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The Art and Science of Water: An Interview with Wyeth Tracy of Empex Water Toys06-28-07 | News

The Art and Science of Water: An Interview with Wyeth Tracy of Empex Water Toys

By Leslie McGuire, managing editor

Climb and slide toys are much like regular playground equipment. Kids love to climb and slide, so it was an obvious leap to come up with water slides and sprays. The enhanced play possibilities create yet another water event.
Photos courtesy of Empex Water Toys

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The clamshell Aquafountain provides a series of different weirs through which the water pours.

The History

Water parks have become increasingly popular since they began in the 1950s. The ?EUR??,,????'?????<

After 1977, other parks began springing up around the country. Huge, concrete slide structures were the norm back then. Soon, wave pools came from Europe, the leisure river and speed slide came from the Asia-Pacific region of the world and the waterslide came from California?EUR??,,????'?????<

And what do water parks need the most? Water toys, of course. Wyeth Tracy of Empex Watertoys was an operator in water and theme parks for 20 years. As such, he was well versed in the maintenance and liability issues involved. He?EUR??,,????'?????<

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When he went back there 15 years later, the playground was still there, but the gizmos were gone. ?EUR??,,????'?????<

Initially, Tracy had problems finding a suitable material that would work in water parks. Everything was metal or concrete. He needed to create water toys that would work in chlorinated water, not be corroded in high sun or get hot to the touch. Lightning was an issue with the metal structures, as well as rust. He decided to go the route of fiberglass and specialty plastics.

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The Aquaspiro has a spiraling jet that goes around the center pole. The sensation makes children dash around the pole so they can feel the spray on different parts of their bodies. A tickling spray starts at the feet and goes up legs, then up to the torso and finally to the head so the children have to close their eyes.

His first water play structures were made in his basement. ?EUR??,,????'?????<

Another issue for water play areas was finding the correct surfacing material. Asphalt surfacing was used in the 70s, but because of freeze thaw issues, they eventually went to concrete and put down EPDM rubber surfaces. EPDM surfaces were originally used on European running tracks and were adapted for use in water parks. Now they have versions that are very good in submersed situations.

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The Aquabow will create a rainbow through the mist which creates a prism effect. A series of nozzles in the bow give a soft spray that fills up the whole hoop.

Growing by Leaps and Bounds

Today, water parks are being built at an astounding rate all over the world. They come in a multitude of shapes and sizes, from small aquatics centers that have a few water park features?EUR??,,????'?????<

The estimated attendance at North American water parks during the summer 2003 season (the most recent date for which figures are available) was 70-72 million. That number includes the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The number of water parks throughout the rest of the world is about 600. The average attendance growth rate per year for North America is 3 percent.

The Aquadome is small and invites younger children and toddlers to put their feet over the jets. They all get on the different nozzles, covering them until one starts shooting really high. Their friends can help, too. Not only are they learning the value of social skills, they?EUR??,,????'?????<

Keeping Up With Themselves

When they first started, the company created interactive water toys such as water cannons and teeter totters. They also created a water bike, which was pedaled to make it squirt. ?EUR??,,????'?????<

The next step was to work with longevity, color and form. Much more interesting shapes are possible when using fiberglass molds and even better, there are no pipe sizes or welding issues. Their first concepts started a whole industry. ?EUR??,,????'?????<

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Adding on to Aquatons are the Aquadek series that are climb and slide toys. Every one of the toys gives children a different visual and sensual spray experience.

The Aquaspiro has a spiraling jet that goes around the center pole. The sensation makes children dash around the pole so they can feel the spray on different parts of their bodies. A tickling spray starts at the feet and goes up legs, then up to the torso and finally to the head so the children have to close their eyes.

Aquatot and Aquastart are bollards with an automation system which starts a control manifold which then animates a number of different features that come on and go off. The manifold can also power ground jets that shoot up. Children put their hands on the bollard, it reads the pressure and starts the sequence.

A lot of the toys have a simple activity without needing moving parts. Kids can interact with the water to get a sensation that?EUR??,,????'?????<

Aquatot and Aquastart are bollards with an automation system which starts a control manifold which then animates a number of different features that come on and go off. The manifold can also power ground jets that shoot up. They put their hand on the bollard, it reads the pressure and starts the sequence. Kids actually make the thing start to spray. The only complaint is that they want the sequence to stop so they can start it up all over again.

The Aquasphere adds another spray arm and water array. The play involves stopping the jet with your hand so it will spray out another nozzle. The obvious next step is to call over your friends to help. The group tries to get as many of the nozzles covered as they can so the jet shoots farther, and then shoot someone who is really far away?EUR??,,????'?????<

The Aquadome is smaller and invites younger children and toddlers to put their feet over the jets. They all get on the different nozzles, covering them until one starts shooting really high. Their friends can help, too. Not only are they learning the value of social skills, they?EUR??,,????'?????<

The Aquabrella is based on laminar flow. A large volume of water comes up over the top and as it cascades down, it holds its maniscus tension in a curtain. You can stand inside the curtain, which feels like being in a castle or behind a waterfall. But, the water completely surrounds and encloses the area, allowing kids to invent and create a magical space. They can also see through the water and notice how a water curtain changes their visual perceptions.

The Aquabow creates a rainbow through the mist, a prism effect. The clamshell aquafountain provides a series of different weirs through which the water pours.

In addition, there is the further surprise factor that can be found in the Tippin Toucans, the Flashin Tree Frog, the Butterfly Splash and the Rain Forest, which is a series of creatures such as monkeys, toucans, bees, mosquitoes, butterflies and bugs. The idea is the critters show up with water and they slowly tip over and dump water all over the children. The anticipation factor is at work here, since the children never know when a bucket of water will dump or where it will land.

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The biggest challenge installing these is that everyone wants them at the same time. Fortunately they?EUR??,,????'?????<

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The Aquasphere adds another spray arm and water array. The play involves stopping the jet with your hand so it will spray out another nozzle. The obvious next step is to call over your friends to help. The group tries to get as many of the nozzles covered as they can so the jet shoots even farther.

The Fun Never Stops

Wyeth Tracy got into the business back in 1980-81, and he says ?EUR??,,????'?????<

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A child can turn a valve and create one spray event, then turn it again to make a wheel spin around, then turn another and make a spinner start flinging water, then turn it back and it all stops. Children can also turn a wheel to the left, making jets come out, then turn it right and zap your friend with one of the jets.

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The Tippin Toucans, the Flashin Tree Frog, the Butterfly Splash and the Rain Forest are a series of creatures such as monkeys, toucans, bees, mosquitoes, butterflies and bugs. The idea is the critters show up with water and they slowly tip over and dump water all over the children. The anticipation factor is at work here, since the children never know when a bucket of water will dump or where it will land.

Installation Non-Issues

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If you run pipes to the spray features, the standing water becomes the reservoir, allowing you to chlorinate, filter and treat it, which is paramount. Water has to be filtered, but to a much higher degree than a standard swimming pool, because the chlorine gets burned off, however it?EUR??,,????'?????<

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Tracy works with an industrial designer and between the two of them, they develop all these items. ?EUR??,,????'?????<

They can create custom fiberglass products as well. All they have to do is put the essential machinery inside. ?EUR??,,????'?????<

There are two different kinds of spraygrounds that are popular with municipalities. The beach entry variety has about 12 inches of water. The debate is, which is more fun, standing water or no standing water? There are advantages and disadvantages to both. No standing water makes insurance companies happy and no life guards are required. But standing water has more play value and slows the kids down. This lessens potential falling and kids play more with the water and the water features.

The Future of Fun

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