes. This does not include the plumbers, electricians and landscapers who are also hired. The slides are then tested for safety thousands of times, first with sandbags, then the construction crew, then lifeguards before it is open to the public. The estimated cost of erecting a water park varies from $5 million to $20 million, depending on the size and number of flumes. The most expensive park is Typhoon Lagoon in Disney World, which was estimated at over $60 million. Each flume uses from 1200 to 1400 gallons of water per minute. Langford has had many clients, including Wet'n Wild, Ragin' Waters, Sesame Place, and Morey's Pier water parks. He also created the fiberglass slides for film director Steven Speilberg's 1986 movie "Goonies." The movie depicted children sliding through tunnels inside a mountain, and then crashing out of a cliff into a lake. Langford also designs "mini parks," which are more economically spaced than full-sized parks. One such park is Ragin' Waters at Mariner's Landing in Wildwood, New Jersey. Built in 1985, the park was the first of its kind. The 1.7 acre mini park has "a large majority of elements that [other] parks have," said General Manager Geoff Rogers. These elements include six different rides with two flumes each, and "Endless River," which is a leisurely innertube ride, and activity pool, a hot tub, a beach grill and shop. It also features the "Sky Pond Journey" -- an elevated river ride. For the land lubbers, an 18-hole miniature golf course runs underneath the slide system. Rogers describes Langford as "one of the premiere designers and innovators in the industry . . . He's the best there is in terms of aesthetics and design quality." Langford said he also believes the waiting area should be an experience for the water slides visitors. His designs require that the path to the flumes be enjoyable. Ramps, stairs, flat walks and viewing decks all add to the "participation while waiting" of the rider, he said. Langford's most recent project was the Wiamea Wave, a head-first slide where the rider is on a foam mat with handles and a rolled up front, like a sled. The rider goes uphill as well as downhill, and experiences weightlessness when lifted eight inches off the mat during a drop.

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