Sailing along the Chennai shoreline in a yacht

CHENNAI: Chennaiites are always seeking new and exciting experiences, and recently, sailing along the Chennai shoreline has captured their interest. Yacht sailing and exploring the ocean have become a fresh addition to the city’s recreational activities.

Entrepreneur and impact investment lawyer, Nimisha Sara Philip, who has been passionately sailing for the past decade, is now bringing her love for the sea to others through her latest venture. With her initiative, House of Audacious, Nimisha is offering exclusive yacht sailing experiences. “All over the world, cities with great coastlines throw some amazing yacht parties and festivals! Why are we falling short? Given that Chennai boasts the second-longest coastline in India, I see a fantastic opportunity to let people enjoy our beautiful shoreline and create avenues to grow Chennai’s tourism,” Nimisha explains.

Soon after announcing her yacht sailing venture, she received an enthusiastic response. “The yacht accommodates up to 16 people and has a three-member trained safety crew. It’s been popular for elaborate sunset sails, birthdays, anniversaries, and even corporate team outings. Going out to sea, enjoying the breeze, and admiring the vast ocean offers a truly unique experience of Chennai.”

Nimisha hopes that the growing interest in yacht sailing will help advocate for the addition of a new marina in Chennai, allowing more people to enjoy this experience. “I’ve also launched a Yacht Networking Club to connect with like-minded individuals who are passionate about ocean experiences. House of Audacious not only fosters a luxurious experience in open water but also provides an opportunity to network with professionals from the best business groups in the city,” she adds.

Recently, an Ivy League yacht networking party garnered significant attention, and Nimisha shares the details. “We had an amazing group of several graduates from Ivy League schools such as Harvard, Columbia, LBS, and LSE come together aboard the yacht. The experience also featured amazing musicians, and fine dining companies partnered with us, which received a brilliant response from the group. We are looking to collaborate with various HNIs and business groups to host creative arts sail networking parties on the yachts,” she explains.

Chennai’s first full-fledged makerspace, Makers Tribe, hosted an event called ‘Yacht 409: Networking on the Waves,’ bringing together 15 budding and successful entrepreneurs. Organiser Jaya Shakthi Kannan explains that the reason behind this was to break away from the traditional conference room setting. “I thought, ‘Why not host a networking event on the waves?’ The experiment turned out to be a success. After sailing for a few hours, we continued with a networking session and panel discussion onshore. Adrenaline-pumping activities naturally foster stronger connections among participants, and since the event, we’ve received many inquiries about hosting similar gatherings,” says Jaya Shakthi Kannan.

For him, sailing was a thrilling and adrenaline-pumping adventure. “It was my first time out at sea, and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment. I had been seeking out activities like this in the city, and the experience exceeded my expectations. I’m confident that we’ll see more events like this in the future,” he adds.