The new shubee flowrider in panama city beach is a mere few weeks away from opening. The steel structure is growing out of the ground and soon, here you’ll be able to find the perfect wave all the time.
This flowrider will be a double that will be able to be transformed into one huge save surface.
Check out the pictures.
Posted from my iPhone, oh yea.
Located off of Miracle Strip Loop in Panama City Beach, the new Flowrider attraction we’ve all been waiting for is coming closer to opening each day. Miracle Strip Loop is right across from Wal-Mart on the Beach and the Shubee Flowrider is in the center of the “loop.” The Flowrider is a stationary structure that is shaped with a smooth slope that provides the ideal surf conditions with a special board as water is thrusted over the shape.
Ok, so maybe “weeks” is a little of a stretch, but the projected open date should come end of June, depending on the weather.
Just late last week the concrete form was poored for the Flowrider structure. 12 feet tall at the back, the structure goes about 6 feet into the ground and will house the monstrous equipment that is responsible for pumping 75,000 gallons of water each and every minute over a shape that is said to form a perfect wave. The material is a “composite membrane riding surface” that is “soft and flexible like a trampoline,” padding your fall, should you feel the need to. I read the water travels over the surface at 25 to 35 mph.
Reading around, it would seem that the Flowrider puts surfers, skaters, snowboarders and skimmers on “equal” ground, er- water. The board is different than a skim or surf board, picture a larger skateboard, with no wheels or trucks and not as much curvature on the nose or tail.
The Flowrider being installed here will be a “double” Flowrider, with a capacity of 55,000 gallons.
The concrete form that will house the Flowrider requires a larger than usual cure time and should be ready next week sometime. When its ready, they’ll pour the rest of the concrete and the steel building should go up pretty quick.
No word on pricing yet, but I did hear talk of 24 hour marathon runs during peak high seasons and hints at some competitions. You can be sure that you’ll find all the updates here. This will definitely be a cool addition to our growing area.
Hot off the press – pcbdaily’s press – an indoor double Flowrider is coming to Panama City Beach. Think surfing year-round, think surfing whether the water temperature in the Gulf is tolerable or not, think surfing whether it’s raining or lightning outside, or think surfing if you just don’t feel like paddling out. I’m thinking surfing because I can’t surf for real.
Being a veteran snowboarder remembering the days of the early 1990’s of me and one other guy on the whole mountain learning to snowboard, getting practically run over by skiers hating on the, what they thought, new sport. I always wanted to skate, but frankly, I sucked at it. I read all the magazines, wore the cool clothes, listened to the music, liked riding my board, but I couldn’t do any tricks for the life of me. Or maybe I just wasn’t dedicated. Snowboarding was everything I wanted – a board that was attached to my feet and a padded landing (sometimes). I rode passionately every chance I got for 10 years (growing up is Dallas offered me this opportunity twice a year at best).
Fast forward to moving to Panama City Beach in 2001. “Surfing is just like snowboarding,” a friend told me, “you’ll love it.” Well, it isn’t, and I don’t. It always seemed like too much work for not enough playtime. I was spoiled with the sometimes seemingly endless downhill bouts riding fresh powder. I gave it another chance when my wife, who is an avid surfer, convinced me. Same results. I did however find a new comprimise to my longing for the snow – wakeboarding. Yet, I’ve only been once. That day will always linger in my head when I got “up” after the third try and rode for hours. Everything about the control of the board was familiar – I loved it. Too bad that was almost three summers ago, and I haven’t gone since.
Fast forward again, to today. A new double Flowrider is coming to Panama City Beach, and it will be indoor. Talking to Jeremy, who’s working on the development and operational side of this new attraction, he said, “the best way I can describe it is a jet engine shooting water up a ramp so fast you can surf it.” The title on the main page of the Flowrider website describes it as “sheetwave attractions.” They vary in size and even in wave dynamics, but they all provide healthy doses of fun. If you’ve ever been on a Royal Caribbean’s cruise, chances are you’ve run into one.
Driving down Middle Beach Road, right across from Wal-Mart and where Tony Roma’s used to be, you’ve probably seen a video sign that says Shubee Flowrider. That’s it. Right there in Miracle Strip Loop will be where all the indoor surfing action can be found starting sometime early summer. “If everything works out right, we’ll be open sometime in June,” said Jeremy.
Prices haven’t been set yet, but they are estimating the cost to be around $20 per session. Each session could last for up to 1 hour. Inside, there will be observation areasall around the attraction, two party rooms and a retail area including gear and apparell.
Welcome to Panama City Beach, Jeremy!
PCBDaily 