Croatian bandits shaking down yacht owners

[Vincivinny]

I have owned and chartered yachts in the Med for over fifty years and visited almost every corner of it from Gibraltar to Istanbul. I had never been to the Dalmatian Coast. While absolutely beautiful, with hundreds of islands and lovely waters, it has now become prohibitively expensive for yachts, because anchoring in lovely wild island bays almost always (including outside legal National Parks) requires paying local thugs about 100 Euros per night for a 20-metre vessel. They approach in unmarked inflatables and claim to have a “concession” for the area for which they are unwilling to provide any documentary or internet proof. They harass you in Croatian (generally no other language spoken) if you do not pay and are probably supported by local corrupt enforcement agencies. Only payment accepted is in cash, of course! Receipts are pieces of scrap paper. They offer areas with depths over 40 metres in poorly protected areas as “free alternatives” putting yachts at risk in poor weather. This must be illegal under international laws of the sea and EU Law, I am pretty sure. Easiest antidote: do miss Croatia and go to the many other lovely cruising grounds in more civilized countries.

 

[Refueler]

Shame ..... I did a job in Croatia soon after it became independent ... stayed in Hotel Royale and in evenings ........

 

[sailaboutvic]

I have owned and chartered yachts in the Med for over fifty years and visited almost every corner of it from Gibraltar to Istanbul. I had never been to the Dalmatian Coast. While absolutely beautiful, with hundreds of islands and lovely waters, it has now become prohibitively expensive for yachts, because anchoring in lovely wild island bays almost always (including outside legal National Parks) requires paying local thugs about 100 Euros per night for a 20-metre vessel. They approach in unmarked inflatables and claim to have a “concession” for the area for which they are unwilling to provide any documentary or internet proof. They harass you in Croatian (generally no other language spoken) if you do not pay and are probably supported by local corrupt enforcement agencies. Only payment accepted is in cash, of course! Receipts are pieces of scrap paper. They offer areas with depths over 40 metres in poorly protected areas as “free alternatives” putting yachts at risk in poor weather. This must be illegal under international laws of the sea and EU Law, I am pretty sure. Easiest antidote: do miss Croatia and go to the many other lovely cruising grounds in more civilized countries.

OK look I hear what you say , we had many years in Croatia and yes as you say there Re time when you will get hassle, but you need to stand your ground and nearly the illegal thugs will more on to an easier target,
Charter years are easy target because there can be as many as six to ten people on board and what €5 to 10 each to them .
My old Croatia cruising Web site is out of date now so I won't recommend it but Wolfgang site is upto date although I not looked at it lately, it has all the free and paid anchorages , national parks and much more .
Croatia is one of the best cruising area in the Med .

 

[Sticky Fingers]

OP: Not my experience at all. But you’ve just joined to post a rant.

 

[HenrikH]

My experiece is not quite as bad, still I sense in Croatia the «system» is more set to get the maximum out of you than other places I have seen. Offcourse the balearic is more expensive, still feels like less than rip-off

 

[Neeves]

Maybe of course if you own a 20m yacht you are more likely to be a targeted. Members here, who generally own slightly smaller yachts, might be considered paltry prey.



Jonathan

 

[ColleyV8]

No difference to Spain and the car park touts that sit in free car parks and approach to say there is a 5 euro charge.

 

[wonkywinch]

You Tubers "Sailing Fair Isle" also experienced blatant corruption by uniformed immigration staff in their own offices.

 

[Laysula]

Went there 20 something years ago, Thought it was a bit expensive, not really a problem but I didn't like the way that everyone seemed to be after your money all the time. Never went back.

 

[Concerto]

It all sounds like what I call CTT - con the tourist.

 

[Mudisox]

Yugoslavia was superb back in the day. The war was "won" by bunch of thugs on all sides. What more do we expect.

