Special Features of a Parasail
Boat (Parasailing Boats: Speedboats on Steroids)
If you’ve ever been parasailing on a commercial
parasail boat, you’ve undoubtedly noticed the powerful boat that
launches riders into the air. This is no regular speedboat. Indeed,
a commercial parasailing boat is much like a deluxe speedboat with
state-of-the-art features and architectural extras that help keep
riders safe. Other functions help it maximize the crew’s ability to
improve the parasailing experience in every weather condition.
Most commercial parasailing boats have a large platform at the stern
where riders are strapped into their harnesses below the parachute.
This platform ensures flyers are harnessed properly and that all
crucial lines are free of knots and snags. It gives a wide-open area
for riders to become acclimated to the harness, as well as a safe
spot to touch down upon landing. Without this platform, the lift-off
and landing processes are significantly more cramped, giving more
opportunity for potentially dangerous errors. Most platforms are
covered in non-slip decking, increasing safety even further.
Another boat feature that is central to a parasail boat’s operation
is a reliable hydraulic winch system. The winch is what lifts the
parasailors into the air and reels them back in after the ride is
over. The winch should have speed control and a brake to ensure
complete control at all times over the tow line. Basically, speed
control ensures the winch can move at the optimal speed for weather
conditions and the individual rider, while a brake system eliminates
the winch from freely spinning out of control. The best winches
feature a self-aligning drum, which lays the tow line back onto the
drum neatly without a guide. Rope guides are a high-maintenance
addition that malfunctions far more frequently than a winch with a
self-aligning drum.
A parasail boat must also have a reliable method to deploy the
parachute that is necessary for parasailing. Since parachutes are
neatly folded and stowed between trips, before anyone can parasail,
the parachute must be deployed. Deploying the parachute is a crucial
part of a parasailing trip’s success. If the parachute isn’t lifted
and inflated immediately, it could fall into the water, where the
water’s force quickly cripples the parachute as it is dragged. Some
boats feature automatic inflation masts that the boat’s captain can
operate without a deckhand, while other boats feature a pulpit from
which the crew can manually inflate the parachute. The method of
inflation varies according to each company’s preference, but it is
generally thought that hand inflation is the most preferable method.
This is likely the case since hand inflation is a maintenance-free
endeavor that avoids undue wear and tear on parachute lines.
Understanding the inner workings of a parasailing boat is most
applicable to those professionally involved in parasailing. However,
as a consumer, it’s important to be able to identify the unique
features of parasailing boats that keep riders safe in all weather
conditions. You wouldn’t want to buy a speedboat by mistake! These
special boat features are what define the modern parasailing
experience and continue to propel its popularity.
.Paragliding vs. Parasailing
How to Find a Parasail for Sale
What is Powered
Parasailing?
The History
of Parasailing
Typical
Parasailing Equipment
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