Croatia 2010 , from Pomer to Dubrovnik , and back

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Now I shouldnt be doing this , but I figure that if I find a ybw forum member in 'my' spot next year he/she can expect a knock on the side of the boat asking to provide a cold beer

Ah, OK, we haven't explored the north side of Hvar but I will certainly remember that for next year. Look out for a Ferretti called Sumianda. We always have plenty of cold Karlovac on board
If you visit the same area again, check out the Pakleni islands on the south side of Hvar. There are some fantastic anchorages there too

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

I forgot to ask. How did you get on crossing the Kvarner channel? It seems to have a bad reputation for sea conditions. I got talking to a German guy this year who got caught out in rough weather there and he experienced several smashed windows and that was in a 40 footer

 

[BartW]

Ah, OK, we haven't explored the north side of Hvar but I will certainly remember that for next year. Look out for a Ferretti called Sumianda. We always have plenty of cold Karlovac on board
If you visit the same area again, check out the Pakleni islands on the south side of Hvar. There are some fantastic anchorages there too

Mike,


I have scanned these books a while ago for you,
but forgot to post them
I believe that René uses these aswell

In that Vela Garska Bay, the cove on the west side,
this year and two years ago we saw dears

now also available in collor

some spots on here you might be familiar with

and this link you know already,
I should add now some spots in Italy !

http://maps.google.be/maps/ms?hl=nl....094882,18.391113&spn=12.934498,22.565918&z=6

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Thanks Bart. Actually I have just bought a book called '1300 harbours and anchorages in Croatia' (or something like that) which is the first comprehensive pilot book for the area I have come across. Yup, we are still using your Google map for ideas for places to visit. We were in Krknjas only last Wednesday and yes, in one area, the water is fabulously blue (fabulously cold as well!)

 

[ReneJK]

Thats interesting because there have been one or two threads on the forum about the possibility of doing this. Its v common in the UK to chip turbo diesel cars but not boats. Are there companies offering to chip marine engines in Holland? You have achieved a 15% increase in hp which is quite high. Do they guarantee this increase in hp and what about torque? Has this increased too because that affects acceleration. Finally do you think that engine life will be shortened?

The difference I notice is in both as it allowed me to go from 17P stainless prop to a 19P stainless prop and still achieve 4000 rpm max , without the chip I can only get 3400 rpm with the 19P stainless prop (with 3 men on board) and 4000 rpm with the 17P. It gets a little slower on the plane with the 19P and chipped but I feel that even at 185HP is still a little underpowered , I would love to have 230-250 but this boat came with the D3-160 (all rpm's by memory)

I doubt that it will shorten the lifespan of the engine as the D3-190 is basically the same engine with a little tweaks
I also dont know how common it is as most (95%) sport boats overhere in holland run gas engines and not diesels but the ones I know of (except maybe BartW ) all have chipped their volvo's . reason for that many sports boats running on gas is that we were never allowed to burn the red diesel and holland being quite small , and most do not run for hours on end at cruising speed, it hardly made sense for people to buy the much more expensive diesel engines

I bought my chip on Ebay germany and was basically 'plug and play' no soldering or programming needed

I forgot to ask. How did you get on crossing the Kvarner channel? It seems to have a bad reputation for sea conditions. I got talking to a German guy this year who got caught out in rough weather there and he experienced several smashed windows and that was in a 40 footer

We crossed the Kvarner quite well @ 20kts / hr , thank you for asking
but in all seriousness , from the southern most point of Isria to Mali Losinj is only about an hour or a little more, so if you plan and listen to the weather forecast its not a big deal . We have done that 8 times now (there and back again) bot never encountered anything like a Bora or waves higher than a meter or 2. I dont want to downplay the risk but I think people tend to be scaremongers and dont listen to the forecasts . We have had mirror smooth seas most of the times while crossing , so turn on the auto pilot , sit back and relax

I believe that René uses these aswell

I use those as well but I like the coloured one, I need to order that one !

 

[MapisM]

never encountered anything like a Bora or waves higher than a meter or 2. I dont want to downplay the risk but I think people tend to be scaremongers...

Well, I don't want to join those scaremongers, but if you crossed the kvarner with 2m waves at 20kts on a 8m boat, either you overestimated the wave height, or you're a helluva helmsman and your boat is really strong!
What makes that crossing hairy at times is the type of waves (very erratic and short), rather than their height alone - though also much bigger waves are not unheard in that area, as discussed in this old thread.

PS: very nice report, thanks for posting! Brings up old memories...

