You have not experienced life until you've set sail on a luxury yacht. On a yacht you are the virtual dictator, the hypocrisies and idiosyncrasies of the world don't matter, and that's the charm of it. The freedom of open water is all yours and you choose which direction to sail. With the receding shoreline your worries seem to recede too. The yacht offers you a space in which you can give full rein to your desires. It is your personal ark, your own little world that you can run according to your whims and fancies. You are free to enjoy yourself with your friends and family, or if you are seeking solitude then the wide expanse of the sea is all you need to bask in the privacy you long for. If you aren't cruising in a luxury yacht yet, then it is likely that you haven't made it into the coveted club of the super rich and the ultra hip.

Luxury yachts are particularly bountiful in the Mediterranean and Caribbean Seas, although increasingly they have started cruising Indian coastlines. Over the last decade or two, there has been an exceptional increase in the popularity of large private luxury yachts amongst India's uber-rich. The Kingfisher tycoon, Vijay Mallaya, owns a 1906-built 50-metre steam-powered yacht called Kalizma and the Indian Princess; both complete with a crew of 15, five guest-rooms, lounge, office, bars, gym, helipad, open-air Jacuzzi, state-of-the-art satellite communication, home theatre systems, jet skis and wind surfers. Raymond's immaculate CEO, Gautam Singhania, owns a 47-ft yacht called Ambassador 47. The steel king of the world, Laxmi Mittal, is getting a 100-meter luxury yacht custom built with the choicest fittings for which he will have to fork out in excess of $250 million. And there is an endless list of new tribe of Indian yacht buyers – the young, jet-setting industrialists who like to live life king-size.

Dr Malav Shroff, director of the Mumbai International Boat Show says, "India has a large potential market for leisure boating. A new generation of wealthy Indians are buying top-of-the-line private yachts." Thanks to the steady rise in the fortunes of high net-worth individuals the boating industry in India is expected to turn into a $2 billion business this year, with potential of further upside in future. David Pyle, the director of Princess Yachts International (a leading premium yacht company) says, "India is an important target for us. In five years India should be a major market and much of our sales could come from here." The well-known Ferretti Group is also seeking to make forays into the Indian yachting market by partnering with local dealers. The group is focusing on top-end yachts, including Fly bridge, which happens to be its most high-end item.

The mega yacht building company Wally Power is getting bullish in India. It is only a question of time before a Wally yacht like the state of art Wally Power starts cruising the Indian seas. The 55-meter Wally Power yacht comes with a cruising speed of 17 knots and is characterized by its displacement hull based on navy hydrodynamic technology. An all glass superstructure and five decks laid out in angular design make this yacht a sight to behold. The cabin deck has guest accommodations with 4 double cabins and a main saloon with facilities like sauna, shower and dressing rooms. The main deck features owners suite opening onto the private deck area with cockpit and tables, and the lounge and dining area opens into the deck's veranda aft. The bridge deck includes the wheelhouse, spa and a gym and the upper deck features open-air living with Jacuzzi, sun bathing area and a dining table.