You and your family made it to your beach getaway and are ready to go parasailing Destin fl, but now you ask yourself the question “is parasailing safe?”
Parasailing is not only an exciting and fun thing to do, but it is also safe if done with the right equipment, the right conditions, the right people, and by following the instruction of the parasailing crew.
We at Parasail Destin have covered some of the most common reasons parasailing accidents happen, and what the real parasailing dangers are.
Weak Towline
Towline failure is the leading cause of death and injury in parasailing accidents according to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and so is considered a parasail danger. They found that the commonly used bowline knot reduced the strength of brand new rope by as much as 70 percent. This was before they factored in the wear and tear from the sun, saltwater, wind gusts, and general use over time.
A good parasailing crew, is aware of the dangers a weak towline presents. At Parasail Destin we take steps such as, storing rope out of direct sunlight and in a clean and dry location, frequently inspecting rope for damage, accurately measuring wind speeds to make sure they are within the safe range for that day, slowly and steadily deploying and recovering the canopy with the winch, maintaining thorough logs of rope use and inspections, and frequently trimming back the working ends of the towline as well as frequently replacing the rope to ensure a strong and safe towline.
Strong Winds
Another parasail danger to consider is strong winds. A law was passed in Florida in 2014 that only allows parasailing crews to operate in wind speeds of less than 20mph. However, in a 2016 Sun-Sentinel article Mark McCulloh, founder of the Parasail Safety Council and industry expert witness and safety designer, said that 15mph is what the law should really be set at to prevent parasailers from going adrift in high winds.
Parasail Destin’s team closely monitors the weather and wind speed. We will never allow our guests to go up when the wind is too strong and presents a danger.
Poor Harness
An old or worn safety harness can cause a parasailing accident. In one such parasailing accident that happened on August 16, 2012, a 28-year-old woman fell to her death in Pompano Beach, Florida after her safety harness malfunctioned. After the accident, the NTSB examined the harness she wore and found that it had been bought by the owners of the parasailing company from another parasailing company that went out of business. There were no records to tell the age or use of the harness, but investigators determined that the harness was made in the late 1990s or early 2000s and it had obvious signs of wear and tear.
You can see our equipment in use at Parasail Destin. We keep our equipment is proper and working order, and frequently replace old, worn out equipment.
Inexperienced Crew
A good crew is just as important as using the right equipment or going out in the right conditions. A crew that does not know what they are doing can lead to serious or even fatal accidents. A good crew should be aware of all of the before mentioned safety issues and take the proper steps to avoid these and other risks.
At Parasail Destin, our crew is both knowledgeable and experienced and can answer any parasailing questions you may have.
Not Following Safety Instructions
Of course, even with an experienced crew and all of the right equipment, you are still responsible for following all of the safety instructions given to you by your captain and crew. Parasailing is an exciting and very fun activity, but you cannot become careless and choose to ignore the safety instructions you are given. To do so would mean putting your life and others in jeopardy.
While there are some parasailing dangers to be concerned about, Parasail Destin’s expert crew has you covered when it comes to safety, and you should be your first choice when parasailing Destin FL. With us, never again will you have to ask yourself “is parasailing safe?”