Boat Charter Options for Summer 2019

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Dignity123

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Hi all, currently working aboard the Marella Dream berthed in Madera today. My lady partner is keen to try a yacht charter holiday next summer but has not much experience around boats but an extremely capable lady and a fast learner..I have been around boats many years and have owned 4. I can read charts, do tide tables, etc etc but Im no expert.
I am asking others for advice on best places in Europe / Med to charter for a week , ten days maybe two weeks, We will have 4 children onboard to youngest being 10, oldest nearly 18, my 3 were brought up around boats on Arbroath Harbour. My lady friends daughter has not been on the sea as yet.
We are hoping for calm crystal clear seas, swimming before breakfast, fishing, exploring deserted islands, sunsets the whole bit......I was initially thinking of Greece but a Croatian Bridge Officer was saying Croatia may be the best place.......Any advice or recommendations would be very welcome or links to books, films, DVDS, blogs that deal with this too.
We want to give the kids a super old style adventure holiday to remember.

Regards and thanks for reading
Alan
 
Dignity123 said:
Hi all, currently working aboard the Marella Dream berthed in Madera today. My lady partner is keen to try a yacht charter holiday next summer but has not much experience around boats but an extremely capable lady and a fast learner..I have been around boats many years and have owned 4. I can read charts, do tide tables, etc etc but Im no expert.
I am asking others for advice on best places in Europe / Med to charter for a week , ten days maybe two weeks, We will have 4 children onboard to youngest being 10, oldest nearly 18, my 3 were brought up around boats on Arbroath Harbour. My lady friends daughter has not been on the sea as yet.
We are hoping for calm crystal clear seas, swimming before breakfast, fishing, exploring deserted islands, sunsets the whole bit......I was initially thinking of Greece but a Croatian Bridge Officer was saying Croatia may be the best place.......Any advice or recommendations would be very welcome or links to books, films, DVDS, blogs that deal with this too.
We want to give the kids a super old style adventure holiday to remember.

Regards and thanks for reading
Alan
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Well, having disembarked from the Marella Discovery in Muscat on Saturday, I feel as qualified as anyone else to give you sage advice...

Although I've been sailing since very young my wife and I still enjoy our 2 week flotillas in the Greek islands with sailing holidays: https://www.sailingholidays.com/

We've done the Ionian and Saronic flotillas where a bunch of 10 or so other yachts are shepherded by a host crew who do all of the hard work. Every holiday has been great and they will take people with minimal to yachtmaster ocean experience. You already surpass their minimum requirements for competency. Your main task will be steering and deciding what restaurant to eat in that evening (a glass of retsina and a kleftiko for me please).

They have boats from 31' to 50'+ so can accommodate your family no problems.

Well worth taking a look at and they take you to most of the best places/restaurants. We're happy with Greece and will probably be going back to the Saronics in a couple of years. I'm sure Sailing Holidays rate highly with many here on this forum. Have a great holiday!
 
Have spent the last few years really enjoying sailing our boat around the Adriatic, Ionian and Aegean (and now in the Balearics), then Croatia would be my choice with your requirements for a week.

Moorings and Sunsail are the obvious options and the islands south of Split are my favourite but for good value and fun then these guys https://www.activityyachting.com ran a charter company out of the marina we were based at last year and I ended up having drinks on a number of weekends with happy customers just finishing off a week with them. So many bays and swimming places to choose from near Murter where they are based.

And in my opinion (even as a fan of Greek food and some wine), the Croatian food and wine is the best we've found so far.
 
We've chartered a lot in Croatia and can recommend Croatia Yacht Club in Trogir (a Swedish outfit) and also the Moorings at Agana (just outside Trogir). We were impressed with the standard/upkeep of their boats.

We also used Ultra in Dubrovnik for a cheap-o extra trip one September and for the age of boat we chartered were broadly satisfied but it had a tiny engine and plotter was inside. Upkeep was pretty decent when the age of the boat was factored in.

You might struggle to get a 10 day charter in school holidays without paying a massive premium, the med/Adriatic seem to run charters religiously on week long Sat-Sat basis, so either one week or two weeks will be the offer most likely.

We find there are slightly more islands/options in the Split region than Dubrovnik, but two weeks would give you time to go from one to the other and back again. For kids, the National Park on Mljet always seems to be a hit, and lots to do on Korucla, Brac and Vis among many, many more. Islands like Scedro will give you the deserted feel, or Drvenik and Sipan for tiny villages for example.

We had an incredible meal in a beautiful bay on Mljet, Okuklje at Konoba Maestral - the owner's son is an amazing chef and it is a stand out from our many trips.

Sea state in Croatia is usually calm; if anything the wind will be a bit lacking but not a bad thing for those who aren't used to sailing.

If you'll be there in school holidays Split and Dubrovnik will be crazy busy - another option for the walled city vibe but a bit calmer is Trogir. Whatever you do though, don't arrive to one of the marinas on a Saturday by taxi on a meter - we stayed on the night before in an apartment overlooking the marina (so carried our bags to the boat) and witnessed total gridlock with cars queuing for an hour plus!
 
langstonelayabout said:
Well, having disembarked from the Marella Discovery in Muscat on Saturday, I feel as qualified as anyone else to give you sage advice...

Although I've been sailing since very young my wife and I still enjoy our 2 week flotillas in the Greek islands with sailing holidays: https://www.sailingholidays.com/

We've done the Ionian and Saronic flotillas where a bunch of 10 or so other yachts are shepherded by a host crew who do all of the hard work. Every holiday has been great and they will take people with minimal to yachtmaster ocean experience. You already surpass their minimum requirements for competency. Your main task will be steering and deciding what restaurant to eat in that evening (a glass of retsina and a kleftiko for me please).

