LICENCES, PAYMENT AND FORMALITIES
If you hold an older boating licence, please check carefully before your yacht charter in Croatia whether your existing certificate of competence is officially recognised. Some older documents are labelled simply as “Sportbootführerschein”, whereas newer licences are explicitly issued as “Sportbootführerschein See”.
The older Sportbootführerschein, along with earlier licences such as BR, BK and C, does not appear on the Croatian list of recognised certificates of competence. In the past, this has meant that onward sailing could be refused. Before travelling, you can apply to the German Sailing Association or the German Motor Yacht Association for a current official licence, subject to the relevant supporting documents and fees.
In Croatia, the Sportbootführerschein is also limited to yachts of up to 30 gross tons. For larger yachts, the Sportseeschifferschein is required. This applies, for example, to larger catamarans such as a Lagoon 45.
The person at the helm must also hold the appropriate certificate of competence. If the skipper is the only person on board with a valid licence, they must remain at the helm while underway.
German citizens who do not hold a Sportbootführerschein may still skipper a yacht by obtaining the Croatian Coastal Skipper’s Licence.
From 1 June onwards, the examination takes place every Saturday at 8:00 am in the harbour office building in Pula. The exam may also be taken in German. The following documents must be submitted on the Friday before the examination:
- Two passport photographs, 2.5 × 3 cm, no older than six months
- A copy of your passport or identity card
- Proof of payment of the examination fee
- Revenue stamps
- The completed application form
The total cost is approximately €115.
The Coastal Skipper’s Licence B entitles the holder to operate sailing and motor yachts up to 30 GT, which corresponds roughly to a length of 18 metres. There is no restriction with regard to engine power. The minimum age for obtaining the licence is 16. In addition to Croatia, the licence is valid throughout the Adriatic region as well as in Greece, Slovenia, Italy and Spain.
The skipper must hold at least the Sportbootführerschein See and have suitable sailing experience. A pyrotechnics certificate, as commonly required on the Baltic Sea, is not currently needed in Croatia. A valid VHF radio licence is mandatory.
Before your sailing holiday, we require the full crew list. The easiest way to send us these details is via the e crew list in the customer login area.
Copies of identity cards and licences are neither requested nor stored in advance. However, you must carry these documents with you during the trip. Before departure, we only need the information requested in the e crew list.
Card payments are generally widely accepted in Croatia. At our charter bases, however, different payment arrangements apply for the base package, extras and tourist tax, in order to keep local administration as straightforward as possible.
- In Pula, the base package, extras and tourist tax are paid locally in cash in euros.
- In Punat, the base package, extras and tourist tax are paid locally in cash in euros.
- In Rogoznica, the base package may be paid by card. Extras and tourist tax are paid locally in cash in euros.
It is not possible to charter entirely without a security deposit. However, you may book the Damage Waiver locally, which significantly reduces the amount of the deposit required.
- The fee is €150, or €300 for catamarans.
- After that, only a €100 deposit is required. This also applies to catamarans.
- In the event of damage, the total cost is therefore €250, or €400 for a catamaran.
- If the yacht is returned without damage, only the fee of €150, or €300 for a catamaran, is payable. The €100 deposit is refunded at check out.
Yes. Even if you have taken out deposit insurance, the deposit must still be secured locally by credit card. The amount is initially only authorised on the card.
If major damage occurs, this authorisation may be converted into an actual charge. You will then receive an invoice for the debited amount, which you can submit to your deposit insurer. The insurer will reimburse the amount in line with the policy terms, less the agreed excess.
CRUISING, LIFE ON BOARD AND PROVISIONS
Yacht handover begins on Saturday from 3:00 pm. After your cruise, you return to the charter base on Friday evening and spend the final night on board. Check out takes place on Saturday morning at 8:00 am.
Collection on Friday evening, as is sometimes possible on the Baltic Sea, is not available in Croatia. The previous crew remains on board until Saturday morning.
The base package brings together several services that are already included in the stated charter price. These include a Wi Fi router with 20 GB of internet per week, made up beds with bed linen for all crew members, final cleaning, gas, a dinghy and a tablet with navigation software.
As these services are treated differently for tax purposes in Croatia than the charter fee itself, the base package is shown separately. The amount is paid locally in cash at check in. The base package is already included in the charter contract and in the prices shown on the website.
Most of our gennakers are equipped with a snuffer. Two gennakers are supplied without one. Please ask at check in which gennaker is available for your yacht size.
For longer cruises or a planned crew change, extra bed linen can be provided. Please let us know what you require before the start of your trip.
A replacement bed linen set costs €15 locally. A towel set with one large and one smaller towel is charged at €10.
Dogs are allowed on selected yachts. As this is not possible on every charter yacht, please confirm before your trip whether your dog is permitted on the yacht you have booked. The charter contract will then be updated accordingly.
After a charter with a dog, particularly thorough cleaning is required. A charge of €100 applies for this additional cleaning effort.
Yes. Our yachts are insured for this cruising area. The necessary charts are available at the base. If you wish, we can also provide an Italian courtesy flag.
Yachts flying the German flag may clear out in Pula and then sail directly towards Venice. The registration certificate for these yachts is valid for the entire Adriatic. Once cleared out, the yacht must proceed directly to Italy.
Yachts flying the Croatian flag must clear out in Umag. Their registration is valid for coastal waters up to a maximum of twelve nautical miles from the coast. After clearing out, the route therefore follows the coastline first to Slovenia and then onwards to Italy. A direct crossing from Umag to Italy would take the yacht beyond the twelve nautical mile zone.
If you sail abroad, you must formally clear out in Croatia and clear back in again on your return. If this requirement is overlooked, the yacht may be detained.
In Italy and Slovenia, no additional registration is required, regardless of whether the yacht flies the German or Croatian flag. All yachts carry third party liability cover of €7,000,000.
If you mention Italy as your planned cruising destination when booking, we can prepare the flag and charts in advance and provide you with any current additional information. The base manager can also advise you on marinas in Venice.
From mid April to mid October, the large supermarkets are open every day, including Sundays, until 8:00 pm. In Pula and at Marina Frapa, there are also smaller shops where you can pick up the essentials first if you arrive on Saturday evening.