What should you know about bareboat sailing in Croatia?
Sailing areas in Croatia
Croatia is one of the most famous destinations for vacation, yacht charter, and bareboat sailing holidays. Not only in the Mediterranean but also in the world. With over 1000 islands, islets, rocks, and bays on the Adriatic, the Croatian coast is one of the most indented in the world. Croatian archipelago of the Adriatic sea divides into three regions: North, Middle, and South Adriatic.
North Adriatic
The Noth Adriatic extends from the Istria peninsula over Kvarner and Krk, Cres, Lošinj, and Rab islands. Istria peninsula is famous for its preserved nature, many cultural events, excellent gastronomy, and enology. While sailing the North Adriatic, you can visit many unique towns, fisherman villages, islands, hidden bays, and secret coves.
Middle Adriatic
The sailing area of the Middle Adriatic, known as the Dalmatia, covers the most significant part of the Croatian Adriatic, and it`s divided into three sailing archipelagos: Split, Šibenik, and Zadar. Dalmatia is easily accessible whether you travel by plane or by car. Two international airports are in Dalmatia, in Zadar and Split. In Dalmatia are located the largest marinas on the Adriatic and most of the yacht charter fleet.
South Adriatic
South Adriatic or south Dalmatia region stretches from Poloče, through Ston and Dubrovnik, to the south and the border with Montenegro. The islands belonging to this area: Korčula, Mljet, Lastovo, the Elaphite Islands, and the Pelješac peninsula. If you would like to start your sailing holiday in the Dubrovnik area, it is best to start the trip and charter a yacht from Dubrovnik or Slano. However, if you are coming to Croatia by plane, you can fly to Dubrovnik International Airport.
The most popular destinations on the coast to charter a yacht and start the sailing holidays in Croatia are Pula, Zadar, Šibenik, Trogir, Split, and Dubrovnik.
Bareboat sailing in Croatia is an excellent choice for experienced sailors and those with less experience since the Adriatic archipelago is also suitable for beginners. The distance between the nearest islands is about 1 – 1.5 hours of sailing, which does not require long and extensive preparation. Sailing in Croatia is considered to be safe as in the case of unfavorable weather conditions, you can always berth in a safe harbor on time. Of course, with continuous keeping track of the weather.
The Weather Conditions
The influence of the Mediterranean climate makes sailing in Croatia and the Adriatic possible throughout the year. Yacht charter season is running from April to November. Bareboat sailing is also possible outside this period, noting that most vessels are under maintenance and service during the winter. Out of charter season, most of the facilities on the islands, like marinas and restaurants, are close, but you can berth in the city ports.
Weather conditions for sailing vary by season. Spring and autumn are characterized mainly by north and south winds, while in the summer, the most frequent are western and southwestern winds. In the off-peak season, April, May, and October, prices are much lower, and there are fewer boats at sea.
What types of Yacht and Boats are available for Bareboat Sailing in Croatia?
There are over 3000 vessels for charter in Croatia, available for rental as a bareboat, with skipper, and fully crewed. You can charter sailboats, catamarans, motor yachts, and gulets in Croatia.
In Croatia, you can charter sailboats (monohulls) and catamarans from major European ship manufacturers, Beneteau, Jeanneau, Bavaria, Dufour, Catana, Elan, Lagoon, and Fountain Pajot. But also Croatian brands like Salona, More, and D&D Kufner.
The primary condition for bareboat sailing and yacht charter is that the skipper holds a valid skipper’s license and a VHF (radio) license. In some cases when renting larger vessels, it is a requirement that in addition to the skipper with a license, another person on board has a license with a basic skipper course. If you don`t have a skipper license, we can organize a skippered charter for you.
For most of the vessels, the allowed navigation area is within the territorial waters of the Republic of Croatia. However, some charter companies permit to sail outside the Republic of Croatia, to Italy or Montenegro under certain conditions.
Yacht Charter duration
The standard yacht charter period is Saturday – Saturday, 7, 14, or more days. However, it is possible to rent a boat for 3-4 days or a weekend during the off-season. Short charter is also possible in high season but for very last-minute inquiries. If you would like to rent a boat for less than a week, please get in touch with us, and we will do our best to find a suitable boat. Small motorboats up to 10m are available for daily rental.
Sailing Itinerary
One of the most important points of a bareboat trip is to plan a sailing itinerary. Many islands in Croatia provide many options for setting up the ideal route. First of all, choose the most suitable departure base. In recent years, the number of flights from various airline destinations in Europe, the USA, and Canada has increased.
Besides departure and return of the vessel to the same base, ONE WAY yacht charter is possible. A one-way sailing trip means you can pick up the boat in one charter base and leave at the end of the week in another base. The most popular One-way itinerary is one-way sailing Split – Dubrovnik or vice versa. Of course, not all companies offer this form of rental, and there is a mandatory charge for ONE WAY fee.
Security deposit & Deposit Insurance
For all bareboat yacht charters, the charterer must leave a security deposit at check-in. The amount of the security deposit depends on the size and value of the vessel, typically € 1000-5000. The security deposit is returned at check out entirely if there is no damage to the boat caused by the skipper or his crew. The client can pay the security deposit in cash or by card. The alternative to a security deposit is the insurance of the deposit. This means you will pay a smaller amount - non-refundable and leave the reduced part of the deposit - refundable part. The insurance of the deposit is not available for all charter boats.
It is advisable for each skipper to make skipper insurance with one of the insurance companies. You can apply online for skipper and crew insurance with EIS. Although, even when you have skipper insurance, you will leave a security deposit at check-in. In case of damage settlement, with the proper documentation and invoice, you can get a refund for the paid insurance claim.
If you are planning a bareboat sailing trip to Croatia, please feel free to contact us, we will be happy to assist you and find a perfect match boat!
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