Time and again, we believe in providing accurate information about the boating lifestyle and yachts to all media-houses - in an effort to give the right idea of these to both the classes and the masses, and to eradicate misconceptions.

BTW - an Indian lifestyle-based magazine with a huge Internet following, published an article in its Jan ‘09 regarding the advent of the yachting lifestyle in India, excerpts from key industry players and information on how to go about buying your own boat.
The article is as follows…
OCEAN RIDER
The biggest thing happening …

A maritime academic institution, the Indian Maritime University, was inaugurated on Wednesday by chief minister M Karunanidhi. The university, the first of its kind in the…
The Government has decided to establish Indian Maritime University (IMU) in Chennai  by an Act of Parliament in November this year  with campuses at Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai and Visakhapatnam.
Formation of IMU will facilitate and promote maritime studies, research and extension work with focus on emerging areas of studies including marine science and technology and marine environment will be promoted by the university.The University and the …

It seems the global slowdown has also affected the pockets of the rich and wealthy. The Maltese Falcon, owned by American venture capitalist Tom Perkins is now up for sale. One of the largest privately owned sailing yachts in the world at nearly 290ft, it can be bought for €115m. The boat has been up for sale for some months now.

Maltese Falcon Technical Specifications:
Length: 88.00 m (289’)
Beam: 12.6 m (42’2”)
Draft (Keel up): 6 m (19’7”)
Draft (Keel down): 11 m (36’)
Engines: 2 Deutz TBD620 12 V
Speed: Max 18.5 kts
Range @14 knots: …

What better way to start our new year than a dash of new and fresh colors…
Mohan Khare, acclaimed for his works on the canvas with water colors, exhibited his latest in ‘Shoreline - A Coastal Journey’ at the Jehangir Art Gallery late last year.
GiiraYachts.com got an exclusive chat with him - and matters of the canvas that were close to his heart.

“The language I speak most often at home in Mumbai, India, is Marathi. That is just one of the scores of languages we have in my country. Someone’s own …

In the yachting world, 2008 was the best of years … and the worst of years. It started with a bang, with the launch of two exciting reverse bow designs, A and Predator. Following on in the spring came the superb 133m Al Mirqab (theoretical successor to Dr. Vijay Mallya’s Indian Empress), one of the largest yachts ever built.
Smaller production-series yacht builders continued their expansion into the higher-end segment, with 35 and 50 metre models. They competed with the larger traditionally one-off yacht builders, many of whom are also now …

Wild Oats XI overcame an encounter with a 2-metre shark to win the Sydney to Hobart yacht race for a record fourth consecutive time on Sunday.
Wild Oats XI skipper Mark Richards steered the maxi yacht across the finish line at Constitution Dock on the island state of Tasmania one day 20 hours 34 minutes 14 seconds after leaving Sydney Harbour on Friday.

The time was about two hours slower that the record it set in 2005 for the 628-nautical mile (1,163-kilometre) race.
Another maxi, 2003 winner Skandia, skippered by Grant Wharington, led …

The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) has made yet another move to kickstart water transport for the eastern and western fronts of Mumbai.
A few years ago, hovercraft services were available between Chowpatty and Juhu on the western front and Gateway of India to Vashi and Belapur in Navi Mumbai. A few experiments were conducted to provide hovercraft services till Mulund too.

But the unorganised efforts of companies did not yield results. The MSRDC has been planning to shape up the proposal. Its last attempt was caught in a legal wrangle …

The last week of this year has been abuzz in terms of activity in the Mumbai Harbour with a lot of boat owners and avid sailors making the most of their free time on the waters.
What took the lime-light was definitely the Sail for Peace week-long programme by Aquasail which saw a wonderful response - and at the same time that shows that the Mumbaikars as always have a deep spirit and open mind, and their thirst to ride the Indian waves is unquenchable.
22nd Dec ‘08 - Fast Donzi
Another speed …

Around the middle of last summer reports began to surface that superstar actor couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie were looking at purchasing a new luxury yacht to be built for them in Italy.
Further later reports have stated that these rumors are inaccurate. Does anyone know whether the famous couple are actually planning to own a superyacht?

We truly hope they are going to own a boat as a private yacht would be ideal for them to escape the media and paparazzi and enjoy vacations of peace and …

Away from the world of the Mediterranean and the Asian sailing destinations comes a fresh change with the beautiful Caribbean Islands.
The Caribbean is a region consisting of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (most of which enclose the sea), and the surrounding coasts. The region is located southeast of the Gulf of Mexico and Northern America, east of Central America, and to the north of South America.

Situated largely on the Caribbean Plate, the region comprises more than 7,000 islands, islets, reefs, and cays. These islands, called the West Indies, generally form …