Step aside, movies and clubbing.

Chartering luxury yachts for leisurely jaunts over the weekend is becoming the “in” thing among young executives.

Four charter companies my paper spoke to said that they have seen a spike in bookings for luxury yachts by young executives in the last three months, while a fifth said that it received more enquiries for charters in the same period.

Most of the companies peg the rising trend to the young professionals’ growing need for novelty and ability to fork out cash for leisure activities.

Six-month-old yacht charter service Jobel Lifestyle saw a 50 per cent jump in the total number of charters between November to last month, compared to the period between August and October last year, said its business development manager, Ms Belinda Lim.

Its total number of charters by young executives also jumped by 50 per cent spike between November and last month, compared to that in the previous three months.

Ms Lim said: “The demand for yacht chartering is getting more prominent, especially with the two integrated resorts coming up. We are confident and will be expecting a higher growth in charters this year as compared to last year.”

More than 60 per cent of Jobel’s clients are executives in their 20s to 40s, who “enjoy the comforts of life, lead active lifestyles and have the spending power”, she said.

Ms Caroline Ko, marketing manager of charter company Lifestyle Adventures Asia, said that young executives typically charter yachts as a getaway from the hustle and bustle of the city, cruising to a private beach or going on fishing trips with their family and friends.

Others host parties and barbecues on board, or do water sports such as kayaking jetskiing and snorkelling, she said.

Young Singaporeans are increasingly seeing yachting as a trendy activity and a way to live up to their dreams and improve their quality of life, she added.

Her two-year-old company saw a 60 to 70 per cent increase in the number of charters by young executives aged 25 to 40 in the last three months, from the same period last year.

Such customers made up half of its entire client base.

Grand Cruise reported a 25 per cent increase in charters for young executives in the last three months compared to the previous quarter, while Lloyd Marine saw a 30 per cent spike in bookings this month, compared to three months ago.

Mr Ronald Liew, chief executive of Grand Cruise, said: “People are increasingly interested in a different form of relaxation and the seas around Singapore offer a good alternative...young executives are also becoming more affluent, with an increase in (disposable) income.”

Even Simpson Marine, a yacht dealer that focuses mainly on selling yachts or chartering international trips on larger boats, received twice as many enquiries from young adults aged 23 to 30 about smaller charters since September last year, said Ms Clarice Jamain, who handles its marketing and charter sales.

The reasons for this jump? Greater awareness about the availability of charters because of increased promotion by yacht companies, and more boats available compared to three years ago, she said.

Then, only two boats were licensed for charter, but now, there are more than 10, she explained.

The companies usually charge about $1,300 to $1,700 for a four-hour day cruise on weekends, and $2,400 to $3,000 for an eight-hour day charter.

Four-hour charters in the evening (from 6pm to 10pm) typically cost more, from $1,600 to $3,000.

Prices include fees for fuel, captain and crew, and differ within the same company depending on the size of the boat, the duration and destination.

The boats will usually cruise in Singapore waters to nearby islands, such as Sisters’ Islands or Kusu Island.

Patrons can also charter the yachts for overnight cruises or even two- or three-day charters to islands such as Phuket or Tioman, which can cost up to $5,000.

Young executives typically charter smaller yachts – measuring 11.3m to 14.6m in length – that can take about eight to 12 people.

One of them, Mr Rony Ng, 35, who owns a property-management firm, sails the high seas over the weekends.

The fishing enthusiast was hooked after he chartered a luxury yacht from Jobel Lifestyle to celebrate his wedding anniversary with his wife last August.

Since then, he charters a boat almost every month for informal gatherings with his wife, their two daughters, relatives and friends.

They usually fish and do watersports near St John’s Island or Pulau Hantu.

“The good thing about this is that you get the cruise to yourself. You can enjoy privacy and unwind after a week’s work. Also, on the sea, with nowhere else to go, there’s a lot of valuable time for catching up with the company you are with,” he said.

Charters also offer the chance to enjoy this luxury without having to spend exorbitant sums on buying a boat and maintaining it, Mr Ng added.

For more my paper stories click here.