Holiday without Sailing Exeprience

Can I go on a Sailing Holiday without Sailing Experience?

Croatia has been voted one of the best travel destinations in Europe for 2021. You’ve seen dreamy images of the islands, turquoise waters and sunset cocktails, and you’ve heard that sailing is the best way to experience Croatia. Now you ask – can I go on a sailing holiday or charter a yacht in Croatia without sailing experience? We are here to tell you the good news – you do not need sailing experience to go on a sailing holiday in Croatia.

UNLESS you want to charter bareboat

If you want to bareboat charter then someone needs to have a valid skipper and VHF license.A list of accepted licenses in Croatia can be found here. If you don’t have the necessary licenses, you can obtain a skipper’s license in Croatia at any harbourmaster’s office. However, we do not recommend chartering a yacht without any practical sailing experience. If you are interested in learning or becoming a more confident skipper, check out our Yachting in Croatia Academy site where we offer a range of sailing school programs, from weekend courses to a 7-day skipper training course.

If you don’t have a skipper’s license, sailing experience or confidence to skipper solo, charter a yacht with a skipper.

A sailing holiday is for everyone – with or without experience. If you don’t personally have a skipper’s license or any sailing experience, charter a yacht with a skipper or crew (hostess/chef). There are many benefits to a crewed yacht charter which ultimately comes down to you relaxing and enjoying your sailing holiday.

Sailing with a skipper provides safety and security.Sailing with an experienced skipper gives absolute peace of mind around safety and security. It is the skipper’s responsibility to take care of the safety of the passengers and security of the boat. This includes checking the weather forecasts, route planning, anchoring safely and ensuring the boat’s security – for example, if you go ashore. Often people WITH sailing experience still charter with a skipper because it allows them to relax and enjoy their holiday.

Your skipper can teach you about sailing. If you charter with a skipper, your experienced skipper will be happy to teach you a few things around the boat – perfect for novice sailors or sharpen your skills if you already have some sailing experience.

Your skipper can give you local tips and tricks. Another fantastic aspect of chartering a yacht with a skipper is that they can share their wealth of knowledge about the Adriatic and Croatia. They can also give recommendations in regards to restaurants and bars, organise activities and take you to some of their favourite hidden bays. Sailing with a local skipper is like having a personal tour guide for the week.

How can I help around the boat if I don’t have sailing experience? All skippers we recommend are experienced and professional. Our skippers will explain the ins and outs of the boat and how everything works. If the skipper needs help when docking or for any manoeuvres, they will clearly explain what they need ahead of time.

What if I don’t want to help around the boat?

If you charter with a skipper, they are proficient around the boat. You can be as involved (or not) as you like. However, there will be occasions when the skipper needs a spare pair of hands, in which case he will ask for help and give directions. There are a few ‘house rules’ and etiquette you need to know when chartering with a skipper – for example, it is not the skipper’s responsibility to cook or clean. We will get into this in more detail another time.

If you want a ‘luxury’ sailing holiday, charter with a skipper AND a hostess. This is added luxury because the hostess takes care of general cleaning, provisioning and cooking breakfast and lunch every day (dinners can be arranged at the hostess’s discretion).With a skipper and hostess, you get to kick back and relax.

A sailing holiday is for everyone. No experience necessary.

A sailing holiday truly is for everyone. You do not need to be a salty seadog or have years of experience. Many guests who sail with us have never been on a boat before; some do a sailing course to build confidence and experience, others charter with crew. Thankfully, the Adriatic Sea is calm and there aren’t large distances between the islands, making it a perfect destination for first-time sailors and a sailing holiday.