The questions before a parasailing flight are nearly always the same: whether you can go together, whether there is a minimum age, whether it feels high and what to wear. Here they are in order.
A parasailing flight is about twelve minutes in the air, between thirty and fifty metres above the sea, hanging from a parachute towed by a motorboat. You take off and land on the boat’s platform without getting wet. Depending on weight, you fly solo, in pairs or in threes, and those waiting for their turn stay on board.
The minimum age and weight limits for parasailing are not figures worth guessing: they are confirmed when you book, because they depend on the flight and on how people are grouped. So when you call, the useful thing is to give each person’s age and approximate weight. With that information, the crew decides who flies with whom.
It all starts sitting on the platform at the back of the boat. The instructor fits the harness, which wraps round your legs and waist like a seat, and clips it to the parachute. When the boat speeds up, the canopy fills with air and the harness lifts gently off the platform, with no sharp jerk and without your feet touching the water.
From there the line is paid out and you rise little by little to flying height, between thirty and fifty metres. You spend about twelve minutes up there while the boat moves in a straight line or makes gentle turns. At the end, the line is wound back in and you come down to the platform again, where the instructor helps you land and unclips the harness.
The first surprise is the silence. As you gain height, the noise of the engine stays below and what you hear is the wind in the canopy. The harness holds you securely, so there is no need to grip hard: your hands rest on the straps for comfort and your body hangs as if sitting on a large swing.
The sense of height is different from leaning over a balcony, because there is no wall beside you to mark the distance to the ground. You see the whole coast, the beach, the boat looking small far below and, on a flat sea, the seabed near the shore. There is some swaying when the boat turns, and it is gentler than it looks from the beach.
It depends on weight. The parachute needs the right load to fly well: too little and it struggles to climb; too much and the same happens. So you fly solo, in pairs or in threes according to what each person weighs, and the crew decides the combination, using the details given when booking and at the moment of boarding.
For a group of friends or a family, the practical approach is to arrive expecting that pairs or threes may change. Two people who wanted to fly together sometimes fly separately, and someone who planned to go alone ends up sharing a harness. Flying together has its charm: you can talk during the flight and the photos from the boat include everyone.
There are, but they are not given here as figures: they are confirmed when you book. The reason is that they depend on the flight and on how people are combined, and a general figure may not apply to a specific case. The safe option is to call +34 669 06 27 56, or drop into the office at the Puerto Deportivo de Fuengirola, unit 367, with each person’s age and approximate weight and clear up any doubts before you go.
If a child is coming, say so from the start, as with any other activity: the life jacket is included and has to be their size. And if anyone in the group has a medical concern, a back injury or a pregnancy, the sensible thing is to check with their doctor first and mention it when booking too.
Swimwear or comfortable clothes that can get wet, because there is always some spray on the boat, and a T-shirt if the sun is strong. The life jacket is included and worn during the flight. Tie long hair back so the wind does not blow it into your eyes, and put sun cream on before going up, since you cannot reapply it in the air.
What stays on the boat: caps, hats, loose flip-flops and anything that could fall off. Sunglasses only with a strap. The phone is the usual question: taking it up to fifty metres without a secured case means risking losing it in the sea, so the sensible option is to let someone on the boat use it to take the photos.
Those waiting for their turn stay on board the boat, so the group leaves together and returns together. From the platform you see the take-off up close and the whole flight, and it is the best place to take photos and videos of whoever is in the air. While some fly, the others stay seated with their life jackets on.
If someone in the group wants to come along without flying, it is best to ask when booking, to find out whether there is room on the boat and how many people fit on that trip. The parachute can also be seen from the beach, but from a distance and without the take-off, which is the moment people most like to film.
A fear of heights is easier to handle than people expect, because nobody stands up or has to do anything: you sit in the harness, held in, and the climb is slow. For anyone with doubts, flying in a pair with someone they trust helps a great deal. And if, once on the boat, you do not feel up to it, nobody has to go up.
The wind decides whether you fly that day. If the forecast does not allow a safe outing, the date is changed at no cost. In the afternoon, when the sea breeze comes in, parasailing copes better than boards do, which is why it fits well after a morning of paddle boarding or before a banana boat ride with the rest of the group.
If it is not here, call us: two minutes on the phone and it is sorted.
About twelve minutes in the air, at between thirty and fifty metres. Add to that the time the boat takes to head out and the turns of the rest of the group.
Not during the flight: you take off and land on the boat’s platform. There is always some spray on the boat, so wear swimwear or clothes that can get wet.
The minimum age and weight limits are confirmed when you book. When you call, give each person’s age and approximate weight so the crew can work out who flies with whom.
Yes, you fly solo, in pairs or in threes depending on weight. The crew decides the combination using each person’s details.
Leave us your number and we will call you. In July and August it is worth booking ahead.
Puerto Deportivo de Fuengirola, local 367. You can drop in and see the boats before you book.
At no charge. Going out to see what happens is never worth it.
Life jackets for everyone on board, included in the price.
