Luxuriate

A resort on the seas

Yachting is the pinnacle of luxury. After all, one buys a yacht only after achieving all of life's conforts and a bit more, write Sujay Chohan

Luxury boating gives the rich and famous the freedom to take their castles with them wherever they go. Their luxurious super yachts dot the seaside in the South of France, the Mediterranean and Australia’s Gold Coast, depending on the time of the year. In India, Dr Vijay Mallya’s super yacht Indian Empress has sailed into the Arabian Sea waters for the festive season, which also coincides with the Indian boating season.

And he’s not alone. More and more Indians are discovering the joys of boating, especially after the inaugural Mumbai International Boat Show last year. Yachts worth over Rs 1,000 million were sold post the show, vindicating the faith of the promoters that India is possibly the last big leisure boating market in the world.
Lifestyle of leisure
The yachting lifestyle gives boat owners the luxury of spending their leisure time with family and friends on a beautifully appointed yacht fitted with all the comforts usually found in luxury resorts. Think of yachts as ‘a resort on the seas’, with the bonus of freedom to go where you want.

That a young and confident India is embracing the lifestyle of leisure boating is seen from the kind of boats being bought. The past few months have seen the arrival of the biggest names in the world of luxury yachts: from Azimut (the world’s largest manufacturer of luxury yachts), to Ferretti, Sunseeker and Princess, among others. With price tags from Rs 30 million upwards, money is not a constraint, even though there is absolutely no marina infrastructure yet in the country.

With a coastline of over 7,600 km, India offers a host of breathtaking destinations and a warm, tropical climate ideal for sailing. It is only a matter of time before India joins the league of the Cote de Azure and the Caribbean as one of the world’s favoured boating destinations.

To get a glimpse of the pleasures of yachting and a flavour of the boating lifestyle first hand, drop in to the second edition of the Mumbai International Boat Show in February 2008. With over 20 luxury yachts on the water at the Gateway of India and 80 brands showcasing everything from super yachts to jet skis at Bandra-Kurla Complex and the Gateway of India, you certainly will be spoilt for choice!

Sujay Chohan is co-founder of ‘Ocean Blue’, India’s largest boating company, and organiser of the Mumbai International Boat Show. Interested participants could pre-register on www.mumbaiboatshow.com