FAQs2020-07-08T23:36:17+00:00
Why should I choose traverse bay parasail over the competition?2016-06-18T20:26:05+00:00

We have the most experience parasail operation in Michigan with 20 years in business and over 100,000 safe flights between our captains and crew. We even have the most experienced staff in the Midwest. We have friendliest crew and the best customer service. We aim to please!

We have the nicest and newest equipment. We have the most convenient location on the best beach. We give the best ride hands down! We genuinely care about the quality of your vacation experience and that’s why most of our customers are or become repeat customers.

Our crew is coast guard licensed and insured, as well as drug free, and are participants in a random drug testing consortium. We also have the only United States Coast Guard Inspected and Certified parasail boat in operation currently in all the Great Lakes.

How safe is parasailing?2016-06-18T20:25:03+00:00

It is as safe as most things that are fun. There is always some level of inherent danger in most adventurous actives. That is what makes them exciting. We limit the risks tremendously thru our vast level of experience, policies with weather, attention to detail with equipment maintenance and inspections, and our comprehensive training, but we cannot make it totally risk free.

If it was risk free you would probably sit at home in front of the television instead because it wouldn’t be any fun. Parasailing is statically safer than riding in your car to come see us.

What conditions are unsafe for parasailing?2016-06-18T20:24:08+00:00

Lightning storms, high winds with gusts over 25 mph, heavy fog, and potentially high seas (not often or likely on the bay). Again we have kept a perfect safety record for 20 years in business because we pay attention to the weather and we know when we should and shouldn’t be out on the water.

What is your policy with weather?2016-06-18T20:23:33+00:00

The captain makes the call on the weather. We believe in safety first and we value your precious cargo. Our captains ultimately make the call on what is safe weather. If we have to cancel your ride for weather we will give you the opportunity to reschedule for a better time or re-book you on a different tour or rental.

Cancellations made by the customer and not the captain, within 24 hours, weather related or not, will be charged the full amount of the booking without refund. We aim to please so we will try to reschedule you whenever possible but we cannot have people cancelling last minute when we turn away others for the spots, even when it is a little cloudy or cool, or because you think it may rain. We tend to watch the radar more than anything else, but use a wide variety of weather data, including marine weather instrumentation on board the vessel.

Can two or three ride together?2016-06-18T20:22:01+00:00

Yes actually it is more based on the combined weight than anything else. We can take about 200-450 lbs in the chute most of the time (probably 90 percent of the time). Sometimes we can take less (maybe as low as 150 lbs. Combined weight in very light wind) and sometimes more (upwards of 550 lbs in medium-light wind).

It all depends on the wind and which chute we are using, so that is at the captain’s discretion. We may have to shuffle people around a little to accommodate weight requirements.

Is there an age limit?2020-07-08T23:36:18+00:00

The youngest riders we allow must weigh more than 35 pounds. There is not so much an age limit as there is a weight limit.

Very young participants who still meet the weight requirements must go up with someone else. We prefer that person to be a parent or guardian, or at least an adult for small children whenever possible, but again it is usually based mostly on the captain’s discretion and on varying weight limits. We do require a parent or guardian to sign for all minor children under 18 years old. Please plan for someone on the boat or on land to care for small children and infants/babies.

It is not our responsibility to have childcare worked out in order for you to participate. If you do bring an infant or baby on board, you MUST have another person to stay behind on the boat while you are in the air. We cannot be responsible for watching a baby while you are in the air. Again you are welcome to have them participate as long as you know that there has to be room (based on passenger count not physical space) and that you are willing to pay for them to ride and have supervision if and when there is an available seat for them.

Children 4-17 may come on board without adult supervision outside of our friendly and helpful crew.

What if the parent won’t be present for the tour, can my child still go?2020-07-08T23:36:18+00:00

We include a link to our digital waiver in the email confirmation and need the parent or guardian to sign it. If you come down in person we need the parent or guardian to sign it, even if it is a temporary guardian.

What is the weight limit?2017-05-12T16:13:01+00:00

We need each individual to weigh at least 35 pounds and no more than 350 pounds. We can accommodate up to 450 pounds of combined passenger weight in the parachute. A maximum of 500 pounds of combined weight can be accommodated providing proper wind and water conditions are presented. It is at the sole discretion of the captain and crew the amount of weight that can be in the parachute on a given day.

What if I want to book for a flight that does not fall within those weight limit parameters? Can I cancel if they can’t fly us in the combination that I want?2016-06-18T20:17:50+00:00

Again, please try to follow the guidelines for combined weight when making your booking. We cannot guarantee any specific combinations ahead of time so normal cancellation policies do apply. The decision is at the captain’s sole discretion to fly you in the way that is most safe for you and every other passenger.

