Rockin' Tug

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A traveling Rockin' Tug

Rockin' Tug is a flat ride manufactured by Zamperla. The ride is manufactured in both traveling and park versions. It is the first of a line of new "halfpiperides". Zamperla's Disk-O is another popular ride from that "family". The difference is that the Tug has a friction wheel, while the Disk-O is powered driven.

The idea itself is not new. Schwarzkopf made a ride called "Shuttle Boat" in 1978, in both portable and park versions.

1 Design and operation
2 Variations
3 Appearances
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Design and operation

A Rockin' Tug in the racked position

Twenty four riders are loaded into a tugboat shaped gondola, in six rows of four. The rows face into the center of the ride. The ride is driven back and forth along a track shaped in a concave arc, rocking back and forth. While this is happening, the entire tugboat rotates around its center.

The traveling version of the ride racks onto a single 28 foot trailer.

[edit] Variations

Several theme variations exist.

[edit] Appearances

Australia - One; a traveling model owned by Better Amusement Hire^[1]
Europe - One at Drayton Manor for Thomas Land and one under Construction at Alton Towers, One travelling in Germany (Schäfer), Belgium and Switzerland (Lang), Two travelling in Austria (Grubelnik), At least four permanent versions in Germany (Kernwasserwunderland, Legoland)
New Zealand - One; a traveling model owned by Mahons Amusments^[2]
United States of America - At least eight; traveling models owned by Murphy Brothers Exposition, Shamrock Shows, and by American Traveling Shows; and park models owned by Six Flags over Georgia, Six Flags Great America, Valleyfair, Knott's Berry Farm, and Oaks Amusement Park^[3].