We love the media...and the media loves us...afterall we ARE media !
Very often this blog speaks about the famous daily newspapers while quoting their articles for our readers benefits...and at times these newspapers publish about us in many a sailing/ yachting articles...
Bombay Times - Mumbai's (or perhaps India's) favorite daily supplement to the Times of India carries an article about the end of the sailing season - in which the views and opinions of Team GIIRA's members are aired.
HERE YOU GO !
Click here to read more in the e-paper version of the Times of India.
Or here it is...
Like corks in a bath-tub, the yachts, dinghies and small sail boats of Mumbai’s weekend sailors bob on the restless waters off Gateway of India. They’ve got attractive names like Trusty, Aqua Princess, Marine King, Frangipani and Gutsy. And they’re waiting to sail one last time this season to Mandwa across the harbour, their sails flapping in the sea breezes. Soon, the south-west monsoon will set in and make sailing difficult, and the boats will have to be dry-docked for sunnier times. Sailing is the latest recreational activity that has caught the fleeting fancy of Mumbaiites. But you need to be a member of one of the three sailing clubs in the city, the Royal Bombay Yacht Club, Colaba Sailing Club and the Bombay Sailing Association, or a guest of a member, to ride the waves.
The sailing season is between October and June. According to brother-sister duo Paurush and Havovi Hyderabadwalla, it’s only lately that people have got interested in sailing. “For us, sailing is the time to bond especially when our father comes along. We’ve learnt everything about sailing by attending workshops and reading about it on the Internet.” Graphic designer Zinnia Chaina agreed, “Last year with some friends I launched India’s first yacht blog which covers sailing trends in India. The response we received is fantastic. Sailing is an escape from the frenetic pace of the city. When we go sailing, we actually take a dip in the middle of the ocean!”
Sail boats can be rented for Rs 150 onwards, but buying one could put you back by a few lakhs. Some of the lowerclass sail boats that are commonly used are the Optimist (for children), the Lightning (18 foot, accommodates four) and the Seabird (22 foot, accommodates five). Buying a sailboat is only the beginning; maintaining it is what really requires a lot of attention. “A sail boat has to be used often. You can’t keep it docked and go sailing once every few months. That would be sacrilege,” said Havovi.
“Whether it’s for romance or business, sailing is the new weekend getaway,” said Gautam Bhatia, who’s a regular on the sailing circuit. Sailing races or regattas happen every month, and the biggest ones take place at the start and end of the season, from the Gateway to Uran or Mandwa. Regattas last between one and three hours depending on the wind. Even children as young as seven participate in Optimists, skillfully manoeuvring the delicate sail boats across the water.
Just as this sailing season ends, Mumbai’s gearing up for the next, and new memberships to the already full sailing clubs are likely to open soon. “Sailing still hasn’t been explored to its complete capacity in Mumbai,” complains sailor Meherzad Kajanwalla. “I know a 92-year-old man who used to go sailing on his own till about a few months back for the thrill and peace it offers. That’s what sailing is all about.”
Thank you to the Times of India team...
May 29, 2008
HOT News - Team GIIRA in Times of India !
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