Yacht Charter Croatia

General Info
In a nutshell, Croatia covers the land between the Pannonian Plain, the Balkan Mountains and the mighty Mediterranean, or the Adriatic Sea to be more precise. Due to this transitional position, there are three main regions of the country: lowland, littoral and highland Croatia, each equally attractive to Yacht Charter visitors.

The region has a lot of touristic potential and has been known as a top holiday destination back in the 19th century, but the long war that affected the whole region since the early 90s with the breakup of Socialist Yugoslavia had a negative impact on such activities. Now, Croatia is fast reemerging as one of the best spots for Yacht Charter along the Adriatic coast.

The Dalmatian Coast belonging to Croatia is divided into several subregions but is commonly known as a sunny region with warm waters that has been inhabited since prehistoric times (a testament to that are the numerous stone age ruins) and that has fragrances of olive, wine and fish as a true Mediterranean region should.

Some of the most popular places where Yacht Charter people go include Zadar, Sibenik, Split and Dubrovnik, but these are only the biggest ones, the Dalmatian coast offers a lot more places that are somewhat smaller, but perfect for those seeking solitude or a more laidback atmosphere: Biograd, Cres, Primosten, Pula, Rovinj, Sukosan or Trogir are all places with a long tradition for tourism and some still maintain that ancient architecture that is so appealing to many Yacht Charter holidaymakers.

Law & Order
The great numbers of boaters attesting to this region’s popularity have been steadily increasing since the 70s, with local marinas reporting tens of thousands of foreign Yacht Charter boats being moored in their berths. So here are some of the rules the Croatians enforce in their waters. For those skippers that own their own boat, other than the obligatory check in with the Harbor Master, there’s also a vignette required which will be given to you for a fee.

The sticker is valid for one year and its price is actually made up of navigation safety duty, lighthouse duty and administrative duty costs (that’s so you know where your money goes). The price for the vignette is reduced if you come to Croatia regularly for several years.

As always, the skipper will have to have papers that attest to his maritime experience with him at all times when sailing. This has to be compatible with the type of boat you’re sailing at the time, otherwise the permit becomes void. Sailing without a permit is a penal offense, not to mention the fact that it forfeits any insurance you have.

For those that don’t have a permit, one can be issued locally, by the Maritime Affairs Management or the port authorities’ offices. These enable you to sail any boat up to 12m in length as well as use a VHF radio. And speaking of VHF, local rules state that if there is such a station onboard, one of your Yacht Charter crew members should be authorized to operate it.

But before any of that paperwork can be done, there’s the small matter of entering the country and sorting out the proper documentation that ensues from that. The good news for all you Yacht Charter enthusiasts out there is that residents of EU countries, America, Australia, Great Britain, Canada and Japan residents don’t require a visa to enter Croatia for a stay of up to 3 months (90 days), but they do need a valid passport and a return ticket.