In April, Pierre and some friends went sailing for 7 days on a sailboat rental in Croatia. Here is a review of their experience on a Sun Odyssey 380 departing from Split.
Sailing with friends in the Dalmatian Islands
Pierre, a young retiree, left with his wife and a couple of friends to sail in Croatia. He had already sailed in the same area with Filovent about twenty years ago and wanted to make his friends discover this magnificent region. His friend, François, is a great sailor, he owns a boat in Hendaye in the Basque Country and sails several times a year.
"Before the departure, I was a little apprehensive because I hadn't sailed for ten years, but once I was on the boat, I got my bearings again, it's like riding a bike!"
Leaving from Split, they were able to discover the many Croatian islands, mixing visits by the coast with those on land.
The Sun Odyssey 380
The Maravilha, their Jeanneau sailboat, dated 2022 and had 3 cabins that could accommodate up to 8 people. Thanks to its young age, the boat has the most recent navigation and comfort elements. With its high-performance hull and high-quality sails, the Sun Odyssey 380 offers a pleasant sailing experience and is easy to manage.
"The boat was very efficient, the navigation was simplified thanks to the furling mainsail that allowed us to stay in the cockpit, and the safety was great. The only complaint about the boat is that there is no edge on the tables, which can be annoying during lunch when there are waves but overall the boat was very good."
The crew's itinerary
The crew had already prepared part of the itinerary beforehand thanks to the articles available in our magazine. Nevertheless, this itinerary was revised in part to reduce the daily navigation time but also to adapt to the weather conditions.
"One of our friends used to fly ,he had a connected watch that was able to show us the whole itinerary that we did with precision."
Day 1: Split
Day 2: Split → Milna (Brač) (13 miles nautiques, 1 hour and half)
Day 3: Milna (Brač) → Hvar (16 miles nautiques, 2 hours)
Day 4: Hvar → Stari Grad (18 miles nautiques, 2 hours)
Day 5: Stari Grad → Rogač (Solta) (24 miles nautiques, 3 hours)
Day 6: Rogač → Duga Uvala (Otok Ciovo) ( 8 miles nautiques, 1 hour)
Day 7: Duga Uvala → Split (10 miles nautiques, 1 hour)
Sailing day 1: Split → Milna (Brač) (13 miles nautiques, 1 hour and half)
"On our first day at sea, we sailed to Milna on the island of Brač, which is located just across from Split. The island is very beautiful, very interesting. We had asked for guides but they didn't sell us the place well enough as it was so beautiful."
"At night we anchored in port. Every night we moored in harbors for comfort, we also wanted to enjoy the visits on land and not just boating, that was the goal of our cruise."
In Milna, there are three marinas: One, located at the entrance to the bay, offers few facilities but is free. The second one they chose cost them €65 per night and has some shops, water, electricity and wifi. Finally, the third one offered the same services but cost 105€ per night.
The prices of the ports in Dalmatia are high even during the off-season, so it is important to find out about the prices of the ports in advance and to plan a sufficient budget to avoid surprises when you get there. For this, we recommend using the Navily application.
Sailing Day 2: Milna (Brac) → Hvar (16 miles nautiques, 2 hours)
The next day, upon their arrival in Hvar, Pierre and his friends rented scooters to explore the interior of the island. They took advantage of the road to go to Stari Grad where they discovered the city from the inside.
Dailing day 3: Hvar → Stari Grad (18 miles nautiques, 2 hours)
The next day, they reached Stari Grad by boat along the northwest coast of the island, in order to anchor at the port to sleep in the evening.
"We arrived at night in Stari Grad, we could during our navigation admire a beautiful sunset. The city is very pleasant, the Marina is very beautiful."
Stari Grad is a picturesque town known for its cobblestone streets and architecture. Founded over 2,000 years ago, it is one of the oldest cities in Croatia and has a rich cultural and historical heritage, including a medieval fortress, ancient churches and an archaeological museum that houses Roman and Greek remains.
Sailing day 4: Stari Grad → Rogač (Solta) (24 miles nautiques, 3 hours)
“Nous avons fait le tour de l’île pour rejoindre le petit port de Rogač, le port est très mignon, il y a la journée un ferry qui vient de Split tous les jours pour y déposer des touristes mais le soir le port est très calme.”
Sailing day 5: Rogač → Duga Uvala (Otok Ciovo) ( 8 miles nautiques, 1 hour)
"The next day, we went to the island of Ciovo where we found a small cove called the Duga Uvala. It was fabulous, quiet with turquoise blue water, my friend even took a swim, the water was 20 degrees."
Sailing day 6: Duga Uvala → Split (10 miles nautiques, 1 hour)
"We anchored in the evening at the city's Marina. We visited the city, the old Split and its buildings."
Split is a coastal city located on the Dalmatian coast of Croatia. It is known for its imposing Diocletian's Palace, built by the Roman emperor of the same name in the 4th century. The city also offers a breathtaking view of the Adriatic Sea, as well as numerous beaches, restaurants and lively bars.
Thanks
I warmly thank Pierre for his feedback! To all the crew, thank you for sending the pictures, which allow us to share some memories of your navigation!