About Parasailing

Parasailing is a fun and exciting recreational activity that is loved the world over by adventurous travelers and thrill-seekers. Flying through the air in a harness, kicking your legs out underneath you, and feeling the wind in your hair are just a few of the draws.

  1. Identification

    • In parasailing, a rider (sometimes two) is put into a harness that is attached to a parachute. As the vehicle he is on goes faster, air fills the chute and the parasailer is lifted up, but remains attached to the vehicle by a tow line.

    Types

    • There are two types of parasailing: aquatic and terrestrial. The towing vehicle is the only difference. A motorboat is used for aquatic parasailing, and a Jeep is used for terrestrial.

    Function

    • Parasailers ride to the rear of boats equipped with winches--machines that pull tow cables and parasailers back to the boat. As the boat accelerates, the parasail catches air and increased pressure within it lifts the parasailer into the air, at which point his altitude is dependent on the speed of the boat.

    History

    • Parasailing began in the 1960s as a cheaper way to instruct parachuters. It was made into the recreational activity it is today in 1974, with the invention of a special winch used to pull the parasail back into the boat or car towing it.

    Modern Parasailing

    • Parasailing rides can be found in almost every state in the United States and in many countries abroad. The most popular method of parasailing, by far, is aquatic and found off many public beaches.