On the carousel
in the Bahamas

Providing the lighting system for a carousel on an iconic cruise ship on which thousands of passengers will travel the Caribbean... It might sound like a dream. For Ward Donkers of Kikis Techniek (Uden), that dream became a reality when Vught-based Wooddesign Amusement Rides came to him with a special request.

On the carousel in the Bahamas

‘Wooddesign specializes in making carousels and swing rides with lots of wooden animals, vehicles and other seating,’ Ward begins, ‘and we have a long-standing partnership with them. When they were contracted to build a carousel for a massive cruise ship, they brought us in for controls and lighting. While the initial design featured light bulbs affixed to a tarpaulin, we soon realised that would be impossible and that LED strips would be a better option.’

‘We immediately encountered the next hurdle: how could we attach the LED strips to the tarp? Adhesive strips wouldn’t work and drilling into the steel structure was out of the question given the constant exposure to salty sea air. We ended up applying a strong primer to the tarpaulin and gluing on custom-made aluminium profiles from Tronix, which were used to keep the LED strips in place. Another big challenge: all the lighting had to be able to withstand high temperatures. Kevin from Tronix helped us pick just the right LED strips, which would continue to work at temperatures over 40°C.’

LIGHTING AND CONTROL

Neon flex 30x20 mm, constant current 3000K (custom order)
Aluminium profiles 30x20 mm (custom order)
Power supplies 24V | IP67
LED dimmer 12V/24V 25A
Remote controlling

“Standing on one of the highest upper decks, I couldn’t help but feel proud that all the lighting had been designed in Uden”

"The end result is glorious. I still fondly remember the press event in Miami, just before Lionel Messi himself was set to cut the ribbon. I was on board, when suddenly the cruise ship appeared to be setting sail. At first I thought it would just be a quick excursion for the press, but a day later we found ourselves moored at CocoCay Island in the Bahamas... Standing on one of the highest upper decks, looking down at the carousel, I couldn’t help but feel proud of that Brabant-built ride equipped with lighting from Uden!"

Overview