Parasailing, Air

Have you ever thought of flying in the clear blue skies looking down at the emerald green waters of the ocean? One of the fastest growing aero sports in terms of popularity worldwide is Para sailing. The exhilarating feeling of freedom that you feel flying in the clear blue skies is phenomenal and mind blowing.

Parasailing is a sport in which a person flies with the help of a parachute which is dragged by a speedboat. Being at a height of 1000 ft or so, above the ocean trying to touch the sky and landing in the sea is a different experience in all.

There are three ways of parasailing – Winch boat, Beach and Platform parasailing.

The most popular of these is Winchboat Parasailing which is by far the safest of the lot. The Parasailor is launched behind the winchboat and is maintained in the air with the speed of the boat. While descending down, the boat slows down and retrieves both the sailor and chute using its winch. About 90% of the parasailing activities in the world make use of the winchboat.

Beach Parasailing is a simpler version but the more dangerous form of parasailing. This form of parasailing should not be attempted by novice or amateurs to the sport. In this case the parasailor is strapped into a harness which is attached to the parasail canopy and connected to the tow boat via a rope. The altitude of the parasailor is controlled by the speed of the boat. In this case the descend of both sailor and chute is done manually.

Platform Parasailing, is not as dangerous as the former form but yet it should only be attempted by people who have parasailed a couple of times before. The Para sailor sets flight from a platform behind or within the boat. As the boat slows down, the chute is inflated. When the boat moves, the chute is quickly launched into the air. The sailor descends on the platform at the end of the run.

The Parasailing Equipments mainly consist of a Glider, which when inflated offers resistance to the wind and the air. The harness attaches the paraglider and the pilot for safety purpose. A helmet and an extra parachute are there for the safety and the emergency landing of the pilot. The parasailor uses a VARIOMETER which is the main instrument for gauging the ascent and the descent of the pilot.

When you are a beginner to this sport then you should try parasailing with low winds first as high speed winds can be a little difficult to handle. In India all seasons are good to enjoy parasailing except the monsoon season (July/August).

There are certain dangers while on a Parasailing which one should remember.

• Don't parasail in the winds more than 15mph
• If the parasail rotates more than 45 degrees in the air, then the safety pin should be pulled before the canopy can spill its air and drop the sailor
• The parasailor must wear a life vest, as the harness is too heavy to swim in

There are a couple of places in India which is best known as parasailing grounds in India. These are Bikaner, Dandeli, Matheran, Gangtok, Auli in Uttranchal, Sansar and Dharamsala in Himachal Pradesh. Goa beaches are also known for its Parasailing activities in India.

So gear up to make all your dreams come true!!