Inside Shirish Saraf’s journey with Kalizma, the century-old superyacht
Written by Enrico Chhibber
It is not every day that one is invited onboard a superyacht with more than a century of history. The 50.29-metre Kalizma is no ordinary vessel, built in 1906 by the Scottish shipyard Ramage and Ferguson, she has a storied past, having served with the British Royal Navy in both World Wars.
Over the decades, Kalizma has been owned by a succession of prominent figures, including Richard Burton, who famously gifted her to his wife Elizabeth Taylor, as well as Peter de Savary, Vijay Mallya and, most recently, Shirish Saraf, who acquired her at an auction in 2019.SuperYacht Times Features Writer Enrico Chhibber met Saraf at Monaco Classic Week, following the Cannes Yachting Festival, to discuss how he came to acquire the yacht, his preferred cruising destinations, and his perspective on India’s emerging presence in the global yachting sector.
From encounter to ownership
Upon stepping into the main saloon, I was greeted by Saraf and invited on a tour. Being onboard felt like walking through a museum, or being transported back in time. “She carries with her a story,” Saraf said with pride, noting that she had “survived two World Wars,” had welcomed “practically every Hollywood legend” and “all of Bollywood, really,” and that “Prince Philip stayed onboard with the Queen when Kalizma was the headquarters of the America’s Cup for Peter de Savary.”
“I saw her truly as something very special, not just a yacht, but a piece of art. She is art on sea, you know,” said Saraf.
Saraf first encountered Kalizma in 1996, when she was moored in Dubai Creek under the ownership of Vijay Mallya. “I had just finished a round of golf with her captain during a tournament,” he recalled. “He asked if I wanted to come onboard. I went with my father, but at the time I never imagined I would one day become her owner.”
By 2004, Saraf had begun to take a greater interest in boating. He owned a small day boat and began spending more time at sea, often cruising the Mediterranean during the summer.When the opportunity arose in 2019, Saraf acquired Kalizma at auction in Sri Lanka. What captivated him was not merely her form, but the layered history she embodies. He emphasised “the fact that she is still recognised. I was at the restaurant La Réserve de Beaulieu, and the general manager came out because the bar displayed photos of Kalizma and Elizabeth Taylor arriving for Princess Grace’s 40th birthday in 1969. It is all there, in French, on the walls.”
When Saraf took ownership, his priority was to restore Kalizma to her former glory while preserving her historical character. The first phase of her restoration began in Colombo, followed by a more extensive refit at Adriatic 42 in Montenegro, where Palazzo Morelli oversaw the interior works. Most recently, she spent the winter in Malta for further refit, managed by West Coast Marine.
Favourite cruising destinations
“For me, it’s all about the water quality. I never really like to stay in the marina. Normally I’m anchored in the middle of the sea, somewhere quiet with friends, without too many buildings in sight,” he recounted.
Saraf expressed a clear preference for the Mediterranean over the Caribbean, highlighting Corsica, Sicily and the Aeolian Islands, including Panarea and Stromboli, along with Malta, Montenegro and Croatia. “The Turkish coast is my favourite,” he added. “Gocek and all of those areas are really lovely.”
Beyond the Mediterranean, Saraf has spent extended periods in Sri Lanka and has cruised the Lakshadweep islands. One destination he still hopes to visit is Raja Ampat in Indonesia.
India’s potential as a yachting destination and market
The conversation then turned to India’s potential as both a yachting market and a cruising destination. Saraf offered a measured view of the country’s role in global yachting, distinguishing between its growing base of yacht owners and its limited appeal as a cruising ground. “Over time that will happen,” he said, referring to Indian ownership. “The typical Indian businessman is only now, after twenty years of economic growth, reaching a stage of wealth and maturity where yachting becomes a realistic pursuit. The second generation is beginning to grow up with friends who already have yachts.”
Saraf added that “Indians tend to be more cost-conscious than the rest of the world. If you look at it purely from an economic perspective, superyachts shouldn’t be owned.” He went on to explain that ownership, for him, is driven by emotion rather than calculation. “This is something you love,” he reflected. “Why do I own Kalizma and not charter? Because where do I find the crew? The crew brings the soul to this life, they’re like family. From the moment you step onboard until you leave, it feels like home. Having my own yacht also means I am the master of my fate.”
From a cultural perspective, Saraf also noted that many wealthy Indians spend more time in London than at sea. “Indians are not really people of the sea,” he observed. “They haven’t had that exposure. I did, because I grew up in Oman, but in India, apart from Goa or Kerala, where would you go?”On India as a yachting destination, Saraf maintained that the country’s lack of infrastructure and bureaucratic constraints continue to limit its potential. “There is not much water to cruise around there,” he explained. “You can keep your yacht in the Maldives, which is good, but most Indians prefer to stay in a resort rather than cruise.”
He went on to describe how limited marina capacity, regulatory hurdles and security restrictions continue to make yacht cruising in India challenging. “There is not even basic infrastructure yet,” he said. “Even Goa does not have proper facilities. Since the 2008 Mumbai attacks, regulations have become stricter. Owners must now notify the Coast Guard weeks in advance, and in places such as Lakshadweep, each island requires a separate visa, and approvals can take months.”
Looking ahead
When asked whether he planned to acquire another yacht, Saraf replied with characteristic clarity. “No,” he said, later revealing, “I do have plans to put Kalizma on the charter market.”
His approach reflects both pragmatism and reverence. As custodian of one of the world’s most storied vessels, Saraf views ownership less as possession and more as preservation, ensuring that Kalizma’s legacy, from her Royal Navy service to her Hollywood chapter, continues to endure.
Images of Shirish Saraf provided by Captain Saini Surendra
Published At:
Oct 07, 2025
Credits:
Superyacht Times
