Velmundi Yacht Charters

[dolabriform]

Hi all

Has anyone used them and are they legit?

http://www.velmundi.com/

I made a reservation for a charter in Croatia last night and was about to transfer the deposit when I thought I'd look around their website a bit more.

I'm now getting 403 errors everywhere, and getting nervous.

Thanks

David

 

[RichardS]

Velmundi seems to be a legit Polish company but I know nothing about them.

Richard

 

[JumbleDuck]

A quick google provides only one outside reference to them, from a Swedish owner whose yacht they (supposedly) manage. No reviews, no mentions, nothing in Tripadvisor ... I would be very cautious indeed about sending them money.

But of course I don't really know anything. Sailaboutvic's your man for insider knowledge of Croatia ...

 

[Bellacruiser]

Hi all

Has anyone used them and are they legit?

http://www.velmundi.com/

I made a reservation for a charter in Croatia last night and was about to transfer the deposit when I thought I'd look around their website a bit more.

I'm now getting 403 errors everywhere, and getting nervous.

Thanks

David

Velmundi appears to be a broker/agency and not own or operate a fleet itself. I've unveiled within myself a surprising skill for identifying the charter co that owns or manages the actual boats (both when we have been chartering and indeed now looking at buying) and usually prefer to contact them direct; they will often match the price of such a website anyway. I like to know who the actual charter operator is even for those times I have booked via an agency. Personally, have had good experiences with Sailogy as an intermediary. We've chartered 7 times in Croatia in the last 3 years so have been on the boats of a few operators and chatted to people booked with others.

If you have the link to the boat I'd be happy to see if I can turn up the charter co so you could try booking direct or finding the boat elsewhere (Sailogy usually price match for example).

 

[dolabriform]

Velmundi appears to be a broker/agency and not own or operate a fleet itself. I've unveiled within myself a surprising skill for identifying the charter co that owns or manages the actual boats (both when we have been chartering and indeed now looking at buying) and usually prefer to contact them direct; they will often match the price of such a website anyway. I like to know who the actual charter operator is even for those times I have booked via an agency. Personally, have had good experiences with Sailogy as an intermediary. We've chartered 7 times in Croatia in the last 3 years so have been on the boats of a few operators and chatted to people booked with others.

If you have the link to the boat I'd be happy to see if I can turn up the charter co so you could try booking direct or finding the boat elsewhere (Sailogy usually price match for example).

Hi, thanks for the extensive info!

I had a chat with them and did a bit more digging and they seem to be ok so we went with them just before I saw your post. This is the boat we've booked:

http://www.velmundi.com/elan-38-1996-vodice-2046.html?from-2019-10-19

Fingers crossed all is ok now. Any reading recommendations / websites to study for the area so we can start to put a plan together?

As it's our first time chartering i'm sure we will end up with a few hundred questions that I expect everyone asks

 

[Bellacruiser]

Well here is your boat and the charter co that operates it https://ayc.at/en/fleet (scroll down to "Zaglav")

I'm a big fan of Cruisers Wiki for details on harbours/achorages. There are some route suggestions here https://ayc.at/en/Sailing-routes1 (route 3) and I'd also have a look on google - Vodice is a small charter base so search "Sibenik sailing itinerary" and you'll be close enough.

Depends what you want to see/do as to where is best (sightseeing or quiet bays, short hops or open water etc); if you haven't med moored/used lazy lines then worth watching some videos etc! In that region I'd suggest a trip to Skradin and the waterfalls, also really like Prvic, Kaprije, Zlarin, Rogoznica, Primosten.

We always try to hit the most distant point by Tuesday of a charter then start to work back without too much of a sail on the Friday/allow time for refuelling (can be busy) and so as not to get in trouble for returning the boat late!

You can set up a free account on Navionics on the web or use https://www.freemaptools.com/measure-distance.htm (remember to use nautical miles!) to play around with route ideas.

If you decide to head into Kornati or Telascica national parks buy tickets in advance, much cheaper that way (or more expensive if you get caught/pay on the spot!).

You'll get loads of suggestions on here for places to stop and shout if you need any help/advice!

ETA Boat is based in ACI Vodice, you should get a blue card/ACI card and get discounts at other ACI marinas such as Skradin hopefully! Worth checking as it could save quite a bit! https://www.aci-marinas.com/en/aci-card/

 

[RichardS]

Hi, thanks for the extensive info!

