Croatia

Yachting area in Croatia

Croatia owns 1,777 km of the Adriatic coast, along which there are 1,185 different islands. This is the reason of the great popularity of this area among yachtsmen.

It was the Germans who discovered Croatia for mass yachting and created the first charter companies offering yachts for rent. Now, lovers of yachts, sea, sails and wind from all over Europe and the world come to Croatia for recreation. In terms of quality yachting Croatia successfully competes even with such an indigenous yachting country as Greece. The only drawback is the short season - from May to September. Here you can sail in winter, you can even rent a yacht at any time of the year, but winter yachting in Croatia is for extreme people.

Yacht charter in Croatia • Starting points and main spots for renting yachts

You can rent a yacht almost anywhere on the Adriatic coast of Croatia from Pula to Dubrovnik and a number of large islands such as Korcula, Hvar, Cres, Kirk, Pag, etc. There are ferry connections with the islands.

The main locations of the mainland marinas where charter companies are based:

PULA: 15 minutes from Pula airport
ZADAR - SUKOSAN: 15 minutes from Zadar airport
BIOGRAD: 25 minutes from Zadar airport, 1 hour from Split airport
MURTER: 40 minutes from Zadar Airport, 50 minutes from Split Airport
PRIMOSTEN: 40 minutes from Split Airport
TROGIR: 15 minutes from Split Airport
SPLIT: 40 minutes from Split Airport
DUBROVNIK: 40 minutes from Dubrovnik airport

Standard rental period is a multiple of a week - from 17:00 of Saturday till 9:00 of the following Saturday.

Requirements for the skipper of the charter yacht

To rent a yacht in Croatia it is necessary that at least one crew member has a license to operate a yacht recognized by the Croatian authorities: RYA certificate, IYT certificate, National Licenses, etc. Also the skipper must have a radio operator's license. Keep in mind that many charter companies are very meticulous about checking the documents proving the skipper's qualifications.

The choice of yachts offered for charter is quite large, but you still have to be bound to the flight, especially if you have limited time and go straight from the plane to the yacht. From this point of view, Split and Pula airports are the most convenient.

Yachting itineraries in Croatia

Croatia is an ideal area both for beginners in yachting and for those who have already tasted the pleasure of recreation on a yacht. A huge number of islands both civilized and with wild bays, many marinas on the mainland, allow to build interesting, feasible and comfortable itineraries for yachting of any level and inclination.

It is always possible to build a yacht itinerary of any length, both long and short, and choose moorings according to your inclinations: anchorages in wild bays, moorings in marinas quiet and noisy, you can be moored right at the waterfront of the resort town... You can also stop in national parks, of which there are many in Croatia. You can visit towns with beautifully preserved architecture. You can stop at small fishing villages. You can... well, you can do almost anything, but in order not to spoil your holiday the "joy of discovery", you must remember that most stops in the marinas, on the waterfront and in the National Parks of Croatia are paid and often not cheap. Many National Parks include a part of the sea area where anchoring is prohibited, although there are no signs on the shore. Anchoring in such areas is a risk of substantial fines, so it is better to enter a small marina in the national park and pay for mooring there. It may be cheaper and certainly quieter. We must remember that in the area near the Croatian coast there are a lot of shallows, so, plotting the route we must pay attention to it and watch the depth, when sails.

For those who travel on rented yachts we have developed a few basic itineraries all over the Croatian Adriatic.

Weather and climate of Croatia in terms of yachting

Croatia's Adriatic coast has a Mediterranean climate, meaning warm, dry summers and mild winters. With an average of 2,600 hours of sunshine per year, it is one of the sunniest coastlines in Europe. Continental climate inland - hot summers, cold snowy winters.

Wind statistics by month are roughly as follows.

The weather forecast for yachtsmen can always be found, for example, on Windfider, Windguru or Windy, especially since the Internet is now available almost everywhere on the islands of Croatia.

It is best to do this as soon as you arrive at the airport. In the afternoon on Saturday and Sunday everything is closed. Many charter companies provide either a mobile router or a simple phone with a Croatian SIM card on the rented boats. It's worth finding out before you go.

Weather and wind forecasts can vary quite a lot in different weather apps, so it is advisable to have several sources of weather information.

The high season for yachting in Croatia is from July to September. Good winds in May and June. In July and August, when calmer winds prevail, conditions are ideal for those who want a lazy yacht vacation.

At this time you can expect a classic Mediterranean pattern of wind conditions: quiet in the morning, blowing up to 10-15 knots by midday and subsiding again by evening.

The Winds of the Adriatic

The main winds on the Adriatic are bura (bora) and jugo-siroco (jugo-scirocco), which prevail in winter from September to May. The prevailing wind in summer is maestral.

Bora is a cold and dry north-easterly wind. Blows from the continent, that is, from the eastern side of the Adriatic to the open sea and brings clear weather.

Winds are dangerous for yachtsmen because it begins and increases very quickly - from calm to 40-60 knots it can take just half an hour. In summer there are local bora, which can continue for several days. In winter, they can continue for six to fourteen days.

The jugo is a warm, humid east-south-east wind. It is accompanied by heavy clouds and rain. It is not a sudden wind like boraб it develops in a day or two.

Jugo blows everywhere in the Adriatic. In summer it can appear as a local wind most often in the southern Adriatic. Between March and June it also blows in the north.

Yachting amateur regattas in Croatia. Regattas and rallies on chartered yachts.

Many charter companies based in Croatia hold sailing regattas and rallies at the beginning and end of the season almost all over the Adriatic. Their degree of seriousness is very different - from professional races with substantial prize money - to rallies, where the main thing is not to win, but to participate and have a good rest on the boat. Such racing and rally events are of interest to many yachtsmen who rent yachts. Yacht regattas are held as route races and on a triangular distance, both on yachts with a handicap and on monotype yachts. You can participate in regattas both with your own team and by joining those who were not able to gather a full crew.