HB 1487 - Commercial Parasailing

• Vessel owners engaged in commercial parasailing must obtain and carry insurance with minimum coverage of $1 million per person and $2 million per event, with proof available at the location where services are offered

• Commercial parasail operators must be licensed by the U.S. Coast Guard for carrying passengers for hire and must have a trained observer at least 18 years old present on the vessel at all times to monitor riders and equipment

• Maximum of three persons may be tethered to the towing vessel at any time; vessels must maintain at least 1,800 feet from shore, 400 feet from other vessels and fixed structures, and 100 feet from marked channels of the Florida Intracoastal Waterway

• Commercial parasailing is prohibited when sustained wind speeds exceed 20 miles per hour, visibility is less than 0.5 miles due to rain or fog, lightning storms are within 7 miles, or between one-half hour after sunset and one-half hour before sunrise

• All riders must wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved non-inflatable floatation devices; towlines must exceed 4,800 pounds tensile strength and not exceed 500 feet in length; violation is a second-degree misdemeanor