Rukshaan Krishna’s party hosted for the Baroda artists really did rock to the gentle bounce of the waves.

Most recently, Dr Vijay Mallya popped casks of champagne amidst his leggy beauties for the launch of his Formula 1 team. In fact, we know how certain friends of ours find it oh-so romantic to have a weekend away, sailing, soaking up the sun and rubbing sun tan on those rippling abs. And then there are the corporate types, who take their teams out for sport sailing and bond over team building exercises.

If we are to believe Rihyad Kundanmal of Ocean Crest Marine, yacht parties are no longer just for the elite, as a huge segment of upwardly mobile in the metros will soon afford to buy their very own. “For Rs 15 lakh, you can have a yacht delivered to your door. The industry is on the rise because the city is congested and the waterways are a good option,” says Kundanmal. Chartered yachts are usually not that popular since it costs at least Rs 2- Rs 3 lakh to rent, clearly it’s more economical to buy.

Besides pollution, there are other factors that make it an attractive venture. “There are hardly any restrictions on the ocean and you don’t have to worry about the moral police; it’s your own private domain,” adds Kundanmal, just back from the Dubai boat show where private yachts range from Rs 15 lakh to Rs 5 crore, from the Formula to the Monterey and Fairline yachts. Ocean Crest Marine currently has outlets in Dharamtar creek and Revas port in Mandwa. A showroom in South Mumbai is also in the offing.

People are beginning to see the waterways not just as transportation but also as burgeoning entertainment centres. “In the Mediterranean, it’s a common practice to entertain guests on private yachts. People hardly ever use their homes. The trend has caught on here,” says Rajat Khanna, CEO of Sorenstam Ventures, which deals in luxury yachts like the Azimut, fully loaded with bedroom bar, dance floor, music system and home movie theatre.

“I’ve been in the boating business since 1994, but the growth in the last four years is unparalleled. It’s a life style change; ‘have money, will spend’ is the new mantra. Earlier, the trend

was to save,” says Aashim Mongia, director West Coast Marine, who services Mallya and Singhania’s yachts.

Sounds like a sell-out, but there are still some dreary, unanswered questions. With zero berthing facilities, yachts anchor in the middle of the ocean. While floating marinas can take the revellers on board, currently, as ocean traffic increases, one will have to look into issues of boat parking, marina sewage pits and fuelling stations. “Fuel is carried on board in cans right now. Diesel trucks and priming pumps that take the fuel to the slipway and put it on board the yacht,” says Kundanmal.