we have been using her (holliday pics)

[crazy4557]

Hi Bart,

How long is the 1650km trip? and what do you tow her with? Looks a fabulous place and great pics/story...thanks

 

[BartW]

Could we see pictures of traileer and car?

Tom

here you are: Mercede GL with Harbeck trailer:

and this is at the beginning of our way back

it is an alluminium trailer but I am still over weight, 3800kg trailer + boat

 

[epervier]

A very interesting post Bart, and great pictures to go with it,

thank you for sharing with us.

 

[BartW]

Hi Bart,

How long is the 1650km trip? and what do you tow her with? Looks a fabulous place and great pics/story...thanks

the trip takes 24 hours, we do it in one go, no overnight stop
no more then 90km/hr, just like trucks,

we only stop for toilet, coffe, and fuel,
and just ones for a light dinner or breackfast

swmbo and myself swap wheel when we feel we are tired

We were used to drive all the way down with the boat 1850 km,
but the last two years we put the boat in the water and leave the trailer in a marina in Makarska area (Krvavica) at 1650 km
thats where the motorway ends.
so for, me the hollyday now starts even 4 hours earlyer

pictures of the trailer and car in the other post

 

[MapisM]

Very nice report Bart, thanks for posting it.
Brings back nice memories, I've been cruising those islands for years.
Re. Bisevo cave, I hope you didn't miss the opportunity to make some snorkeling inside it, possibly in the morning, with the best natural lighting: that alone is worth the trip, imho.

 

[maybh1]

Thanks for that.

Absolutely stunning.

I shall be in Dubrovnic next week (only for the day) and these pictures really reminded me of why it is one of my favourite places.

What am amazing job has been done of rebuilding the place

Sat here dreaming of walking the walls and then finding a fish lunch and perhaps a glass or two of wine before returning to the mother ship.

Bliss

May
xx

 

[BartW]

As a matter of interest is the restaurant still open that is in the site of the old Nav School in old town Dubrovnic? Had most fab fish ever in there.

I think I know where you mean,
yes there still is a restaurant but not sure if the same owner.
In fact all old restaurants are there again,
and the last 5 years many many more new restaurants came along.
some very good ones.

 

[BartW]

Re. Bisevo cave, I hope you didn't miss the opportunity to make some snorkeling inside it, possibly in the morning, with the best natural lighting: that alone is worth the trip, imho.

Mario, in fact we were there in the afternoon, and didn't snorkel, so for shure we go back next year
thank you

 

[ReneJK]

Thanks for posting Bart!, seems you have had great times

 

[mjf]

I think I know where you mean,
yes there still is a restaurant but not sure if the same owner.
In fact all old restaurants are there again,
and the last 5 years many many more new restaurants came along.
some very good ones.

Good! Actually looking at your pix you can see the small bay just to the North of the main harbour and the old navigation school was on the cliff top overlooking the rocky bay. My hosts both went to this college and later ran the towns 'in house' shipping owning company.

The ships were locally owned (handy size and pananmax bulkers/ conbulkers and heavy lift ships) all crewed and managed by locals from there.

 

[BartW]

Good! Actually looking at your pix you can see the small bay just to the North of the main harbour and the old navigation school was on the cliff top overlooking the rocky bay.

do you mean the old harbour ?
nearby is a school just on the back entrance of the old town, just outside,
this entrance is called "Ploce"
I believe that is the navigation school.
this school looks over the old Harbour.

 

[mainshiptom]

here you are: Mercede GL with Harbeck trailer:

and this is at the beginning of our way back

it is an alluminium trailer but I am still over weight, 3800kg trailer + boat

Thanks for the pictures, what was the driving like ? any problems on the way? did you stay on the boat?

