Bareboat in Croatia

[Guest]

We have booked a bareboat charter out of Pula in Croatia. Can anybody provide us more information than the brochures? (mooring, anchoring, facilities at marinas and in vilages, do's and dont's, places to avoid, must-see's, etc.)

 

[extravert]

The Kornati Islands are worth a visit if you have the time and are prepared to do the distance. From what I remember they are about 60 to 100 miles south of Pula. The lanscape is like sailing on the moon. (I speak from experience, last year having chartered on the Sea of Tranquility). That would be my top suggestion. There are many other great places to visit as well, I'll leave others to add more...

Every marina I visited ranged from good to excellent. It was mostly stern to with a lazy line from the bow. Easy unless in a strong crosswind.

Watch out for the salty bottled water, not too pleasant.

Adventures of the <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.xrayted.fsnet.co.uk>Teddy Bear Boat</A>

 

[Metabarca]

Don't bother going north except, perhaps to Rovinj, which is very attractive, but also v. crowded in the summer.First night's stop from Pula could be Ilovik just south of Losinj. Closer and v. attractive too is the bay called Tomozine on the W coast of Losinj at the same latitude as Nerezine; no facilities. The Velebit channel by the coast is risky because of the bora coming up unpredictably and no escape on a lee shore.
Premuda further south provides another stopping place for the night (between the shoal and the little harbour on w. side or in a bay about 2m south).
Next stop might be the bay at the N end of Dugi Otok; good holding and great swimming.
More generally, certainly go for Kornat but also go for Telascica at the south end of Dugi Otok (large landlocked bay).
If you need civilisation, head for Zara (attractive).
How long are you going for and when? Where are you flying too? Might see you there!

 

[Metabarca]

P.S. Do a search on Croatia; I gave more info to Sinbadthesailor re the subject some time ago. It's my cruising ground so I've lots more info if you have specific questions!
By the way the grub at Pula marina is not bad. If you want to get away but have only an hour's light left, pop round the corner to the next bay: good holding close to the island and smell of pines in the morning.

 

[Twister_Ken]

We went in August 2000 (from Split) and we were surprised at how very busy it was, esp with German, Austrian, Italian boats. Often, if we hadn't found a marina, a mooring or an anchorage by 1500 we struggled and had to settle for second best.

 

[sailbadthesinner]

Metabarca ( as you can see ) has lots of info and is generous with his time and advice
mine was general info i only have one pm left i i can forward

my trip there is now in doubt as one part of the trip is up in smokeit is onnthe options list
hey ho.

Ok brain let's just do this and I can get back to killing you with beer.

 

[Metabarca]

Gosh..er...blush...golly. Well i'ts cos I luv it here and I want others to luv it too. But don't all luv it at once or it gets crowded as KT says. August is rapidly becoming a no-no for the main areas (between 7 and 21 August), especially if you want to sleep in marinas - the stinkies get there first. But busy is not 'Solent busy' and there's always the bay next door...
Anyway, happy to answer all qus as best I can

 

[Chris_Robb]

If it was that crowded in 2000, then what on earth is it like now????
Got to find homes for 4000 new bavs, 4000 benetaused 4000 jenaux...... we can blame the AWB for all the overcrowding!!!!!

 

[Twister_Ken]

Re: Bare in Croatia

Might be something in what you say, but in 2000 yachts were in the minority. There were flocks of motorboats ranging from tiny cabin cruisers to some scaled-down x-channel ferries. I think one reason is that the E. Coast of Italy is fairly unispiring, so all the Italians point their bows East, open the throttles and arrive in Croatia a couple of hours later.

BTW - the Croatian coast also seems to be the spritual home of nude sailing, so the term bare boat needs to be used with caution.

Also BTW - nude sailors very rarely bear any resemblance to centrefolds or page 3's. Thye look more like Bibendum, but are tanned all over.

 

[Metabarca]

Re: Bare in Croatia

to add and reply to the above posts, 2002 was actually quieter than 2001 and most of the traffic (Italians) follows a well-defined route SE around the 7th August and NW around the 15th and 22nd. Salty bottled water? Yes, it's called Jamnica (Yamnitza) but there's another one which is salt-free; starts with a K. The local beer's good. The wine ain't much. Go for Malvazija.
I agree with the bare boat comment (watch out with those winches, chaps!). Not a pretty sight.
You now have to pay a fee of about euro 10 to park in Talascica and the same in Kornati and for that you get the use of a swinging mooring ('corpo morto' in Italian, dunno in Croatian) and have your rubbish taken away. In some places (eg Premuda, Ilovik), you pay even if you don't get there in time for the mooring. Ilovik, BTW, has some good eateries towards the southern end of the village opposite the Venetian fort.
Mali Losinj offers no anchorage (v. deep) but the moorings by the quay are free (and noisy). Water available. The marina here is also the least satisfactory of those I know but fairly pricy (euro 50 for 10m boat + 4 crew).
In Kornat, go for a small bay called Lopatica on the W side and just north of where the island becomes very slender. There's a fisherman there who does simple meals and there's also a pontoon to moor to (check the depth) which is a godsend if the bora blows (as it is here now, at 130 kph!). Bear in mind there is no water to be had anywhere here.
If you have the time, head for Vis south of Kornati. Unspoiled, untouristy, interesting (Tito's hideout, Napoleonic forts - briefly a British-held territory).
More?!