 

[sailaboutvic]

Here the problem and it’s not just Croatia,
there thousands of charter boats now on two week holiday who throw money around like no to morrow plus where once there was a couple or two couple Ona boat now you can get as many as 10 people on the big cats ,
so when someone comes along and ask for €30/40 between ten people that’s nothing and there are willing to pay .
I had a few arguments in Croatia but only once I had to pay up ,
only as I was in the wrong and have anchored within 150 mts of a mooring field .

 

[sailaboutvic]

It all sounds like what I call CTT - con the tourist.

Let’s face it having to pay for anchoring in UK rivers is also CTT

 

[penfold]

What percentage of the UK coastline has that? Is it even 0.1% of anchorages? I've only been to Croatia once but being asked for money to anchor was a bit of an eye opener, I'd be curious whether there's actually law to empower this; marinas and moorings are fine but on my own ground tackle is another matter.

 

[sailaboutvic]

What percentage of the UK coastline has that? Is it even 0.1% of anchorages? I've only been to Croatia once but being asked for money to anchor was a bit of an eye opener, I'd be curious whether there's actually law to empower this; marinas and moorings are fine but on my own ground tackle is another matter.

Has you say you only been there once .
yes there is a law , mooring field owners have a right to charge if anyone anchor within 150 mts of there buoyed area it use to be 300 mts once .
a lot of the south coast of England you pay to anchorage in rivers or there restrictions where the only choices you have is use a mooring buoy .
in Greece you use your own ground tackle to moor to a wall and you have to pay ,
once it was free then €5 now it can be €25 in places .

 

[ylop]

Has you say you only been there once .
yes there is a law , mooring field owners have a right to charge if anyone anchor within 150 mts of there buoyed area it use to be 300 mts once .
a lot of the south coast of England you pay to anchorage in rivers or there restrictions where the only choices you have is use a mooring buoy .
in Greece you use your own ground tackle to moor to a wall and you have to pay ,
once it was free then €5 now it can be €25 in places .

And highland council will charge you for anchoring anywhere within their harbour authority area (e.g. portree). of course its a bit different if there is clearly an official route for collecting and accounting for the money, but I was once helming a small rib in a patch of moorings and passed an inbound yacht who flagged me down keen to pay - they had assumed I was the harbour master / sea taxi (there is neither there!)... its always struck me they you could make a nice little sideline from unscrupulously collecting other people's fees. There's an honesty box in milport which people assume is for the visitor moorings provided FOC by the council and nobody seems to know who gets the cash!

 

[penfold]

There's an honesty box in milport which people assume is for the visitor moorings provided FOC by the council and nobody seems to know who gets the cash!

There isn't any more, I went looking for it a few weeks ago after reading the anchorage guide that gets handed out in chandleries etc and could not find it, which is just as well; as you note they're free of charge courtesy of North Ayrshire Council. I'd hope the money ended up with the pier preservation group, but even with that what do they use it for as there doesn't seem to be much of a plan currently.

 

[ylop]

There isn't any more, I went looking for it a few weeks ago after reading the anchorage guide that gets handed out in chandleries etc and could not find it, which is just as well; as you note they're free of charge courtesy of North Ayrshire Council. I'd hope the money ended up with the pier preservation group, but even with that what do they use it for as there doesn't seem to be much of a plan currently.

Ah interesting, I've not been to Milport this season - it was there last year (and had been for as long as I recall).

 

[Kelpie]

My experiece is not quite as bad, still I sense in Croatia the «system» is more set to get the maximum out of you than other places I have seen. Offcourse the balearic is more expensive, still feels like less than rip-off

We found the Balearics very cheap- the marinas are €300 a night so you just don't use them. Went six months at anchor, was never charged for dropping the hook.

 

[HenrikH]

Entry in Croatia is an example of their financial creativity. Our entry port was Cavtat. First you dock at the «clearance dock» and pay harbour fee, then walk into town to find the customs office, wait for lunch break to finish then pay for the cruising permit. All set lift anchor and move 30m sideways on the same pier to «croatian dock» and pay another harbour fee for the same day. Not saying entry is easier in Monte Negro, Albania or Tunisia - but for sure less costly. PS much enjoyed sailing in Croatia, perhaps more at home in the north (Istria)?