First-timers
Your first time parasailing: what actually happens
Most of the people on our boat have never parasailed. Here is the whole trip in order, from the sand to the landing, including the parts people worry about.
Harnessed on the boat and waiting their turn. The captain is at the helm.
01
Before you board
Meet us on the sand in front of Whalers Village, 30 minutes before the boat goes. The crew fit your harness on the beach and check it before anyone boards.
You fly barefoot, so shoes stay on the boat. Strap your sunglasses on or leave them behind. Phones go in a zip pocket or to the crew. There is no shade on the boat, so put sunscreen on before you board.
02
Take-off
No running and no jumping. You stand on the flight deck at the back of the boat and the crew clip you to the bar. The canopy is already full above you. The boat moves off, the line takes your weight, and the deck drops away.
People brace for a jolt. It does not come.
03
On the line
The crew let the line out to 1,200 ft. The engine noise fades until it is mostly wind. You see Lahaina down the coast, Lanai across the channel and the West Maui Mountains behind you.
Up to 3 fly together on the same bar, close enough to talk. You get 8–17 minutes in the air.
You do not have to fly the full line. Ask the crew for less before you go up. It costs the same, and most first-timers who ask for less signal for more once they are up.
04
The dip, if you want it
On the way down the crew can lower you until your feet drag through the water, then lift you back up. It is optional. Tell the crew before you go up. If you change your mind in the air, signal them. They go over the hand signals before anyone leaves the deck.
05
Landing
Back onto the same deck, feet first, with the crew taking your weight. You stay dry unless you asked for a dip. Then you sit down and watch the next group go up. Everyone flies in turn, which is why the trip takes about an hour.
06
Is it safe?
Parasailing is safe when it is run properly. The question to ask any operator is what they do when the weather turns.
Our captains are U.S. Coast Guard licensed Masters. Our crew are trained in parasailing, boat handling and flight procedures, and subject to random drug testing. We do not fly in rain or excessive wind. The Captain decides, and will resume if conditions clear. A flight we cancel is rebooked or refunded in full.
07
What first-timers ask on the sand
- I can’t swim
- You don’t need to. Every flyer wears an approved life vest, whether or not they can swim. Take-off and landing are both from the boat, and if you skip the dip you never touch the water.
- I’m afraid of heights
- Fly on a shorter line and signal if you want to come down. Nothing about it is sudden.
- I don’t want to fly
- Then don’t. Ride along as an observer for $75 and take the photographs. Applied toward a flight if a rider decides to fly after all.
- My phone?
- Only if it is zipped into a pocket. Most people hand it to the crew. The crew shoot photos from the boat and sell them separately.
- I want down
- Signal the crew and they bring you straight down.
08
Safety and experience questions
- Can you go parasailing while pregnant?
- No. Parasail Maui does not fly anyone who is pregnant, at any stage. Take-off and landing happen off the back of a moving boat and the landing can be firm, which is not a risk worth taking. Pregnant guests are welcome to ride along on the boat as observers and watch the rest of the group fly.
- Do you need to know how to swim to parasail?
- No. Swimming is not required to parasail with us. Every flyer wears an approved life vest, whether or not they can swim. Take-off and landing are both from the boat's flight deck, so under normal conditions you never enter the water at all unless you ask for a dip.
- Can more than one person fly at a time?
- Yes. up to 3 people fly together under one canopy, side by side on the same bar, so you are talking to each other the whole way up. Whether three is possible on the day comes down to the combined weight and the wind. Most families fly in pairs.
- How high do you go parasailing on Maui?
- Parasail Maui flies on a 1,200 ft line. Your height above the water is a little less than the line length, because the tow line runs back at an angle rather than straight up. From up there you can see Lahaina down the coast, Lanai across the channel and the West Maui Mountains behind you.
- Can you fly lower than the full line?
- Yes. The crew lets out as much line as you want and no more, so if 1,200 ft sounds like a lot you can fly lower and still get the view. Tell the crew on the boat before you go up. It costs the same. Most first-timers who ask for less end up signalling for more once they are up there.
- What does parasailing actually feel like?
- Quieter than people expect. You lift off the back of the boat standing still and the canopy does the work. There is no running, no jumping and no drop. Once the line is out, the boat noise falls away and it is mostly wind. Guests who arrive nervous almost always describe it afterwards as peaceful rather than thrilling.
- Do you get wet parasailing?
- Only if you want to. Take-off and landing are both dry, from the boat. If you want to get wet, ask the crew for a dip and they will lower you until your feet drag through the water on the way down, then winch you straight back up. Tell the crew before you go up, and if you change your mind mid-flight, signal them: they brief the hand signals on the boat before anyone leaves the deck.
- How long does the whole thing take?
- Your time in the air is 8–17 minutes. The whole trip, from stepping onto the boat to stepping off, runs about an hour, because the boat carries up to 12 guests and everyone flies in turn. Watching the others fly is part of the trip, and it is where most of the photographs get taken.
- What should I wear parasailing?
- A swimsuit if you plan to take a dip, and shorts, a t-shirt and flip-flops if you do not. You fly barefoot, so leave anything that can slide off a foot on the boat. Secure your sunglasses or leave them behind, put your phone in a zip pocket or hand it to the crew, and there is no shade on the boat, so put sunscreen on before you board.
- Is parasailing safe?
- Parasailing is safe when it is run properly, and the thing worth asking any operator is what they do when the weather turns. Every Parasail Maui captain is a U.S. Coast Guard licensed Masters. Our crew are trained in parasailing, boat handling and flight procedures, and subject to random drug testing. We do not fly in rain or excessive wind. The Captain decides, and will resume if conditions clear. Every flyer wears an approved life vest, and take-off and landing both happen from the boat rather than the water.
- Is parasailing safe for a first-timer or someone nervous about heights?
- It suits nervous flyers better than most people expect, because nothing about it is sudden. You are strapped in and checked by the crew while the boat is still, you lift off gently from a standing start, and the crew can bring you straight back down at any point. They go over the hand signals before anyone leaves the deck. You can also ask to fly on a shorter line. Nobody is talked into anything on this boat.
- What happens if the weather turns?
- We do not fly in rain or excessive wind. The Captain decides, and will resume if conditions clear. If we cancel your flight for weather, you can rebook for another day or take a full refund — you are never charged for a flight we call off. This is the main reason to book parasailing early in your trip rather than on your last day: it leaves room to move.
- Can you do a proposal, a birthday or a wedding party?
- Yes, with notice. We arrange proposals and celebrations on this boat regularly, and they go better when the crew know in advance: they can position the boat and have the camera ready. Call ahead rather than mentioning it on the beach.
09
Before you book
Check the age and weight limits if anyone in your group is very light, very heavy, pregnant or under 5. Check what it costs. Then see what is free today or call (808) 431-9287.
If you want to watch a boat go out before you decide, come down to the yellow umbrellas in front of Whalers Village and watch.
Kaanapali Beach · Whalers Village
Book your first flight.
Book online, or call and we will tell you what is left on today’s boats.