The History of Parasailing
Parasailing, also known as parascending, or "parakiting" is a recreational kiting activity where a person is towed behind a vehicle (usually a boat) while attached to a specially designed canopy wing that reminds one of a parachute, known as a parasail wing. The manned kite's moving anchor may be a car, truck, or boat. The harness attaches the pilot to the parasail, which is connected to the boat, or land vehicle, by the tow rope. The vehicle then drives off, carrying the parascender (or wing) and person into the air. If the boat is powerful enough, two or three people can parasail behind it at the same time. The parascender has little or no control over the parachute. The activity is primarily a fun ride, not to be confused with the sport of paragliding.
There are commercial operations all over the world. Land-based has also been transformed into a competition sport in Europe. In land-based competition, the parasail is towed to maximum height behind a 4 wheel drive vehicle. The driver then releases the tow line; the person flies down to a target area in an accuracy competition. The sport was developed in the early 80's and has been very popular ever since. The first international competitions were held in the mid 80's and continue to this day.
Terminology
Parachute versus parasail
Both the parachute and parasail can ascend and glide. The primary difference between the two is that the parasail is more stable and efficient during the ascent mode when being towed aloft with minimum or zero steering control by the parasailor. The parachute is not efficient when towed and is primarily used for skydiving where the parachutist can be fully control the direction. In the descent mode, both are designed to retard the fall of a person during said descent at any given altitude.
Kite color
The parachute/kite part is normally brightly colored to match to beach area in which it is used. Some people have kites with colors matching their favorite sports team or alma mater. Many canopies that are designed for commercial use offering rides to tourists on vacation are bright in color and have designs ranging from American flags, smiley faces, and multiple color patterns
History
Early years
The first ascending-gliding parachute was developed by Pierre-Marcel Lemoigne in 1961. The same year, Lemoigne established an Aeronautical Training Center to introduce his new ascending-gliding parachute as a training tool for parachutists. The technique allows parachutists to train more efficiently by towing the parachutist to a suitable altitude, then releasing them to practice landings. This training method proved cheaper than€"and just as effective as€"an airplane. In 1963 Jacques-Andr© Istel from Pioneer Parachute Company bought a license from Lemoigne to manufacture and sell the 24-gore ascending-gliding parachute which was trade-named "parasail".
In 1974, Mark McCulloh invented the first self-contained launch and recovery vessel that incorporated a hydraulic winch and canopy assist mast that collectively launched and retrieved the canopy and parasailors to and from the vessel flight deck. McCulloh's invention was patented in 1976 and later referred to as a "WINCHBOAT" which the set the first equipment industry standard that is utilized by all commercial operations around the world.
In early 1976, Brian Gaskin designed, created, and tested the first 16-gore canopy design which he named "Waterbird". The Waterbird was revolutionary in its canopy design, its unique tow yoke harness arrangement, its construction, and the use of zero porosity fabrics which allowed it to be used over water safely. The majority of commercial operators then moved to the 16-gore canopy arrangement. In 1976 Gaskin founded his company, Waterbird Parakites, which is still in operation today, producing commercial and recreational 16-gore.
In April 2013, the first ASTM weather standard was approved. With the help of the WSIA, and the chair of the committee, Matthew Dvorak, owner and operator of Daytona Beach Parasail, Inc. the new standard was implemented. This is the first standard in the industry with three more in the works to be approved later this year. This standard was the first step in bringing the otherwise unregulated industry into a more uniformed and safe industry!
Modern equipment innovations
Mark McCulloh of Miami, Florida is the original inventor of modern day equipment, beginning with the world's first stationary platform in 1971. McCulloh's inventions are:
€ 1971 Stationary Platform
€ 1972 Motorized Platform
€ 1974 Winchboat
€ 1985 Skyrider Chair
€ 1994 Auto Rope Guide
€ 1999 Riser Line Assembly
Many of McCulloh's accomplishments have been aired on worldwide television and print media, such as Good Morning America, Inside Edition, Fox News Channel, LA Times, New York Times, and Miami Herald.
The most famous of McCulloh's inventions is the winchboat, a powerboat that incorporates a winch system to launch and retrieve parasailors from the boat. The winchboat is now the preferred equipment used by a majority of commercial operators worldwide.
Improved parasail canopy designs
In recent years, operators have moved from small (20-foot range) parachutes to large (30€"40 feet) parachutes that utilize high-lift, low-drag designs enabling operators to fly higher payloads in lower (typically safer) winds. Most operators now offer double and triple flights using an adjustable side by side bar arrangement. The side by side bar is aluminum attached to the yoke of the chute, allowing two or three passenger harnesses to be attached side-by-side.
