The worst roller coaster ever built at Knott's Berry Farm. Windjammer Surf Racers replaced the beloved Wacky Soap Box Racers, but ended up being a disaster. This twin racing, looping coaster was plagued with problems from the beginning. Guests frequently whined about the rough ride experience causing the park to temporarily close the coaster to work on sections of track.
However, the more troublesome problem with Windjammer was ironically the wind itself. Even the slightest ocean breeze from the west could decelerate a train enough to cause it to valley. After several incidents, Knott's would out of precaution routinely shut down the roller coaster, most often in the afternoon hours. Earning a bad rap…the roller coaster was considered a joke amongst coaster enthusiasts. One was even heard boasting that "a rider's fart could stop Windjammer in it's tracks."
With a terrible ride experience, negative publicity, low ridership, and a horrible reputation Knott's management and parent company Cedar Fair decided to pull the plug on the attraction in March 2000 and immediately filed suit against the ride's manufacturer. Initially left standing for the lawsuit, a decision was made 16 months later to scrap it for good. Unfortunately, Cedar Fair did not prevail in the lawsuit against Togo and no damages were awarded. In 2002, the impressive Xcelerator rocket coaster opened at Knott's on the site where Windjammer Surf Racers once stood. It's also worth noting that this was the last roller coaster ever built by Togo.
| Year | Track | Type | Designer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Steel | Looping Racer | Togo |
Track lengths: Red*– 1,851-feet, Yellow– 1,839-feet (* Displayed above)
Inversion: Vertical Loop
July 2001 – After standing-but-not-operating (SBNO) Windjammer is demolished and scrapped.
March 2, 2000 – After repetitive issues and problems Knott's shuts down Windjammer forever. The park filed a lawsuit against the manufacturer to recover damages for misaligned tracks, issues with the trains and defective safety systems, but was unsuccessful in court.
1999 – Temporarily renamed Jammer due to a trademark infringement claim from an apparel company.
Opening date: March 26, 1997
Estimated cost: $6.2 million
Train has two cars with two rows each, seating two abreast per row.
Height requirement: Riders must be at least 48 inches tall
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