By Staff
waterhead.com
October 3, 2011

Para-sailing is a popular recreational activity for individuals and families. Part of its popularity lies in the fact that it does not take any special training to be able to enjoy this thrilling hobby, all that is required is a motor boat and a specially designed parachute. The introduction of new equipment even makes it possible for up to three people to enjoy para-sailing at one time. Many popular tourist destinations offer vacationers a chance to participate in their own para-sailing adventure.

In para-sailing, a person wearing a specially designed parachute, is towed behind a motor boat. Basically, the individual is propelled into the air once the boat starts moving. As long as the boat maintains a steady speed, the para-sailor stays in the air. The person para-sailing has no control over where he or she goes; the direction the boat is traveling in determines where the para-sailor goes.

While para-sailing does not require any specific training, most companies offering para-sailing trips will require participants to sit through a short safety lesson. In addition, most recreational companies will require that its para-sailors have at least a basic knowledge of how to swim. This is important because when it is time for the para-sailing adventure to end, the individual lands in the water and waits for the boat to pick him or her up. For the most part, this is an activity that can be enjoyed by the young and old. In fact, the youngest person to ever para-sail was a 9 year old and the oldest was a spry 87 year old.

The equipment used for this activity has come a long way in the last few years. Originally, the equipment used in para-sailing was designed to only safely hold one person. However, with advances in equipment and newer, more powerful boats, some para-sails can accommodate up to three people on one para-sailing trip. This has made it possible for small families or a few friends to be able to enjoy para-sailing together.

Many popular tourist destinations now offer para-sailing as a standard part of their recreational activities. This means that it would not be unusual for a visitor to see a multitude of these brightly colored parachutes dotting the sky . This is especially true for the vacation hot spots located in the Caribbean, Florida, and in many places in Central America. Many vacationers claim that para-sailing offers them the best view of the place they are visiting.

A para-sailing  trip is a thrilling adventure for people of all ages. Because it requires no special training, it has become one of the most popular water activities for individuals and families to engage in. New and better equipment has not only made it infinitely safer, it has also made it possible for more than one person to enjoy this activity at a time. People can easily find places to go para-sailing; this is especially true for the popular warm water vacation destinations. This activity is expected to continue to gain in popularity as more people discover how exciting it is.

BEST PLACES FOR PARA-SAILING

The Grand Tong Fuk Beach in Hong Kong offers breath-taking views of the lush green hills surrounding the beautiful beach. The wind conditions are especially supportive of parasailing. Other great places with beautiful landscape and excellent for Para-sailing trips are Tahiti, Caribbean islands and the Bahamas. Costa Rica is a lovely place to enjoy the clear waters, magnificent beaches while airborne in a parasail. California and Florida have many beautiful beaches and are the top spots for parasailing in the United States of America.

SAFETY TIPS

Para-sailing is a very exciting activity, but there is inherent risk in the activity. It can be dangerous if proper safety measures are disregarded.

• The towline should not be more than 300 feet in lakes and 600 feet in oceans. The boat used for parasailing should have an engine with at least 90 Horsepower.

• Having an experienced boat captain, skilled observer and boat crew is a prerequisite for an incident free parasailing experience.

• It should be made sure that there are no obstructions like trees, other boats or mountains in the way of your parasailing route in order to avoid collisions.

• The harness and other equipment should be properly locked down. The life vest or Personal Floatation Device (PFD) should be worn at all times to prevent drowning. A helmet should also be worn to protect the head in case of any accidents.

• Weather conditions should be checked beforehand if they are safe for parasailing. If there are strong winds blowing or there is overcast condition with chances of thunderstorms, parasailing should be avoided.

• All the equipment especially the body harness and the parasail should be inspected for any problems before parasailing.

• It is a good habit to practice and remember the hand signals that will help one to communicate with the crew. While airborne, if there is some problem, you need to communicate it to the boat crew, so that proper action may be taken.

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