Tourists who visit South Carolina can enjoy a litany of water sporting activities. Parasailing is one of the most popular, and millions of Americans enjoy it around the country every year. While accidents are rare, they do happen. In the summer of 2018, an Illinois man lost his legs in a parasailing accident in Myrtle Beach.
Anyone who suffers from an injury during a recreational activity in South Carolina waters should not hesitate to see a doctor immediately. However, people also need to be cognizant of the dangers before going out and parasailing.
Towline breaks
Before heading out into the water, you should inspect all the equipment with a professional from the parasailing business first. You want to ensure everything works as it should, particularly the towline. Injuries and deaths have occurred because this line broke in the middle of parasailing. It can sustain damage due to overloading, long-term exposure to harsh weather and cyclic loading. When the wind speed doubles, the load on the towline quadruples, so you need to take any changes to the weather seriously.
Bad weather
Most parasail operators will not allow anyone to go out into the sea if the weather is not appropriate. This is why you always want to work with a reputable company. You should not go out when there is a chance of thunderstorms or high winds. The surrounding area needs to be perfectly calm before you go out onto the ocean.
Too much distance
In general, you want to follow the three-to-one rule when considering the distance between the parasail and shore. If you will have 500 feet of line to go parasailing, then you should be at least 1,500 feet away from the shore. You do not want to risk getting too close to shore. You also do not want to be more than 600 feet out because then you will have difficulty communicating with the boat operator.
