| Pierre Lamoigne couldn't have known that he was | | | | for take off and landing. |
| making aviation sport history when in the early 1960's | | | | The Pioneer Parachute Company started making |
| he attached a parachute to his moving car and | | | | parachutes under the protected name of "Parasail" |
| invented parasailing. Lamoigne was a parachute | | | | back in the 1960s after Lamoigne's first successes. |
| teacher, and the easiest method then to teach the | | | | Parasailing historically has enjoyed most of its |
| use of a parachute was to raise the "pilot" into the | | | | popularity as an air and water sport, but there are |
| air to a certain height and then untie the parachute | | | | now land-based parasailing competitions that are |
| to let the pilot float free. People often confuse this | | | | especially popular in Northern Europe and Finland. |
| method called parascending with hang gliding. But | | | | History was made again with the first international |
| when Lamoigne did not release the parachute and | | | | competitions being held in 2004. |
| pulled the pilot along in the air behind in a high-speed | | | | Parasailing does not have to rely on competitions to |
| vehicle, parasailing truly began. | | | | be a popular sport. History shows that the thrill and |
| Higher standards for parasailing were set in the 1970s | | | | excitement of being airborne has made the sport of |
| when a man named Mark McCulloh made history by | | | | parasailing very popular with families. But caution and |
| using the parachutes at sea. He started first by | | | | good judgment should always be used, especially |
| raising parachutes from the shore but then went on | | | | with the equipment and weather conditions for flying. |
| to design a motorized platform, then a boat to pull | | | | Everyone should get training from a certified |
| the parachute back to the ship. These days there is | | | | parasailing instructor before attempting a first flight. |
| even a specially designed ship with a built-in platform | | | | |