Experience report 20 -Yachtline-: Croatia

For the first time with our 20 -Yachtline- in Croatia

After our 1st season in 2020 with our “SuRa” on the Main/Rhine (see here) we had planned a holiday in Croatia for the 2nd season in 2021. Planning our 2 week vacation at the end of September started with reserving accommodation, right on the water of course to have a short walk to our berth.
We found an apartment in Grebaštica – 10 km south of Šibenik. We also talked to the landlord in advance about a berth and parking space for our car and trailer. He was able to arrange both for us, so that in the end our berth was right next to the apartment, what luck.

So the most important things were clarified and we then got an overview of the necessary documents via the ADAC skipper portal. In the end we had applied for our IBS (International Boat License) and the separate insurance confirmation as the most important documents. With that, all the documents were compiled for the on-site registration at the Šibenik Port Authority. Then quickly fill out the entry form online and print it out, buy vignettes for Austria and Slovenia and the journey can begin.

With our SuRa on the trailer, we then went from Frankfurt to Grebaštica. We wanted to do the trip without an overnight stay, assuming there were no unexpected problems, and we had a schedule planned accordingly. That means we left at 2:30 in the morning, not without having rested sufficiently beforehand. We had planned about 15 hours, which actually turned out to be the case. After about 1,300 km we arrived at our destination without any problems and were able to enjoy the first beer on the successful journey.

Our landlord Tom gave us perfect support the next day when slipping. From the accommodation we could then start our tours in the next few days.

Our first day trips to Primošten, Trogir, Skradin (Krka waterfalls) and Šibenik allowed us to gain experience in the Adriatic Sea. We had a really calm sea and lots of sunshine, so we enjoyed these excursions to the fullest and our SuRa didn’t have to master any particular challenges.

In advance we had bought a corresponding map of southern Europe for the GARMIN navigation device and also the physical navigation maps for Croatia. Together with the reference book “888 ports and bays” for Croatia, we were well equipped with it and were able to navigate the Adriatic perfectly.

The navigation system reliably guided us on our 3-day trip

We also did a 3 day trip to experience the beauty of Kornati up close. In preparation, we booked the fee for the Kornati National Park online and a berth in Marina Murter for the first night. We also booked the overnight stay in the Kornati islands with the help of the information from “888 ports and bays”. The first stage took us to the island of Murter, where we stayed in Marina Jezera. The journey there along the Croatian coast and between the small islands was the first challenge for boat and captain. Because this was the first day with wind and waves. Our SuRa put up a brave fight here and proved its suitability for rough weather. The second day’s stage took us from Murter to the southern tip of the Kornati. From there our tour went north along the east side of the Kornati Islands, with the rugged cliffs accompanying us. The further north we went and then the island of Otok Žut appeared on the starboard side, the sea became extremely calm again and we were able to enjoy our ride in smooth and fast planing.

Our navigation system guided us reliably and easily to keep to the planned route and the depth gauge also showed us the depths and shoals with absolute reliability. At the end of the day we sailed around the northern tip of the Kornati and drove to the small village of Strižnja on the west side of the Kornati for the overnight stay / berth. With “Darko” we had registered for the berth directly at the restaurant – and lay sheltered from the wind for the night.

This is what Croatia is all about, we were served a freshly caught crayfish for dinner, cooked to perfection by Darko’s wife. We were the only guests and were received very warmly and were able to enjoy the tranquility of this breathtaking landscape.

The next day we headed south again on the west side of the Kornati, always navigating between the small islands. The small bays that can be found everywhere invite you to take a swim in the crystal-clear water. In the early afternoon we reach the southern tip of the Kornati again and set off for the last stage towards our home port in Grebaštica.

At this trip our SuRa was a reliable companion. With wind force 3 to 4 you have to steer skillfully in the waves in order not to become a plaything of the waves. We succeeded in this and so we felt safe even with this wind force. Nevertheless, with a boat length of only 6m, it is important to always be concentrated and to steer carefully.

Overall, we really enjoyed our vacation in Croatia with our SuRa, everything went smoothly, so we decided to come back in June 2022. There is still a lot to see in the coastal country of Croatia with its 1000 islands, so the first holiday was just a small gallop.

Conclusion

For day trips it was perfect to have accommodation right next to the berth. So we were able to make the most of the days and, after a hearty breakfast, start the day tours with ‘small’ luggage.

Our 3-day trip to the Kornati also impressed us with our SuRa; Here we saw in all weather conditions that the 20 -Yachtline- is easy to control, that it reacts relatively directly and is therefore always fun. It also paid off that we decided to retrofit the Yachtline with the sun lounger cushion for the bow area (rollable). Because we used the sunbathing area extensively on our trips and stops in the bays.

Overall, we were on the road for about 30 hours and had a consumption of well under 10 liters, namely about 7 liters, which really surprised us; but of course it is also very gratifying.

In summary, our holiday has confirmed to us that our 20 -Yachtline- from Öchsner-Boote was the right decision. During our excursions, we were impressed by the maneuverability and the stable and calm water situation. Trailering the long arrival and departure was also no problem, the trailer from the Öchsner shipyard was totally safe on the road, even at speeds of 100 km/h.
The last day of vacation had come, but the impressions of this great vacation will remain.

We are already looking forward to 2022, because we have booked a 2-week holiday in Croatia for the beginning of June. This country still has so much to offer and we have only seen a tiny part so far.

Kind regards,

Susi & Rainer

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