In the late 1990s, Waterbird Parakites waterbird.co.uk and Custom Chutes Inc, redesigned the original Gaskin design to allow parasails to carry more weight (double rides and triple rides), but still ensure they could operate in the same operating conditions. As a result, a completely new design€"much larger in diameter but with much smaller increased air resistance was born.
There are commercial operations all over the world. Land-based has also been transformed into a competition sport in Europe. In land-based competition, the parasail is towed to maximum height behind a 4 wheel drive vehicle. The driver then releases the tow line; the person flies down to a target area in an accuracy competition. The sport was developed in the early 80's and has been very popular ever since. The first international competitions were held in the mid 80's and continue to this day.
Terminology
Parachute versus parasail
Both the parachute and parasail can ascend and glide. The primary difference between the two is that the parasail is more stable and efficient during the ascent mode when being towed aloft with minimum or zero steering control by the parasailor. The parachute is not efficient when towed and is primarily used for skydiving where the parachutist can be fully control the direction. In the descent mode, both are designed to retard the fall of a person during said descent at any given altitude.
Kite color
The parachute/kite part is normally brightly colored to match to beach area in which it is used. Some people have kites with colors matching their favorite sports team or alma mater. Many canopies that are designed for commercial use offering rides to tourists on vacation are bright in color and have designs ranging from American flags, smiley faces, and multiple color patterns
History
Early years
The first ascending-gliding parachute was developed by Pierre-Marcel Lemoigne in 1961. The same year, Lemoigne established an Aeronautical Training Center to introduce his new ascending-gliding parachute as a training tool for parachutists. The technique allows parachutists to train more efficiently by towing the parachutist to a suitable altitude, then releasing them to practice landings. This training method proved cheaper than€"and just as effective as€"an airplane. In 1963 Jacques-Andr© Istel from Pioneer Parachute Company bought a license from Lemoigne to manufacture and sell the 24-gore ascending-gliding parachute which was trade-named "parasail".
In 1974, Mark McCulloh invented the first self-contained launch and recovery vessel that incorporated a hydraulic winch and canopy assist mast that collectively launched and retrieved the canopy and parasailors to and from the vessel flight deck. McCulloh's invention was patented in 1976 and later referred to as a "WINCHBOAT" which the set the first equipment industry standard that is utilized by all commercial operations around the world.
In early 1976, Brian Gaskin designed, created, and tested the first 16-gore canopy design which he named "Waterbird". The Waterbird was revolutionary in its canopy design, its unique tow yoke harness arrangement, its construction, and the use of zero porosity fabrics which allowed it to be used over water safely. The majority of commercial operators then moved to the 16-gore canopy arrangement. In 1976 Gaskin founded his company, Waterbird Parakites, which is still in operation today, producing commercial and recreational 16-gore.
In April 2013, the first ASTM weather standard was approved. With the help of the WSIA, and the chair of the committee, Matthew Dvorak, owner and operator of Daytona Beach Parasail, Inc. the new standard was implemented. This is the first standard in the industry with three more in the works to be approved later this year. This standard was the first step in bringing the otherwise unregulated industry into a more uniformed and safe industry!
Modern equipment innovations
Mark McCulloh of Miami, Florida is the original inventor of modern day equipment, beginning with the world's first stationary platform in 1971. McCulloh's inventions are:
€ 1971 Stationary Platform
€ 1972 Motorized Platform
€ 1974 Winchboat
€ 1985 Skyrider Chair
€ 1994 Auto Rope Guide
€ 1999 Riser Line Assembly
Many of McCulloh's accomplishments have been aired on worldwide television and print media, such as Good Morning America, Inside Edition, Fox News Channel, LA Times, New York Times, and Miami Herald.
The most famous of McCulloh's inventions is the winchboat, a powerboat that incorporates a winch system to launch and retrieve parasailors from the boat. The winchboat is now the preferred equipment used by a majority of commercial operators worldwide.
Improved parasail canopy designs
In recent years, operators have moved from small (20-foot range) parachutes to large (30€"40 feet) parachutes that utilize high-lift, low-drag designs enabling operators to fly higher payloads in lower (typically safer) winds. Most operators now offer double and triple flights using an adjustable side by side bar arrangement. The side by side bar is aluminum attached to the yoke of the chute, allowing two or three passenger harnesses to be attached side-by-side.
In the late 1990s, Waterbird Parakites waterbird.co.uk and Custom Chutes Inc, redesigned the original Gaskin design to allow parasails to carry more weight (double rides and triple rides), but still ensure they could operate in the same operating conditions. As a result, a completely new design€"much larger in diameter but with much smaller increased air resistance was born.
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