I am sure most people have heard the expression “the belly
of the beast”. That is exactly where I was many years ago in my encounter with
Hugh Mongus the Gorilla and Wild Water Rapids. I had designed a steel backbone
for the first Hugh Mongus, who was consumed in a fire set by an arsonist. The
second time around, Mike Gelardi of ESG Companies wanted a more anatomically
correct gorilla. He contacted a sculptor out of Richmond to shape the new Mr.
Mongus. The new Hugh Mongus was designed around a steel frame with a system of
reinforcing steel attached to the steel frame. It was one of the first three
dimensional models I had done and there were no straight lines or ninety degree
angles. The skeleton was welded together and before the foam was sprayed on I
walked through the belly of the beast. The sculptor shaped Hugh. The paint was
applied and Hugh Mongus was erected into his current position welcoming all to
the water park. One result of my design was impressing my children and their
friends. I could have designed the framework for the Empire State Building, but
that would have paled in comparison to being inside Hugh Mongus. I answered
many a question about if it was true that I was actually inside the gorilla. At
least for my children that was quite a design to add to my portfolio.
-Carter Sinclair
-Carter Sinclair
