Zadar bareboat charter.

## Why sail Zadar

Zadar sits where the coast breaks up into a maze of low, pine-fringed islands and the Kornati archipelago opens south. The sailing is protected — you're rarely more than an hour from shelter, and the channels between Ugljan, Pašman and the mainland stay calm when the outer islands catch the wind. That makes this one of the gentler places to learn the Adriatic, without giving up the good stuff: bare stone islets, coves with three boats at anchor, and a working city with a Roman street plan you can walk in an evening.

We've sailed these waters most summers. What keeps us coming back is the density — you can plan a week that never repeats an anchorage, and still cover short legs. The trade-off is honest: July and August are busy, and the popular Kornati bays fill by mid-afternoon. Arrive early or aim for the shoulder months.

## The sailing grounds

Three distinct areas fan out from the Zadar bases. North and east lie the sheltered channels around Ugljan and Pašman — flat water, easy day-sails, good for shaking down a new crew. Sukošan and Biograd put you here immediately.

South is the Kornati National Park: eighty-odd islands, stripped bare, with the dramatic outer cliffs facing the open sea. This is the headline sailing — steep-sided coves, restaurants tucked into former shepherds' huts, and a park entry fee you'll pay for the privilege. Anchoring is restricted in places, so read the buoyage.

West and north-west you reach Pag, with Novalja and Šimuni, and the long stark island that looks more like the moon than the Mediterranean. Further out sit Dugi Otok and the Telašćica bay — a natural harbour with cliffs on one side and a salt lake behind. A week from Zadar comfortably takes in two of these three areas.

## Harbours and bases

Most charters start from Biograd, Sukošan or Zadar itself. Biograd's marinas sit closest to the Kornati and Pašman channel — the shortest hop to the good stuff. Sukošan, at the big Dalmacija marina, is the largest base and handles the most boats; it's a taxi ride from Zadar airport and town. Marina Zadar and D-Marin Borik put you in the city, handy if you want a night ashore before you leave.

On the water you'll use town quays and restaurant moorings as much as marinas. Biograd, Sali on Dugi Otok, Božava, Ist, and the ACI marina at Šimuni all take visiting boats. In the Kornati, most overnights are on restaurant buoys — you moor, you eat there, that's the deal, and it's usually a fair one.

## Season and winds

The charter season runs roughly May to October. June and September are the sweet spot: warm water, steady sailing, and the anchorages breathe. July and August bring the heat, the crowds and reliable afternoon breeze; May and October are quieter and cheaper but you'll want oilies aboard.

Two winds shape your week. The **maestral** is the friendly one — a north-westerly sea breeze that builds through the afternoon, 10–18 knots, dying at dusk. Plan your longer legs around it. The **bura** is the one to respect: a cold, gusty north-easterly that funnels down off the mountains, can arrive fast, and hits hard in the channels behind Pag and Velebit. It's more a spring and autumn feature, but check the forecast every morning. The **jugo**, a wet southerly, brings swell and usually a front behind it.

## Charter types

We run both bareboat and crewed here. Bareboat is by far the bigger fleet — monohulls and catamarans, mostly in the 40–55ft range, suited to couples, friends and families who hold the tickets and want their own itinerary. You'll need a competent skipper aboard with an ICC or equivalent plus a VHF certificate.

Crewed charter is the smaller option: a skipper only, or skipper-and-host, for crews who'd rather sail hard and not cook, or who don't hold a licence. A skipper also earns his keep the first time the bura fills in — local knowledge of which cove holds in which wind is worth having. Crew details on request.

Flotilla-style sailing and one-way routes between bases can be arranged; message us on WhatsApp with your dates and crew and we'll tell you honestly what fits.

## What it costs

Charter rates move with boat, age and week, so we quote rather than guess. As a guide, a mid-size bareboat monohull in shoulder season runs lower than a new catamaran in peak August — the spread is wide. Price on request for a firm figure against your dates.

Budget beyond the boat for: the Kornati park fee (paid per day inside the park, scaled to boat length), fuel (short legs here, so modest), marina and mooring fees of roughly €40–120 a night depending on boat and berth, tourist tax, and the end-clean and transit log. A skipper, if you take one, is charged per day plus his food. Restaurant-buoy nights trade the marina fee for a dinner bill — usually good value.

## A sample week

**Day 1** — Board at Sukošan or Biograd in the afternoon, provision, sleep aboard. Short shakedown across to Pašman if there's light left.

**Day 2** — Down the Pašman channel to Sali on Dugi Otok. Easy leg, flat water. Walk the village, eat on the quay.

**Day 3** — Round to Telašćica bay. Anchor under the cliffs or take a buoy, walk up to the salt lake and the viewpoint over the open sea.

**Day 4** — Into the Kornati proper. Pick a cove — Piškera, Vela Smokvica — take a restaurant buoy, pay the park fee, swim off the stern.

**Day 5** — Work north through the islands back towards Biograd or across to the outer bays. Longer sail if the maestral cooperates.

**Day 6** — Ist or Molat for a quiet last anchorage, or into Zadar for the city and its sea organ at sunset.

**Day 7** — Short hop back to base for the evening, ready for a morning handover.

This is a relaxed rhythm — legs of two to four hours, plenty of swimming. Push harder and you can reach Pag and back; slow down and you'll happily fill the week inside the Kornati alone.

## Getting there

Zadar has its own airport with seasonal flights from across Europe, twenty minutes from Sukošan and the city. Split airport is about ninety minutes south by road and often better connected out of season. Both put you in reach of the bases by taxi or transfer.

Handover is usually mid-to-late afternoon on Saturday, with return by morning — build in a night aboard at base either end so you're not rushing the brief. Bring your sailing certificates and passports; the base will want them for the crew list. If you're arriving late or juggling connections, message us on WhatsApp and we'll line up the timing.

Bareboat means you skipper. You'll need a recognised licence (ICC + VHF, RYA Day Skipper or ASA 104+) and a confident hand aboard — if no one on the crew is qualified, take the same yacht skippered and our captain drives.

We brief you on the local navigation: the channels and headlands that funnel the wind, where to anchor versus take a mooring, provisioning ports, and the best first-timer route versus the longer run for experienced crews.