The bowl slide, also known as a funnel slide, is probably one of the water slide typologies that attracts the most attention among water park users. Its circular geometry is distinctive, and its visual impact within the park is immediate. In many cases, it is the attraction that appears first in any promotional image of the facility.
How a Bowl slide fits within international standards
Under the European standard EN 1069, the Bowl slide corresponds to Type 10. The standard defines it as a combination of slides in which the user arrives from a previous section, normally Type 3, 4 or 5 slides, transitioning into the circular element. Inside it, the user follows a spiral trajectory before dropping into the landing pool/swimming pool through the lower opening, or continuing towards an additional section, such as a run-out.
Within the American standard ASTM F2376, the Bowl slide falls under the category of specialty slides, which groups special designs with non-standard geometries. In this case, the standard indicates that the user arrives from a previous section, enters a circular element and descends through it along a spiral trajectory before dropping into the landing pool/swimming pool through the lower opening, or continuing towards an additional section, such as a run-out.
In both cases, this non-standard geometry distinguishes it from other typologies and requires a specific analysis of each part of the sequence. For more detailed information on its classification, you can consult our post on the classification of water slides according to the EN 1069 standard, as well as our post on the classification of water slides according to ASTM standards, where we explain how the different typologies fit within the complete water slide map for each standards system.
The parts of the bowl and what each one affects
Designing a Bowl slide requires understanding the attraction as an uninterrupted sequence, where each section depends directly on the one before it. Any sound technical design must start from this basis.
The design characteristics of the previous access section determine the speed and the way in which the user enters the circular element, so this arrival must be properly resolved, as it prepares the entire subsequent sliding sequence.
Next comes the entry transition into the spiral path. At this point, the geometry of the attraction changes and, for that reason, the connection between both sections requires particular attention during the design stage.
Once inside the circular element, the user follows a trajectory in which linear speed and centrifugal acceleration are combined. The diameter of the bowl, the slope of the spiral and the water flow directly influence the behaviour of the ride and the speed at which the user reaches the lower opening.
The importance of correctly calculating water flow for the proper operation of a Bowl slide
Regarding water flow, there is an important nuance to keep in mind. For this type of slide, neither the European standard EN 1069 nor ASTM F2376 sets a specific minimum or maximum value. This parameter is therefore defined in the manufacturer’s technical documentation and must be properly justified within the project and during commissioning.
In practice, the Bowl requires a continuous sheet of water throughout the entire spiral in order to maintain stable sliding conditions. For this reason, the hydraulic definition forms part of the design of the attraction itself and cannot be treated as a secondary adjustment.
The exit into the landing pool also requires its own assessment. In this type of slide, the standard establishes that the radius of the landing pool must be at least one metre greater than the radius of the slide’s exit opening. This criterion directly links the geometry of the exit with the sizing of the landing pool/swimming pool, so both decisions must be coordinated from the start of the project, as the definition of one directly affects the other. The depth of the landing pool/swimming pool must also be taken into account as an essential requirement.
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