They have boats from 31' to 50'+ so can accommodate your family no problems.

Well worth taking a look at and they take you to most of the best places/restaurants. We're happy with Greece and will probably be going back to the Saronics in a couple of years. I'm sure Sailing Holidays rate highly with many here on this forum. Have a great holiday!
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+1. Greece/Ionian have nicer beaches than Croatia in my humble opinion.
 
slipknot said:
+1. Greece/Ionian have nicer beaches than Croatia in my humble opinion.
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That is very true. There are some sandy beaches in Croatia but, unless you visit Susak Island in the north, then even the "sandy" beaches are fine shingle, at best. Greek beaches are mostly sand.

Fishing is problematic in Croatia for two reasons. One is that you are supposed to apply for a permit and the second is that there don't seem to be that many fish other than in the marinas which are full of grey mullet.

There are deserted islands in Croatia, meaning islands with no permanent human habitation. However, in July and August you are unlikely to find an island which does not have at least one other boat anchored in one of its bays.

Richard
 
With the two inexperienced crew, I would quite definitely opt for a flotilla holiday. Then the sailing times will be short; evening mooring places in harbours with nice facilities and/or swimming is guaranteed; there will be a laid-on beach-barbeque; easy socialising with other crews; and kids for yours to become friends with. Ready help on hand from the flotilla staff avoids those stressful moments (e.g. when Mediterranean-style mooring in a crowded harbour).

The Ionian has the most provision of this type, though SW Turkey is also possible.

But Croatia is, as others suggest, more attractive for bare-boat chartering (though beware a summer "Bora"). No matter how experienced you and your older children are, you'd be best off this time doing something that will sell sailing holidays to your family as a whole. Save Croatia for the year after.
 
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Scala said:
+1 for that one too! was superb. So good we went back. The bay gets a bit swell-y at times but it was gorgeous.
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It's on our list for when we next get out that way, alas not 2019 as we are doing the Caribbean and then Sibenik area and won't get down to Mljet. I have a feeling it's all down to the son/chef and fear he'll end up seeking opportunities in a city (I believe he was at culinary school in the winters IIRC?).

It was so good we asked if we could buy a loaf of their homemade bread. They only had three quarters of a loaf left that night, that they gave us for free and we enjoyed it for breakfast the next day!
 
I think I agree with all said above except perhaps the "calm" bit; you does your praying and hopes for the best anywhere in the Med!

No-one has mentioned that, I believe, in Croatia someone on board has to hold a VHF certificate and the OP did not mention having one. So best to check before choosing there.

Mike.
 
mjcoon said:
No-one has mentioned that, I believe, in Croatia someone on board has to hold a VHF certificate and the OP did not mention having one. So best to check before choosing there.

Mike.
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We've been through this many times and I think the last time we decided that an RYA/ICC qualy is needed for bareboat or flotilla but a VHF radio is not required for flotilla. However, I would always check this with the charter company before booking.

Richard
 
Assorted family who aren't dedicated sailors?
+1 for Sailing Holidays(the company)in Greece.
I have my own boat at home in NZ and race around the cans regularly. My wife not so much. She does however like boats and loves the Greek islands as do I.
So i save the hard out sailing for racing my own boat.
We both love the totally laid back sailing holidays flotillas. Absolutely low stress for the skipper as the flotilla lead crew do all the hard yards, yet you have the freedom to park up in a deserted bay for lunch and swim.
If i get some sail out and get some good sailing in its a bonus, but if there is no wind and we motor, then that is also good.

We have done north Ionian and south Ionian and are booked to do a delivery trip in 2020.

Go for it..
 
As another option - We would be pleased to welcome you in Mallorca / Menorca fits most of your remit beautiful Calas, great beaches and anchorages also find some civilisation if you want Ie great for youngsters.
Otherwise can’t fault North & south Ionian for what you want Well priced as well Thumbs up for sailing holidays bareboat or a flotilla if you fancy it.
Croatia similarly but can get expensive
 
I’ve chartered in the Med for the last 20 years from Sicily to Turkey. All the areas have their merits but if you are a relatively inexperienced first timer with young children I would advise you start with a Flotilla in the Southern Ionian.

Although I have always bare boated, crew have spoken highly of the merits of flotilla sailing with children – even if you are experienced.

The Southern Ionian is sheltered with short passages, many islands with bays to stop in for swimming and mainly free stern to mooring in harbour.

Croatia is similar with even more islands and bays but a shorter season and is generally more expensive – particularly if you stop in ACI marinas. However, the towns are usually more interesting than Greek villages.

Turkey is very nice but in the current political situation not many people are going there. Sunsail has closed its bases. The season is longer than in Greece and a flotilla from Gocek would probably suit you. Those who have gone there recently say it still seems safe and the people welcoming. With present exchange rates Turkey is probably good value.

For the last 5 years I have been posting videos of our charters on You Tube and there are plenty of others who have done the same.

Dubrovnik Pt I 2013

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svzqfLD-w3A&t=1s

Dubrovnik Pt II 2013

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaPjj_eGIs0&t=1s

Turkey 2015 (Gocek)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18dmwa7V5mo

Croatia 2016 (Marina Agana)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_FXZCMaLco&t=1s

Southern Ionian 2017

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lh6thT4AlfM

Northern Ionian 2018

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvNQyobHjfs=1s
 
The normal starter area in the Med is the Ionian the islands are close together, the same is the case in the BVI's where islands are in a circle so even in a gale the seas is calm. For the best price go to www.latesail.com they handle 700 charter companies and normally have abut 7.000 boats on their site. It is still a buyers market so make an offer but not more than 20% off.
 
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