I had a chat with them and did a bit more digging and they seem to be ok so we went with them just before I saw your post. This is the boat we've booked:

http://www.velmundi.com/elan-38-1996-vodice-2046.html?from-2019-10-19

Fingers crossed all is ok now. Any reading recommendations / websites to study for the area so we can start to put a plan together?

As it's our first time chartering i'm sure we will end up with a few hundred questions that I expect everyone asks

Vodice is a great place to start from. Depending upon what type of holiday you prefer, you can have peace and solitude in the Kornatis (at slight extra National Park cost), or head west and south for the inhabited islands with restaurants, bars, clubs, whatever.

I would definitely start by sailing up the river past Sibenik to Skradin and Krka Falls. It's an easy sail/motor and something a little different to the normal Med cruising route and it's just round the corner.

Richard

 

[johnalison]

I think you may need to go slow on the sliwowitz before attempting to walk the passarelle.

 

[Bellacruiser]

I think you may need to go slow on the sliwowitz before attempting to walk the passarelle.

and if you do go to Skradin, enjoy lots of the stuff here https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Resta...ationId=101&albumid=101&filter=7&ff=277488629

Basically you can only order straight alcohol or water I think

 

[mjcoon]

I would definitely start by sailing up the river past Sibenik to Skradin and Krka Falls. It's an easy sail/motor and something a little different to the normal Med cruising route and it's just round the corner.

Certainly we were proud of ourselves when, after previously sailing only one way, on another visit we sailed both up and down the river to Skradin and back. On another visit we anchored outside Skradin marina and avoided their charges; I don't know if that is still possible.

Mike.

 

[RichardS]

Certainly we were proud of ourselves when, after previously sailing only one way, on another visit we sailed both up and down the river to Skradin and back. On another visit we anchored outside Skradin marina and avoided their charges; I don't know if that is still possible.

Mike.

I haven't been for 3 or 4 years but, as far as I know, everyone still anchors in "bays" in the riverbank opposite the marina.

This is us in late evening in 2015 taken from the old fort at the top of the hill overlooking Skradin. It's well worth the 15 minute walk up there for the views.

Richard

 

[Bellacruiser]

I haven't been for 3 or 4 years but, as far as I know, everyone still anchors in "bays" in the riverbank opposite the marina.

This is us in late evening in 2015 taken from the old fort at the top of the hill overlooking Skradin. It's well worth the 15 minute walk up there for the views.

Richard

The ACI Marina now controls a buoy field taking up a lot of that space (I think about €40pn). There is still space to anchor but much less than there was and appears to be discouraged...

 

[RichardS]

The ACI Marina now controls a buoy field taking up a lot of that space (I think about €40pn). There is still space to anchor but much less than there was and appears to be discouraged...

That's a pain but it's the way things are going.

The official Croatian Government mooring buoy map webpage seems to be getting a hopelessly out of date now:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/v...mbed&ie=UTF8&mid=1u16M7Iy_rxTx2E3oyLA9dEGCTdY

However, the official Government app is clearly right up to date and this is the app I use on the boat. However, you need an android (or apple presumably) phone/tablet to access it:

However, if you only have a PC or laptop, this one looks to be taking the data from the app and keeping up to date:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewe...V&ll=44.59373973589616,15.099388412170356&z=8

Richard

 

[dolabriform]

I think you may need to go slow on the sliwowitz before attempting to walk the passarelle.

That looks lethal

 

[dolabriform]

That's a pain but it's the way things are going.

However, the official Government app is clearly right up to date and this is the app I use on the boat. However, you need an android (or apple presumably) phone/tablet to access it:

Richard

Hi Richard

Do you have a link to that app.?

I've just been looking at Marina and Buoy costs and had a rather large shock!

Thanks

David

 

[Bellacruiser]

Hi Richard

Do you have a link to that app.?

I've just been looking at Marina and Buoy costs and had a rather large shock!

Thanks

David

Search nautical Croatia in the App Store and you should find it. Town quays/buoys in town harbours will be much cheaper. The Elan 38 squeaks in under 12m which will help costs in ACI marinas and if you have the card thing it’s 30% off I think. . A number of places I suggested are in Sibenik-Knin county and you can find prices here- https://translate.googleusercontent...700265&usg=ALkJrhg5rTalWQEO68QISCVi6aYovU6xeg

Buoys were about £25pn in those harbours when we went on a 38ft in June and in Prvic the harbour master knocked us money off as there was only two of us on board, lovely bloke with a ponytail!