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Well, I don't want to join those scaremongers, but if you crossed the kvarner with 2m waves at 20kts on a 8m boat, either you overestimated the wave height, or you're a helluva helmsman and your boat is really strong!
What makes that crossing hairy at times is the type of waves (very erratic and short), rather than their height alone - though also much bigger waves are not unheard in that area, as discussed in this old thread.

PS: very nice report, thanks for posting! Brings up old memories...

I have to take slight issue with comments in that thread. In my limited experience, the Bora is not well forecast at least not several days ahead. Often the forecast suddenly changes maybe 24hrs ahead of the Bora and if you're unlucky enough to miss that forecast, you dont know about it. Fortunately, of course, in Croatia you're usually never more than a few miles from a marina but it is a bit scary how quickly the Bora arrives

 

[MapisM]

Agreed. I used to check forecasts as close to the cruising as I could.
This website was my favourite source in my Croatian years.
I even had a few first hand experiences of bora building up strong and totally unpredicted up to the latest wx. Which is the reason why in another thread I suggested to always stay sheltered at NE regardless of wx, when anchoring with lines ashore.

 

[BartW]

Thats interesting because there have been one or two threads on the forum about the possibility of doing this. Its v common in the UK to chip turbo diesel cars but not boats. Are there companies offering to chip marine engines in Holland? You have achieved a 15% increase in hp which is quite high. Do they guarantee this increase in hp and what about torque? Has this increased too because that affects acceleration. Finally do you think that engine life will be shortened?

Mike, I have been following these threats about ship tuning myself,
here some comments,

besides the e-bay solution from René, there is a boat-ship tuner in Holland (I believe it is called Zip tuning) does reprogramming of the engine soft with warranty(!?) so no extra box....
then there is another UK company that has a box you can buy on-line.
torque is increase aswell


my 2 x VP D3 190 long bloks have been replaced in the beginning of this year, will post the détails in winter time (when the boating season is dead )
The Volvo guy's confirmed that it is exactly the same part number for D3-130, 160 and 190, so the main engine block is alway's the same.
The VP D3 is now also available in a 220hp version, although I have to agree that the complete D3 line is now renewed (the orriginal Volvo car engine block has had a upgrade / redesign)

About the engine lifetime,
I believe as long as you stay within a HP range that Volvo uses themselves with this engine, there can't be a problem.
Theoretically if you shiptune the 220hp D3 version, you might be outside the calculated HP range from Volvo,
but even then, on a boat engine usually many more things break down or go wrong before you reach the max life time of the engine block,
I mean, the salty environment and the electronics, the rubber hoses and belts and fittings, the ultra high pressure common rail system, the turbo, etc etc ....
so the lifespan of the engine block is the last concern, as long as the engine is not pushed to maximum all the time,
all IMHO afcause.
I have not yet tuned my twin D-190 as I have no need for more power.
originall 2 x 160HP was the max available HP for my boat,
they supplied the 2 x 190 on special order, this extra headroom on power is very usefull when heavy loaded with divers and scuba tanks

 

[BartW]

I have to take slight issue with comments in that thread. In my limited experience, the Bora is not well forecast at least not several days ahead. Often the forecast suddenly changes maybe 24hrs ahead of the Bora and if you're unlucky enough to miss that forecast, you dont know about it. Fortunately, of course, in Croatia you're usually never more than a few miles from a marina but it is a bit scary how quickly the Bora arrives

have to agree with that,
this summer 2 yachts were grounded in Cavtat bay, during day time,
there were there on anchor.
the bora came from zero to extremely strong in less then 20 minutes,
in full daytime the crew on the ship was not able to avoid being blown on the rocks, a big fishing boat was needed to pull them away from the rocks

 

[ReneJK]

Well, I don't want to join those scaremongers, but if you crossed the kvarner with 2m waves at 20kts on a 8m boat, either you overestimated the wave height, or you're a helluva helmsman and your boat is really strong!
What makes that crossing hairy at times is the type of waves (very erratic and short), rather than their height alone - though also much bigger waves are not unheard in that area, as discussed in this old thread.

PS: very nice report, thanks for posting! Brings up old memories...

I have not read the old thread , which I will do after I am done writing this

Maybe I overestimated wave height but I am a pretty good guesser being used to the Northsea & IJsselmeer here in holland. IJsselmeer specifically is known for its erratic and short wave lenght and height so maybe I looked at it and thought 'Its not that much different from 'home' lets push on"
and the 2m was max wave height , avg would have been 1,5 and as I said not in a Bora but was probably the aftermath of one

I have to take slight issue with comments in that thread. In my limited experience, the Bora is not well forecast at least not several days ahead. Often the forecast suddenly changes maybe 24hrs ahead of the Bora and if you're unlucky enough to miss that forecast, you dont know about it. Fortunately, of course, in Croatia you're usually never more than a few miles from a marina but it is a bit scary how quickly the Bora arrives

Crossing the Kvarner rarely takes more than 45 - 60 minutes (in a Mobo !) from the sourthern most tip of Istria to the Island of Unije .

