Jet river rapids water attraction

A water ride attraction for use in amusement parks, water theme parks, and the like, comprising:

• a channel having a channel floor and adapted to have therein a body of water flowing in a predetermined direction, wherein at least a porting of said body of water flowing in said channel is substantially shallow, and at least a portion of said body of water flowing in said channel is substantially deep;
• and
• at least one means for injecting a sheet flow of water directly onto the channel floor to drive said body of water in said predetermined direction, wherein the sheet flow of water flows onto said shallow portion, and then onto said deep portion, such that a rider can be carried by said sheet flow of water from said shallow portion, and into said deep portion.

A water ride attraction for use in amusement parks, water theme parks, and the like, comprising:

• a channel in the form of an endless loop having a substantially shallow floor and a unidirectionally flowing body of water therein;
• and
• at least one means for injecting a supercritical sheet flow of water onto said channel floor in a predetermined direction, wherein the means for injecting said sheet flow of water, through momentum transfer, increases the velocity of said flowing body of water in the direction of flow, such that a hydraulic pressure differential is created between the sheet flow of water and a downstream portion of the flowing body of water, and wherein a rider floating in said flowing body of water can be accelerated by said sheet flow, and can then be carried around said loop on said flowing body of water in the direction of flow.

A water ride for use in amusement parks, water theme parks, and the like, comprising:

• an endless channel loop having a channel floor and a unidirectional flowing body of water therein;
• and
• at least one means for pumping water from said flowing body of water, and propelling said water directly onto said channel floor in the direction of flow to form a sheet flow of water, wherein said sheet flow of water, through momentum transfer, causes said flowing body of water in said channel loop to flow around said channel loop.

A method of providing a water ride for amusement parks, water theme parks, and the like, comprising:

• providing an endless channel loop having a body of water therein;
• pumping water into a flow generator and injecting a supercritical sheet flow of water;
• directly onto the floor of said channel loop, such that said sheet flow of water is at the point of injection substantially unattenuated and flows substantially unidirectionally around said channel loop.