| Boat | Base | Berths | Week price* | Per person |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bavaria Cruiser 46 (2018) — sailboat, 4 cabins | Zadar | 8+2 | €2,400 | €300 |
| Sun Odyssey 449 (2019) — sailboat, 4 cabins | Trogir | 8+2 | €2,600 | €325 |
| Dufour 430 (2021) — sailboat, 4 cabins | Zadar | 8 | €2,700 | €340 |
| Hanse 458 (2020) — sailboat, 4 cabins | Trogir | 8+2 | €2,800 | €350 |
| Elan Impression 45.1 (2022) — sailboat, 4 cabins | Split | 10 | €2,900 | €290 |
| Oceanis 46.1 (2023) — sailboat, 4 cabins | Split | 8+2 | €3,200 | €400 |
| Lagoon 40 (2019) — catamaran, 4 cabins | Split | 8+2 | €4,400 | €440 |
| Lagoon 42 (2021) — catamaran, 4+2 cabins | Split | 10 | €4,900 | €490 |
| Bali 4.2 (2022) — catamaran, 4 cabins | Trogir | 10 | €5,200 | €520 |
| Fountaine Pajot Astrea 42 (2020) — catamaran, 4 cabins | Split | 10 | €5,400 | €540 |
| Nautitech 46 Open (2022) — catamaran, 4 cabins | Split | 10 | €6,900 | €690 |
| Lagoon 46 (2023) — catamaran, 4+2 cabins | Split | 12 | €7,800 | €650 |
Note: Mid-season charter price only. The real week costs 30-45% more: transit log, final cleaning, fuel and marina fees. I always quote the full total on WhatsApp before you decide anything.
The real cost of a week, line by line
The price you see on the big portals is only the boat. A real example from last season: Bavaria Cruiser 46 from Zadar, 21–28 June, eight people. Charter €2,400, transit log €280 (tourist taxes, base mooring, linen), final cleaning €150, fuel about €175, four nights in marinas €420. Total €3,425 — €428 per person, everything included.
The refundable deposit is €1,500, or €120 for an insurance policy that cancels it. A skipper is optional: €1,050 per week plus his cabin and food. If any line does not add up, ask — I would rather explain it now than on the dock.
Three routes that work in seven days
From Zadar — the Kornati. Eighty-nine almost uninhabited islands, empty bays even in August, the easiest sailing in Croatia: two to three hours a day, ideal for first-timers and families.
From Trogir — Hvar, Vis and Brač. The Dalmatia everyone pictures: white stone towns, famous beaches and Hvar’s nightlife when you want it. Three to five hours of sailing a day, best for groups of friends.
From Dubrovnik — Elafiti and Mljet. The south: dense pine woods, the Mljet national park and very short hops. One to three hours a day, for those who want to relax. The route is never forced — these are just the three most requested.
How booking works
1. You tell me when and how many you are — even approximate dates are fine. 2. I check real availability by hand across every base and send you two or three options with the full price. 3. You confirm with a 50% deposit, as almost all Croatian operators require; the balance is due 30 days before departure. 4. I follow you until you are on board: documents, check-in, base contact, and my number stays active for the whole week.
On board you have double cabins with bathrooms, a full kitchen and fridge, and a tender with outboard to go ashore from the bays. Half the nights in marinas with showers and power, half at anchor.
Why Dalmatia for a first sailing week
Twelve hundred islands and almost no crowds. Distances are short, the sea is protected, and the water is transparent to ten metres. It is the place where someone who has never touched a boat can leave without being scared, and experienced sailors still find coves they do not know. Direct flights from most of Europe to Zadar, Split and Dubrovnik, and a sheltered harbour or bay every few miles.
FAQ
Sailboats run €2,400–€3,200 per week and catamarans €4,400–€7,800 in mid season, charter only. The real total with transit log, cleaning, fuel and marinas is 30–45% more — a worked example with eight people on a 46-footer from Zadar came to €3,425 all-in, €428 each. I always confirm the full figure on WhatsApp before you commit.
Only if you want to skipper the boat yourself: Croatia requires a recognised boat licence plus a VHF certificate. Otherwise you hire a professional skipper — about €1,050 per week plus his berth and food — and no licence is needed. Most first-time groups take the skipper for at least their first week.
The refundable security deposit is €1,500, blocked on a card at check-in and released after the boat is checked back in. Alternatively you can pay about €120 for a deposit insurance policy that reduces your liability to zero — most groups choose the policy.
The good weeks on the popular boats go first: for June and September, booking between January and March is usually enough; for late July and August I would book before Christmas. German and Austrian guests book earliest — catamarans from Split are often gone by February.
One-way charters (for example Zadar to Dubrovnik) are possible on some boats with a relocation fee, but most charters are round-trip Saturday to Saturday from the same base. Tell me your idea on WhatsApp and I will tell you honestly what is feasible in seven days.
No — you receive the boat with a full tank and return it full. On a typical Kornati week with two to three hours of engine a day, fuel comes to about €150–€200 for a 45-foot sailboat. Catamarans with two engines use roughly double.