Sailing in Croatia travel guide

You might have seen the kinds of vessels that these vacations use: gleaming white fibreglass boats, between 8 and 15 metres long, with two sails – a mainsail and genoa (a smaller sail at the front). These sailing yachts look great, but you have to be prepared for compact conditions. Below deck, they’re very space efficient, with cabins in the bow and stern, and a saloon and galley (kitchen) in the center. Catamarans (twin-hulled boats) usually have more room below.

There are usually shared heads (bathrooms) with toilets that you might need to flush with a hand pump. There’s electricity run on a generator – which isn’t available when you’re sailing with the engines off. You don’t come on board to stay connected to the outside world – if there’s WiFi, you’ll have to pay extra and it might be patchy if there at all. Water is even more of a precious resource, and you’ll be encouraged to have short showers.

One option is to share a skippered sailing boat with a small group of others, in which case solo travelers will probably share their cabin with a member of the same sex. These shared boats accommodate between eight and 11 travelers. It’ll feel like you’re living a little bit on top of each other, but once you’re out on deck you’ll find plenty of space to sunbathe. You’ll have an experienced local skipper on board who knows the area, and either owns the company or gets paid a good, fair local wage. Alternatively you can charter your own boat.

Often you’ll all cook together on the yacht – but don’t miss a chance to sample food at traditional konobas (Dalmatian diners, similar to tavernas). People are often pleasantly surprised by Croatian coastal cuisine – think seafood and rice dishes, as well as Italian-influenced pastas.

In April and May Croatia’s coastline gets fresh breezes of up to 25 knots. Some sailing trips are running in April, but the majority, including flotillas and bareboating, will start in May. In spring, when water traffic is lower, you’re more likely to see dolphins when you’re underway. In early summer between June and July, Hvar’s lovely lavender fields are in bloom – they’ll beat the island’s bars any time, which can be ridiculously busy at this time of year. In mid July, Dubrovnik Summer Festival opens with a fizzle of fireworks. This arts festival takes over the town and runs for just over a month. There are plenty of open air performances, but Dubrovnik will be very busy and as a result we advise against visiting the city at this time. Parts of Trogir Summer Festival, a festival for music, are held within the walls of Kamerlengo Castle, a 15th-century fortress, in July and August. June, July and August see a series of ‘yacht weeks’, a brash flotilla of some 40 party yachts, blasting music, trailing inflatables, following each other round to ports and spilling out of nightclubs. It’s got bigger every year and dominates places like Hvar and Bol. You won’t want to go anywhere near them. If you’re bareboating, ask at the base about quieter places to visit. This is also the time of year when the maestral (or ‘mistral’) comes out to play. This northwesterly wind builds throughout the day and provides exciting sailing conditions. In August, which is peak season, most towns push their mooring fees up by 10 per cent. You’ll also see a lot of Italian yachts pottering over the border. It’s better to visit outside of peak season, when you’ll get cheaper moorings and quieter cruising. September is a lovely time to go sailing because the water will be a pleasant temperature for swimming. Your skipper will probably have trouble keeping you on the boat, you’ll be jumping in as much as possible. In October, Croatians will be relaxed and recovering from the busy summer. However, winds are rising again – you’re more likely to be visited by the ‘bura’, a very strong wind, and the temperature is falling. Not all restaurants will be open. Vis Regatta closes the sailing season in mid October. It’s a fierce competition – with some 150 high-performance boats whizzing between Vis and Split. If you’re cruising nearby then the sight of all the spinnakers hoisted on the horizon is pretty inspirational. In November there are still some sailing trips running, but most operators are finished for the season.