Stick the the guidelines and you should be fine. Also please be willing to have a little flexibility with us on this. We are able to accommodate most people’s wishes in this area but want just to qualify that.

Can I fly single? I went single before many years ago and it wasn’t a problem then.2020-07-08T23:36:18+00:00

Maybe, if the wind is light and the weight is within our guidelines. We may have to send a second person up with your for safety reasons to meet the minimum weight needed for the wind. We encourage all participants to go up with someone else because it is not only safer but also much more fun to enjoy with someone else most of the time.

The old generation of parasailing equipment was designed around all single flights or maybe very light doubles (250 lbs. max. in the chute). The introduction of triples and heavier tandems changed the design of the equipment entirely and that is why it is now much harder to do singles.

What should I wear?2016-06-18T20:15:35+00:00

Dress for the weather and for comfort. Know that our tours are on a boat, from the beach, and above the water, and there is always a chance of getting wet. Our boat is 31 feet long and designed for rough seas, so it is a very dry ride most of the time.

You could get wet from a boat wake or wave hitting us at just the right angle, or from a dip or emergency landing. When it is cooler out we try not to dip or get people wet intentionally. Though unlikely, if we had to do a water landing to get you in safely, it’s not a big deal. It isn’t much different then a boat slowing down with a skier until they drop into the water. You would float at the surface of the water with your life jacket on, and could just un-clip yourself from the chute.

You would get wet though so dress for the possibilities when possible. We recommend you wear a swimsuit on warm days if you plan on getting wet but you can wear street clothes if you prefer. It doesn’t hurt to bring a light jacket or hoodie on cooler days as it always feels cooler on the water, as well as a towel just in case you do get wet.

What should I bring?2020-07-08T23:36:18+00:00

Bring your booking confirmation, a towel, sunscreen (please refrain from spray-on sunscreen on the parasail boat as it presents a slipping hazard), sunglasses if necessary, a head-strap for glasses, a water-proof camera or case and strap for your camera or phone, cash or charge for add-ons like photo-packages or a tip for the crew (if you feel appropriate), I.D. and card if you are jet skiing after, and snacks and beverages in small cooler if you have one. We have some storage under the seats for minimal personal effects and a small box for phones wallets and keys.

Can I use the hotel facilities and beach?2020-07-08T23:36:18+00:00

We are happy to provide a place to use the private beach here at the hotel during your time with us. It is meant to be used by our customers only while your party is participating and utilizing our rental equipment or our tours. Please respect the privacy of the hotel guests by refraining from sitting directly in front of their rooms and by sticking close to the far west side of the beach and property.

We have a designated area for rental customers and our own picnic tables off to the side for members of your party watching from land. Parking and bathrooms are available as needed at the hotel, but there are limited so please carpool to limit vehicles when possible. Same thing with the bathrooms…please reserve use for going to the bathroom and try to keep things like changing in and out of swimsuits to your home or hotel room when possible, in-order to reduce traffic to the two bathrooms we share with hotel guests.

Do I have to make a reservation?2016-06-18T20:12:13+00:00

For parasailing we highly recommend you do and do so online. You can sometimes show up on the beach last minute but we often don’t have room and hate to make you wait if we don’t.

For boat rentals we advise them as well as we have limited number of boats and people tend to rent them for a longer period of time, especially on hot and sunny days, on weekends, and particularly on holiday weekends. With jet skis we recommend online bookings when you want to plan more than a day out, but same day they are first come first serve.

How early should I get there?2016-06-18T20:10:53+00:00

For parasailing you need to arrive at our booth, not the hotel parking lot, 15 -20 minutes ahead of time. Please account for the time it takes to check-in, verify waivers as well as any time demands for bathroom needs. There is no bathroom on board.

Also leave time for parking and rounding up your group, which always seems to take more time for larger groups.

What are your hours of operation?2016-06-18T20:09:46+00:00

We are open by appointment from 9am to 9pm. That varies at times with the weather and with daylight changes throughout the season. The boat leaves at predetermined times, usually starting at 10:30 and then every hour and a half through the the day until just before sunset.

Is there a recommended time to go parasailing?2016-06-18T20:09:07+00:00

Usually mornings have the calmest wind and waves, but that varies based on the weather report for the day. Generally speaking we recommend mornings. Mid-day is usually hotter and some people prefer that.