 

[RichardS]

Hi Richard

Do you have a link to that app.?

I've just been looking at Marina and Buoy costs and had a rather large shock!

Thanks

David

Hi David

The app in the Google Play Store for android is "Nautical Info Service Croatia": https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=hr.mppi.nis&hl=en

I'm not sure whether its the same name for apple but presumably it is.

Marina costs can indeed be horrendous , in marinas in historic cities think up to £100 a night for a boat like yours. You won't be surprised to know that we only ever go into marinas to fill up with water.

Mooring buoys are a lot cheaper and are generally well maintained but you still need to think £15 to £30 a night although. Use the app to check ahead and see whether you are heading for a buoyed bay. However, there are still plenty of bays without buoys and I would say that most cruises we only pay for a buoy on one or two nights. Be aware that if you anchor in a bay that is buoyed, you will still be expected to pay if you are nearer than 100m (or something) from the buoy field although you can usually negotiate this down to half-price, especially if all the buoys are taken.

Things can be a lot easier if you intend to eat in a restaurant in the bay as the buoy is then often free. However, some in some bays the buoy concession does not belong to any of the restaurants so there's no free mooring but it's worth asking whether you can get a discount if you eat at one of the restaurants (there are clearly some backhanders going on, as you might expect!).

You'll often find that one bay has buoys but the next one around the headland has none. Rogoznica is an example ... it's just down the coast from you and is lovely little town but the bay to the east of the causeway is buoys only. However, carry on past the buoys for another hundred metres and you are in Stupin bay. It's large with an easy bottom and a short sheltered dinghy ride back to Rogoznica, especially if you anchor at the western end and take the dinghy across to the shore and enjoy the walk into town. That's what we do unless we're expecting to be carrying bags back from the supermarket.

If you're going for a week or two you'll probably find that you can easily avoid marinas or buoys for the entire holiday, especially if the weather is good, so don't worry about it.

Richard

 

[choppy]

Hi all

Has anyone used them and are they legit?

http://www.velmundi.com/

I made a reservation for a charter in Croatia last night and was about to transfer the deposit when I thought I'd look around their website a bit more.

I'm now getting 403 errors everywhere, and getting nervous.

Thanks

David

As a fleet operator I have bookings from them not a lot of experience but seem straightforward with real people present unlike some of the pure website based and other charter agencies/brokers who really dont give a "fig" for their customers or those that supply the service -IE us - just as long as their commission is secured.

 

[Tipsy Mouse]

Velmundi appears to be a broker/agency and not own or operate a fleet itself. I've unveiled within myself a surprising skill for identifying the charter co that owns or manages the actual boats (both when we have been chartering and indeed now looking at buying) and usually prefer to contact them direct; they will often match the price of such a website anyway. I like to know who the actual charter operator is even for those times I have booked via an agency. Personally, have had good experiences with Sailogy as an intermediary. We've chartered 7 times in Croatia in the last 3 years so have been on the boats of a few operators and chatted to people booked with others.

If you have the link to the boat I'd be happy to see if I can turn up the charter co so you could try booking direct or finding the boat elsewhere (Sailogy usually price match for example).

Hi Bellacruiser, how are you? looks like you are a fountain of good knowledge! I'm interesting in your ability to identify the charter company of boats in brokers sites. I'm looking at Velmundi offered boat and had the same issue as the OP here. Are they legit, and can i find the exact same boat advertised elsewhere. Here is the link if you are minded to respond. Sun Odyssey 36i (2010) - Athens, Alimos Marina - charter offer
We last booked a couple of boats through LateSail in Croatia and had to deal with two charter companies...but they handled it well even when there was a problem with one of the boats pre charter. Upgraded us from a 34 footer to 48! With reduction in price! Nice. This year with COVID there should be some good prices going around so want to look around as much as possible. Thanks for whatever you can do.

 

[Bellacruiser]

Hi Tipsy Mouse, sorry I haven't been getting notifications and only just saw this.

My guess is this is the charter co that OWNS the boat; it comes down to finding the boats with the same specs and location, photos, name if you know it etc and the sites that clearly say they own/have their own fleet [rather than nuanced language around 'sourcing' boats or 'partners' as these are agencies] - Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 36i