Summer setup incline angle

[evanball]

For all the smart people out there: what would be the best possible angle of drop in and diameter/profile of curve for a summer ramp? Starting from a 6 foot high platform to slide a 8 foot long rail or a 12 foot pvc pipe, both of which only about a foot off the ground. Even your best guess would be helpful or some pictures of your setup and tips.

 

[Jezza]

Doesn’t matter what angle since theoretically you’ll have the same velocity at the bottom. To understand this, you can use the law of conservation of energy. Since you’re starting at the same height, you have a certain amount of potential energy (PE=mgh) that is converted into kinetic energy at the bottom (KE=(1/2)mv^2. Putting this together, PE=KE -> mgh=(1/2)mv^2 -> v=(2gh)^1/2. So in this case your velocity at the bottom will be proportionate to the square root of the initial height. However, this is based on frictionless surfaces so the main thing you have to think about is how much momentum you’ll lose when you hit the ground and more importantly how long the surface you slide is because you will have friction working against you.

As for what I’d recommend, probably just a single ramp at a 45 degree angle to the horizontal since it would be simple to build, the surface your skis slide won’t be too long (less work done by friction), and the angle probably won’t be enough for the skis tips to catch on the ground

**This post was edited on Apr 9th 2019 at 10:04:07pm

 

[evanball]

Doesn’t matter what angle since theoretically you’ll have the same velocity at the bottom. To understand this, you can use the law of conservation of energy. Since you’re starting at the same height, you have a certain amount of potential energy (PE=mgh) that is converted into kinetic energy at the bottom (KE=(1/2)mv^2. Putting this together, PE=KE -> mgh=(1/2)mv^2 -> v=(2gh)^1/2. So in this case your velocity at the bottom will be proportionate to the square root of the initial height. However, this is based on frictionless surfaces so the main thing you have to think about is how much momentum you’ll lose when you hit the ground and more importantly how long the surface you slide is because you will have friction working against you.

As for what I’d recommend, probably just a single ramp at a 45 degree angle to the horizontal since it would be simple to build, the surface your skis slide won’t be too long (less work done by friction), and the angle probably won’t be enough for the skis tips to catch on the ground

**This post was edited on Apr 9th 2019 at 10:04:07pm

Ah that’s very true thank you for reminding me of my science class. I’ll go with a 45° down and then as smooth of a tranny as I can to a short flat, and then another smooth tranny to the lip. Thanks

 

[BigPurpleSkiSuit]

69 degrees should do it.

 

[drew.ski]

Making the transition as smooth as possible so your skis don't flex as much is huge. When your skis flex it creates a lot of friction. Make sure the transition to the lip is also smooth. If you aren't getting enough speed, orange construction fence on top of the turf helps. You can also try laying PVC horizontally across the top of the drop in

 

[evanball]

Making the transition as smooth as possible so your skis don't flex as much is huge. When your skis flex it creates a lot of friction. Make sure the transition to the lip is also smooth. If you aren't getting enough speed, orange construction fence on top of the turf helps. You can also try laying PVC horizontally across the top of the drop in

yep already got some orange fencing for free from my mountain and I’m gonna bend 3/8” plywood over my 2x4 frames to smooth out those harsh transitions