Croatia?

[snmhanson]

Hello,

We are going to be in Croatia this June for three weeks charting a sailboat from Split to Dubrovnik. Our primary focus will be sailing during the day and exploring the cities and towns with my wife and three kids (one of whom kites). That said, if there is the opportunity for decent kiting I would consider hauling some gear along with us. It seems that kites would mostly have to be drift launched/landed from the boat as a lot of the beaches look fairly protected with limited space to launch a kite. Anyone have experience kiting in Croatia? Is there much of a scene down there? And is it worth the effort of hauling gear along with us and finding a place to stow it on our boat?

Thanks!

Matt

[lightwind]

You can expect thermal afternoon wind in the Croatia during June but the weather can be unstable this early in the summer. Most popular kite spots are Viganj (Korcula's channel), Neretva river mouth and Bol (Brac island). You can stop by this spots and rent the equipment if you want to kite time to time. On other hand, if you don't mind drift launching your kite and messing with wet equipment in the narrow space of sailing boat you can kite probably a lot and everywhere. You can expect winds up to 20 knots but more like 15. Bring your biggest kites or hydrofoil if you are in to it.

[downunder]

Nope,

not in June anyway. The problem with a charter is getting on time to anchor. There are a LOT of charters and the skipper wont be that happy to accommodate for your kiting requests. Remember, HE is responsible, not you. And if the wind pickups, it is HIM to take you safely to the protected bay. And the worst is the wind Jugo. It can be very strong when and if it happens, and to get to protected bay is a race against dark. Please be aware of this, and you'll have a great time. Some ppl are just very exited to see everything and visit every single remote beach or Modra Spilja, but that puts immense pressure on safety. It's a sailing boat, not a speed boat

So no, I would not kite there, and I'm local. If you like Croatia after, get there on dedicated kiting safari. From Istra to Ulcinj

[snmhanson]

Thanks for the replies - all good information. We are experienced sailors and will be chartering the boat ourselves without a captain. That said, being sure we are safely situated well before dark every day is always a primary concern. I think any kiting would be either off the back of the boat once we're anchored or off of a beach near an anchorage/marina/quay we are at. Just not sure how much access we'd have to decent kiting given those constraints. With three weeks we do have the opportunity to stay at a few locations for more than just one night. However, if an area is good for kiting my experience is that it typically isn't so great for the rest of the family that doesn't kite. It sounds like trying to add a reasonable amount of kiting to our trip would be a challenge, so I am leaning towards not bringing kites along. Perhaps we'll just bring our harnesses and if the opportunity arises we will rent gear. Still open to other opinions on the matter though.

Thanks!

[downunder]

Croatia has no sandy beaches near marinas. Only a few are like that, and mostly pebbles with the rocks anyway. So when is windy for kiting, everyone is rushing in with charters, and many times you'll have only a few places left, mostly difficult ones, shallow, etc. And you will need to book those many hours before you're in (language?). They will wait for you for some time, and if you do not rock up, the place is gone. That is particularly true around Vis, and Modra Spilja in high season and sudden Jugo.
That is my experience tho, maybe covid changed the number of ppl visiting, dunno. Re gear renting, only on Bol and Viganj. Maybe Neretva, but Neretva is very shallow. And possibly not in June for any of those. So you are in no much luck my friend.
3 weeks is not that much for Split-DU. What I would recommend is north of Split, Kornati and Zadar, Sibenik. Sibenik is a pearl tho. Only on Kornati one might spend week or two. South of Split there is, of course, Bol. So sure, check the shop there if windy. On Bol no need for drifting, they have a platform on the water.
Viganj on the other hand is in a channel. Means Venturi wind mostly. Not my cuppa, but I'm spoiled by AU beaches.

Hope this helps.

[ieism]

I'm kicking this back up because I think I might go to Croatia this year. Anybody know good foiling spots in Croatia not too far south. I'm looking for a beautiful place, with winds in the 10 to 20 knot range in august. I don't mind an island, but also a mainland spot with a nice town would be great, I have a car and love roadtrips but traveling with my family so not camping this trip.

So Sibenik looks cool, would that work for foiling and is it allowed even to kite there?

[downunder]

Plenty. Dugi Rat near Omiš is nice, Šibenik is a bit rocky I think. Biograd is good, Zadar. Of course, access to Kornati islands by the boat only. Rocky too.
But sure Bol is not far from Split by ferry.

Up North is Istra. Around Medulin and Pula.

Either way, take a big foil kite and a wetsuit. Have all spares ready, a bit of 5min epoxy etc.

Book all way before, and do not change money in banks or post office. They will rip u off. Best is small exchanges, but look around for best deal and NO commision. Cards are ok, but they love cash. And always ask for invoice, take it with you.

D.

[nixmatters]

Plenty. Dugi Rat near Omiš is nice,
...

Last year on my way back I discovered a small spot in Omis, close to Dugi Rat (see the map screenshot).
There were few TT beginners struggling with 13-15m kites, but a local explained that the wind is ~200m away from shore, you just need to body drag there. And then you can foil a whole day long.

Any 1st hand experiences?

[ieism]

Thanks a lot guys, that should be enough to pre-book a few places and then I'll drive around a bit between. Really helpfull stuff, looking forward to it. I've been to Susak once, but there was only one small beach and the rest of the place is rocky with scary snakes...

[nixmatters]

my plan for this summer is a downwinder to the new Peljesac bridge.
Last year I made it probably half the way on a TT, but with no boat support or even a mobile phone it was a risky call to go all the way down.
With a foil coming back upwind should be no issue.