Aaj Patel

It all started with a random doodle of a yacht that I did on a page of a newspaper. It was a long, wooden yacht with a hint of modernity. The first doodle was by accident, the second, in quick succession, came out of a curiosity to explore, and by the third sketch, I was 'addicted' to this form. A constant excitement of re-doing these sketches continued for some days. Each sketch had a unique concept or a thought behind it. Some concepts I thought were not feasible, but some were. This sparked a curiosity in my mind to explore and understand different aspects of yacht design. Yachts have been my passion since completing my Bachelor's in Transportation Design. Later during the course of my studies at the Royal College of Art, I developed a deeper understanding of yacht design. Though the oldest of man-made moving vessels has turned out to be just another term of luxury.... in this age of hyper-connectedness, amid the bling and the glamour, I strongly believe yachts have the potential to shape experiences and lifestyles on land. At the end, designing a yacht is not just about creating pretty shapes, it's about the poetry and the passion that shapes the shape.