Really, any time is great to parasail if the weather is even decent and if it’s convenient for your schedule. We do recommend aiming to reserve for the beginning of your trip in case of a bad weather day, so that you at least have the option of rescheduling for another day if the weather gets bad. Remember that we don’t usually cancel for temperature or clouds, just unsafe conditions like thunderstorms or extreme winds.

How long is the flight and total trip?2016-06-18T20:08:18+00:00

Flights are approximately 10-12 minutes from take-off to landing and the total trip time is usually about an hour, but could be up to about an hour and a half.

What are your prices?2020-07-08T23:36:18+00:00

Prices for Parasailing are $85 per person for plus a booking fee of $5 (per booking not per person). Online Bookings can save the booking fee with a valid code.

Is parasailing less expensive for children or seniors?2016-06-18T20:05:39+00:00

Prices are the same regardless of age or size of the participants parasailing.

Is it cheaper per person if you go tandem or triple?2020-07-08T23:36:18+00:00

The prices are the same whether you have just one person in the parasail, or if you parasail with someone else in tandem or triple. All of our parasail equipment and systems were designed with the purpose of tandem and triple flights and so is our pricing.

Do you offer any discounts?2016-06-18T20:03:58+00:00

We do offer am specials for $15 off any am parasail or motorized rental booking with valid coupon code. We offer a group discount of 10% off parasail groups of ten or more and an additional 5% for every five additional flyers capped at 25% off. We offer the biggest discounts on our parasail/jetski combo adventures. We even have a 5 dollar off online bookings promo. Customers who spend over a thousand dollars at one time on any combination of parasailing and boat or jet ski rentals may receive a 10 percent discount at time of booking.

Do I need a coupon code for the discounts?2016-06-18T20:03:06+00:00

Most of them you do need at the time of the booking. The adventure combo does not but all others do. If you bring up the coupon after the time of booking it will not be valid.

Can I use multiple discounts at the same time (such as the am discount and the online discount or group discount)?2016-06-18T20:02:20+00:00

We do not allow any combination of coupons. If you have more than one we will only apply the one that gives the greatest discount.

What if I have a private party or want the boat to myself?2016-06-18T20:01:29+00:00

We can accommodate custom pricing for private outings and large group based on the discount formula above for onsite parties. Offsite private parties may be available depending on the date for an additional charge but will require a phone call.

Can I reserve for and bring non flying passenger on the boat?2020-07-08T23:36:18+00:00

Possibly, but it is based strictly on standby availability at $30 per person. Otherwise you can reserve a parasail spot at the full price and just ride if you want to guarantee a space.

If I’m paying for people to parasail then why can’t I just ride for free?2016-06-18T19:59:52+00:00

We love to be able to accommodate everyone but we are in the business of parasailing and not boat rides. All of our expenses as a parasail operation are much higher than a standard tour boat giving boat rides and we just can’t make any money reserving for riders. At 30 bucks we are still the cheapest boat ride in town and many of our customers tell us it’s worth the $85 we charge for parasailing just to ride on the boat.

What about small children, toddlers and babies…can they ride for free?2020-07-08T23:36:18+00:00

No, a person is a person as far as the coast guard is concerned and we charge for each person the same. It doesn’t matter how much space they take up physically, as they take one more spot from our limited availability.

If I pay as a non-flying passenger can I decide to fly?2016-06-18T19:57:40+00:00

Yes, again standby only for riders unless you pay for the extra parasailor space, but you can upgrade to a flyer for the difference in fare.

Do you take pictures?2016-06-18T19:56:31+00:00

Yes for a nominal price of $30 for the first flight and 25-30 pictures which we give you in an SD card. Each additional flight costs another $10 for the same party.

Can I bring my own camera?2016-06-18T19:54:49+00:00

Yes but it is done at your own risk of getting it wet, dropping and breaking it or having it lost or stolen. Ideally it should be a waterproof camera or in a waterproof case with a strap so that your hands can be free on takeoff and landing.

What if I’m late for my appointment?2016-06-18T19:54:03+00:00

On time is actually arriving 15-20 minutes before the scheduled departure time. If you show up after the departure time the boat will likely be gone and you you forfeit your spots without refund. If you show up just moments before the boat is scheduled to leave, we may or may not let you on.

We aim to please but reserve the right to turn away customers who do not show up at least 15 minutes ahead of time. We may opt to allow you onboard but decrease the flight time of your party to allow for us to be on time for the next outing. We don’t have to do this often so please don’t make us. We want you to leave with a huge smile on your face show please show up on time.