Croatia, Istria

[Nina Lucia]

Just wander if any one keeps his sailing boat in Croatia, Adriatic or Italy?
Pros and cons,
We do like that coast!
I have made some inquiry last summer, and we can possible keep our Vancouver 27 for about £800.00 a year in Istria.
There is a flight to Pula or Trieste...

 

[mjcoon]

There is a flight to Pula or Trieste...

A few years ago (2005) we chartered from Pula and flew Ryanair to Trieste and took a minibus. I could possibly look up some details, but I didn't set it up, just went along for the ride.

Mike.

 

[nigelmercier]

Just wander if any one keeps his sailing boat in Croatia, Adriatic or Italy?
Pros and cons,

Croatia is a lovely place, great sailing, but cold in winter. Shame about the locals.

 

[shaxi]

Shame about the locals.

what is going on ? i think it nice there for the trip !

 

[mjcoon]

what is going on ? i think it nice there for the trip !

I'm sure it will be. But it is a rather recent case of "Do not mention the war!"...

Mike.

 

[BrianH]

Just wander if any one keeps his sailing boat in Croatia, Adriatic or Italy?
Pros and cons,
We do like that coast!
I have made some inquiry last summer, and we can possible keep our Vancouver 27 for about £800.00 a year in Istria.
There is a flight to Pula or Trieste...

Marinas on the Italian side are usually cheaper and better but a longer sail to get to the best cruising grounds in Croatia. It is hard to find a vacant marina berth in Croatia, such is the demand. As many EU-flagged yachts there are non-VAT paid (having fled Italy when it started to check) that could change when Croatia accedes next year.

Monfalcone is well served by Ryanair, which is very near to Trieste airport.

I have kept a boat in Aprilia Marittima, Latisana, some 30km south-west of there, for thirty years because I can easily drive there from Switzerland where I live, and often thought to move to Istria, even during the communist days when it was really cheap, which it certainly no longer is. But every time I decided not to, for various reasons. I have never regretted it.

There is a current thread on the subject running now on the Liveaboard forum, here.

 

[Metabarca]

If you do a search on my posts, you'll find a fair bit about berths in Istria and nearby. FYI, the cheapest berths between Split and Venice are in Monfalcone (10 mins from Trieste airport). The new marina at Novigrad is closed (went bust before it opened). You could keep a boat at Veruda, Rovinj (expensive) or in Portoroz in Slovenia. The service and food is better in Italy, but the Istrian coast suffers less from the bora.
As for the people, one needs to make a distinction between the Istrians (who may be Croatian, Slovene or Italian) who have been in contact with a Latin culture for centuries, and the inland Croatians who have set up business on the coast to fleece tourists (and are generally much resented by the locals). Istria is a beautiful but sad place because of its history (if you like, I can give you a resume). I'm much attached to it, but I keep my boat in Trieste. Anyway, PM if more needed

 

[RupertW]

Just finished our first season in Croatia - based at Kremik, nearish to Split.

Marina price a little less than UK, but the sailing and cruising waters are superb, and unlike the UK haven't felt any need to use marinas except the base at the beginning and end of week. Some anxious nights of course in strong winds and when best anchorages are full.

I really like the local attitudes and sense of humour - it was only once I heard them described as Yorkshiremen with tans that I began to look for that little eyebrow twitch of laughter, or an almost imperceptible nod of high approval.

Was planning to move to Greece or Sardinia next year but even after 7 cheap flight trips out this year, there's still a lot more for us to explore so we'll do another year definitely. Oh and never having to wear our oilskins except for about half an hour last January has been a complete culture change. Plenty of spray filled sailing but a pair of shorts has been the scond best kit for that kind of weather. German sailors take that a stage further and dress in the best kit.

The season isn't that much longer than the UK though and is constrained by cheap flights stopping - just a lot warmer and more reliable.

 

[RichardS]

Just finished our first season in Croatia - based at Kremik, nearish to Split.

Hi Rupert - discussion on the Liveaboard forum about whether Primosten are still charging for anchoring - we paid in 2009 and 2010 but didn't visit this year when it apparently stopped. As you were just "round the corner" you might know?

Richard

 

[RupertW]

Hi Rupert - discussion on the Liveaboard forum about whether Primosten are still charging for anchoring - we paid in 2009 and 2010 but didn't visit this year when it apparently stopped. As you were just "round the corner" you might know?

Richard

Hi Richard -just answered on there and alas don't know the Primosten situation as we've never anchored there. We tend to use the town via the Marina shuttle bus to get to the supermarket at the beginning of a trip and a night out at the end.

 

[jimbaerselman]

Just wander if any one keeps his sailing boat in Croatia, Adriatic or Italy?
Pros and cons,
..

At last I've published the Adriatic pages on my web site. Hopefully, the Adriatic page, and N and S Croatia pages (on the right and menu, or via the mega menus at the top of the page) list the most important pros and cons of keeping a boat there.

If anyone can think of improvements, or stuff missing, please let me know. If you subscribe to the site, you can add comments directly to the page, which is a very easy way of telling everyone exactly what you think! And I won't bombard you with emails . . .

 

[Baggywrinkle]

Took the plunge and bought a boat in Croatia this year. She's in Veruda near Pula.

Moved her from Kastela to Veruda last weekend and did all the export/import stuff. Without exception all the customs, police and harbour staff were very friendly and helpful - the harbourmaster in Mali Losinj even came to work at 9:00am on Sunday to sort out the crew list and vignette with no extra charges.

Been chartering in Croatia and done camping/camper van holidays for the last 10 years. Never had a problem with the authorities or the people - only one incident on an island near Split at easter. We were the only boat in the harbour and there were a few drunk locals on the dock - they mistook us for Slovenians and were a bit hostile 'till they realised we were english, then they were fine.

Cheap good food can also be found in abundance if you go where the locals go and avoid the obvious tourist traps.

Pula Airport to Marina Veruda is about 5 mins. The marina is huge, security seems good, staff friendly and helpful. It's about 30-40 nautical miles to get in amongst the islands to the south.

If I was flying in all the time I'd base the boat near Split or Zadar for the islands, Split Airport is very near to Trogir or Kastela.

It's a beautiful country, and don't believe what anyone says about the locals In my experience they've always been fine.