Now caught in that section as a raggie is a completely different story and I can only imagine how scary that must be having to do a few hours to get to the nearest harbour in a full blown bora in an open section like the Kvarner ! .

The summer Bora's we have had, not in the Kvarner but further south and well within reach of sheltered Islands and harbours, are also the miniature versions of the autumn & winter versions , its windy and wavey but doable .

The weather forecast is hourly on several frequencies and your can see the mountain ridges in the north . If the typical cloud build up starts to show over the mountain tops prepare to start looking for a safe place . I am told that further south the Bora is less severe

Worst case, Bora comes up in 20 minutes and you're halfway .. so push on and you can look for shelter as the worst starts

have to agree with that,
this summer 2 yachts were grounded in Cavtat bay, during day time,
there were there on anchor.
the bora came from zero to extremely strong in less then 20 minutes,
in full daytime the crew on the ship was not able to avoid being blown on the rocks, a big fishing boat was needed to pull them away from the rocks

I find that scarier .. being at anchor while the Bora hits .. typically you're very close to the shore , maybe unlucky and choosen a bay thats open in the direction the wind & waves come from and definately unlucky achored in seagrass with a setting sun *brrrr*

 

[ReneJK]

I have not read the old thread , which I will do after I am done writing this

I have now read that thread and am glad that I never experienced anything like that, 7m waves ! and if you're going out in a Mobo and you get caught or you're getting uncomfortable you always have the choice of turning around and get back to a more comfortable spot. Raggies do not always have that choice

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Agreed. I used to check forecasts as close to the cruising as I could.
This website was my favourite source in my Croatian years.
I even had a few first hand experiences of bora building up strong and totally unpredicted up to the latest wx. Which is the reason why in another thread I suggested to always stay sheltered at NE regardless of wx, when anchoring with lines ashore.

Yes I use the same website

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

If the typical cloud build up starts to show over the mountain tops prepare to start looking for a safe place

Yes I was told that story but around the Split area at least, the clouds seem to build over the mountains nearly every day.
Btw how do you and Bart manage to reproduce Google maps for your posts and draw lines on the map? I can't even manage to save any Google map

 

[BartW]

Well, I don't want to join those scaremongers, but if you crossed the kvarner with 2m waves at 20kts on a 8m boat, either you overestimated the wave height, or you're a helluva helmsman and your boat is really strong!

René,

apparently they don't realise what good boats we have, not mentioning about the quality of the helmsman

 

[ReneJK]

René,

apparently they don't realise what good boats we have, not mentioning about the quality of the helmsman

Absolutely !
ya know what ? Karnic should read our little European exploits and sponsor us
as it shows prospective customers presactly how good their boats are (and you become a great helmsman in the process )


Mike,
I use a little program 'snagit' to capture pics directly off the screen . Then drag and drop into M$ paint and draw lines and write text

 

[BartW]

Btw how do you and Bart manage to reproduce Google maps for your posts and draw lines on the map? I can't even manage to save any Google map

in google maps you can open a menu on the left side of the screen,
there somewhere you can find a button called "My Maps"
you have to sign in and register the first time,
then you can make and save your own maps
and copy a link on the forum,
the Link button is on the right top side of the map

the trick from Rene is new to me, nice !

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Absolutely !
ya know what ? Karnic should read our little European exploits and sponsor us
as it shows prospective customers presactly how good their boats are (and you become a great helmsman in the process )


Mike,
I use a little program 'snagit' to capture pics directly off the screen . Then drag and drop into M$ paint and draw lines and write text

Thanks thats a useful program. Yes you're right. Both you and Bart should tell Karnic about your exploits and your posts on this forum. Its free advertising for them and you should be recognised

 

[ReneJK]

Thanks thats a useful program. Yes you're right. Both you and Bart should tell Karnic about your exploits and your posts on this forum. Its free advertising for them and you should be recognised

Hmm.. they read the thread and gave us something nice. Just arrived in the mail today from Karnic Boats in Cyprus

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Hmm.. they read the thread and gave us something nice. Just arrived in the mail today from Karnic Boats in Cyprus

I suppose it's the thought that counts