World’s tallest water coaster opening in Galveston

What’s billed as the World’s Tallest Water Coaster is opening at the Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Galveston today.

Called Massiv (the German word for “massive”), the “monster blaster” is green, white and red with a translucent “belly of the beast” section, stands 81 feet 6  3/4 inches tall and is the equivalent of 2.5 football fields long. Riders carry a tube 123 steps to the top platform and then take their chances.

It has seven drops, four uphill blasts using Schlitterbahn’s patented Master Blaster technology, three enclosed dark tunnels and “a triple-down finale,” according to Schlitterbahn.

It’s designed for two riders in a double tube, with a maximum weight of 400. If riding alone, you can’t weigh more than 300. Riders must be at least 4 feet tall.

This story was originally published June 22, 2016 at 9:20 AM with the headline "World’s tallest water coaster opening in Galveston."