Tom

 

[andyc]

Me wife and 2 kids did a similar thing in 2002 with 3.5t boat ,but went to Sicily.We slept in the boat for a few hours on the way down in Swizerland.Couldnt sleep, it was too hot and there were fireworks everywhere [found out it was swiss day].Then slept again in Calabria.We couldnt be bothered to tow it back so we left it there and have had 7 great summers boating in June half term and in August for between 4-6 weeks.If I had a 4wd there I would put it in at iu1other times as whenever I go down there out of season there always seems to be flat calm weeks,especially in October half term.

best thing we ever did.

Boat is getting on a bit now as it is a 1992, so will sell it next summer once I have taken another one down.

Ive always fancied doing Italy ,Croatia and Greece.

 

[PowerYachtBlog]

I was in Split area in July 2006 super place and I find the Croatian friendly people
at the time I made friends with a few marina managers in the area and in August they where pretty full with the Italians
the marinas use to start getting empty about 0900 and at that time some people would already be hovering for a berth to sleep, and by 1200 they would be full again
the manager told me all August in most places it is like that, with the most busy being Kryka and Dubrovnik

 

[BartW]

Me wife and 2 kids did a similar thing in 2002 with 3.5t boat ,but went to Sicily.We slept in the boat for a few hours on the way down in Swizerland.Couldnt sleep, it was too hot and there were fireworks everywhere [found out it was swiss day].Then slept again in Calabria.We couldnt be bothered to tow it back so we left it there and have had 7 great summers boating in June half term and in August for between 4-6 weeks.If I had a 4wd there I would put it in at iu1other times as whenever I go down there out of season there always seems to be flat calm weeks,especially in October half term.

best thing we ever did.

Boat is getting on a bit now as it is a 1992, so will sell it next summer once I have taken another one down.

Ive always fancied doing Italy ,Croatia and Greece.

I guess you didn't tow her all the way like that, dingy on the back, fenders out and sterndrive half down

 

[BartW]

I was in Split area in July 2006 super place and I find the Croatian friendly people
at the time I made friends with a few marina managers in the area and in August they where pretty full with the Italians
the marinas use to start getting empty about 0900 and at that time some people would already be hovering for a berth to sleep, and by 1200 they would be full again
the manager told me all August in most places it is like that, with the most busy being Kryka and Dubrovnik

this year we didn't bother anymore, no marina's,
but every time in the past when we asked a marine for a overnight stay they were full,

so
you have to be a local shipper (on a sharter boat f.e.) to convince them,
or book a mooring early in the morning,
or some time in advance, even this I wonder if it works, as it is very difficult to plan something long in advance in Croatia

the good thing is that there are so many places where you can anker f.o.c. and protected from the elements,
or at a private mooring place at a restaurant where you have dinner

and yes, still many italians,
something like 75% of all boats we see there, motor and sail, charter and private,
are Italian,
they say it is cause Croatia is a lot cheaper then Italy

 

[BartW]

Thanks for the pictures, what was the driving like ? any problems on the way? did you stay on the boat?

Tom

Tom,
as sayed in a previous post, we don't stop overnight,
both swmbo and myself take the wheel,
we swap wheel when we feel tired
I have learned to sleep when she drives (it took a couple of years )

on our way down, 2 kids (of 4) are with us,
nobody sleeps in the boat when we are driving.
kids watch DVD or sleep in the car at night.

this year the trip went extremely good, no problems, both of us were very relaxed,
we almost drove without interruption from one fuelstop to the next (=approx 500km)
we are never in a hurry, never rush, but try to avoid long stops. max one long stop (=1.5hour)

 

[FunkyMonkey]

loved the pics and the report looks beautifull! more of these plz

 

[Sundays_Child]

What a great post. Thanks for sharing.

Can really see the advantages of having a trailerable boat, and the Karnic is an excellent choice.

 

[BartW]

We couldnt be bothered to tow it back so we left it there and have had 7 great summers boating in June half term and in August for between 4-6 weeks.If I had a 4wd there I would put it in at iu1other times as whenever I go down there out of season there always seems to be flat calm weeks,especially in October half term.

best thing we ever did.

thanks Andy, thats a good idea,
I might buy a second boat and leave it over there