It seems more and more that we will soon be able to welcome a new type of roller coaster. The Swiss manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard wants to build a Surf Coaster. Patent applications have now also surfaced for this new type of roller coaster.
In recent months there have been a lot of rumors about the hotly debated Surf Coaster. This will be a new type of roller coaster from the Swiss manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard (B&M). It has been since 2011, with the arrival of the Wing Coaster, that B&M brought another new type of roller coaster to the market.
The name Surf Coaster surfaced a few months ago, immediately the wildest fantasies about what it could become. Unfortunately, until now there was almost no information available, so it remained very unclear what we can expect from this new type.
Some fans thought it was a water coaster, because water and surfing seem to be a logical combination. Other fans mentioned a new generation of Stand-Up Coaster, because the standing position is so typical of surfing. Furthermore, a rollercoaster layout emerged for a roller coaster in China that had developed a number of bizarre curves, similar to a train surfing the waves.
Still other fans thought that B&M was going to release a launched roller coaster. This rumor came back because the term Surf Coaster first appeared at SeaWorld Orlando, for the construction of a new roller coaster. Later, B&M suddenly spoke about a launched roller coaster, which confirmed that fans saw this. The company has only built 1 roller coaster launched so far, so this would be quite unique in itself.
Patents:
On the other hand, it looks like the Surf Coaster will be something else, as recently images of patent applications for the Surf Coaster surfaced. We see three possible effects on these patent applications for this new type of roller coaster.
In the first image we see two seats that are mounted back to back on a roller coaster train, this in a sideways position with respect to the roller coaster track. A surfboard is mounted at the bottom of the seats, creating a surf feeling.
The second drawing again shows two seats mounted back to back on the roller coaster train. These are also mounted sideways in relation to the track and a surfboard is also provided at the bottom. However, we see a different kind of braces here, a real brace instead of a harness as in the first drawing. The surfboard also appears to be mounted at the bottom of the seat instead of diagonally in the front of the seat.
In the third drawing we see a completely different type of Surf Coaster. There, the surfboard is on top of the rail and the visitors are clearly right on the board. Two people can stand on each surfboard and two surfboards are mounted back to back together.
So it seems that the Surf Coaster is going to be a roller coaster with surfboards. Although it would not be impossible that all the above rumors are correct. This could be done if a combination is made of the surf model with standing places and some water effects are added along the course. With a number of surf-like turns and the roller coaster train is brought up to speed via a launch strip. No doubt we will get more clarity in the future about what this new type of roller coaster will become!
Source: https://themeparkfreaks.eu/2020/10/patenten-voor-bm-surf-coaster-duiken-op/
EDIT (24-10-2020):
Sadly this patent is NOT from Bolliger & Mabillard but from Vekoma.
And it is already a couple of years old.
https://patents.google.com/patent/US7987793B2/en?q=standup+roller+coaster&oq=standup+roller+coaster