Yes, we definitely sail! We use the wind asmuch as we can, whenever we can, to get us to our next port. We take into account what direction the wind is going and actually choose our next port based on the weather conditions, as the weather can be the deciding factor as to whether a port is comfortable or not to stay in. And we are not afraid of wind! We love to put the sails up whenever we can. Of course, there is a balance to be struck. If we have ground to cover, we need to make it into our next port by a certain time and the wind dies, we will need to turn on the motor. And we might still be able to motor sail!
We LOVE the rain! In the height of summer, it does not often rain but we do not allow the weather to dampen our spirits if it does fall during our week with you. Rain will not stop us from creating an amazing, memorable experience for you. We make sure that we are very aware of approaching weather patterns and this is a big factor in any adjustments we may make in our planned itinerary for you.
Very safe. Whether you’re talking about personal safety, safety in the sea or even safe drinking water – there’s no doubt in our mind Croatia is one of the
safest places to sail. Most of the ports we dock in are small communities and it feels like going back in time when our grandparents didn’t lock their front doors! There are no predators in the bays where we swim, allowing for safe and fun water play. And we always have plenty of safe drinking water on board! We go into more detail about safety here: https://www.45degreessailing.com/how-safe-isa-sailing-holiday-in-croatia/
That’s ok! Don’t let it hold you back from booking your sailing adventure with us. Swimming off the boat is great for those of our guests who are not so confident in the water and we have plenty of extras that can help too. Like the swimming platform, shorelines, pool noodles and even life vests you can swim in! We cater for all levels of swimmers and are happy to help you out if you think you need it.
You most definitely can. Hiring a yacht is similar to hiring a car – there’s more than one way to do it. As long as you have the required qualifications, there are basically four different sailing options:
• Bareboat Charters – you charter the yacht yourself.
• Bareboat & Skipper – you charter a yacht and then hire a local skipper to manage the boat for you.
• Crewed Charter – you hire a team that come along with the yacht, starting with a skipper, definitely and maybe a cook or a hostess
• And then there’s us at 45 Degrees! So what makes the difference? While we can provide all four options, we pride ourselves on bespoke family experiences, being personal, customizable and totally unique. Nick puts it all together and describes the difference in more detail here: https://www.45degreessailing.com/sailing-options-in-croatia/
Of course you can and as an agency we can organize the trip for you and there are three reasons we prefer monohulls vs catamarans.
• Comfort – while catamarans are certainly spacious, you may pay the price with a bumpy and less comfortable ride.
• Price – not only are catamarans more expensive to hire, dockage is more expensive because of the additional beam
• Sailing Interaction – spectator or sailor, everyone is together in the cockpit Nick explains these reasons in more detail here: https://www.45degreessailing.com/three-key-reasons-we-choosemonohulls-v-catamarans/
Not at all! Here at 45 Degrees, we believe that eating is all part of the experience and we go out of our way to cater to whatever dietary preferences and requirements you may have. It is all included in your investment. Everything we cook on board is vegetarian, with locally cured meats and other extras served on the side to make it easier for everyone’s needs to be catered for. When we eat at local restaurants and konobas, Nick and Mahina’s relationship with the wait staff makes it really easy for alternative food options to be made available if necessary. Mahina discusses food on board here: https://www.45degreessailing.com/food-on-asailing-holiday/
One of the most frequently asked questions we get is, how young is too young to take a kid on board a sailing boat. And our answer is, they’re never
too young to come on a sailing holiday! Of course you will still have a whole lot of questions, so we encourage you to get in touch with us! We love having families on board and would be happy to talk to you about your baby related sailing holiday needs, how we can meet those needs and make the trip happen for the whole family. More tips for babies on board are found here: https://www.45degreessailing.com/baby-on-board/
The official summer sailing season here in Croatia is from April to October, with the peak summer season being July/August, when temperatures are high and the water is warm. During these months, the marinas, cities, and some of the islands often are packed with travelers. We recommend a sailing adventure outside of the peak sailing season, our favourite months being May/June and September. The weather is still wonderful and sunny (just not quite as hot), yet there are fewer crowds. As a result, you’ll have a better overall experience and have more opportunity to interact with the locals.
NONE! The beauty of our sailing holidays is that you don’t need to have any sailing experience at all and that we are happy to teach you as little or as much as you would like to learn during your time on the boat. Nick and Mahina have taught sailing to both adults and children, so we are well equipped to ensure that any learning takes place in a safe and fun environment. And the opposite applies too. If you have no interest in learning how to tie knots or how to helm the boat, that’s totally ok too! Please feel free to kick back and enjoy the ride.
Yes, you can bring your own alcohol on board. If you are a wine drinker, we do recommend that you only buy enough for the first night out as many of the places that we go sell wonderful locally made wines at reasonable prices. If spirits are more your thing, then we recommend buying in one of the larger cities like Split, as the smaller towns and villages out on the islands are more limited as to what spirits they stock. If locally made wines, rakija and craft beers sounds like your kind of holiday, ask us about a Booze Box that can be ordered ahead of your arrival and waiting on board for you when you board the boat!
Yes you will! Our wifi has unlimited data and fantastic reception out in the Dalmatian islands. Most of our ports have very good reception, even good enough to run webinars off the back of the boat! We do recommend that if you require a strong connection on a certain day/days for a particular event/meeting, please let us know when you board the boat so that we can factor this into our itinerary planning.
You are responsible for any flights and airport transfers, as well as any transfers to or from the marina to embark and disembark your sailing holiday. If you would like assistance arranging any transfers at additional cost, please contact us directly.
Split Airport (airport code SPU) also known as Resnik Airport, is the international airport serving the city of Split, Croatia. It is located just outside the town of Kaštela, towards another town called Trogir and is only 20 km to Split.
Your sailing adventure will embark and disembark from Marina Kaštela, located along the coast between Split airport and the city of Split. Please note, Marina Kaštela is not located in the city of Split and is only a short drive from the city centre.
We do not fish off the boat for a couple of reasons. Firstly, fishing in Croatia requires a licence and we do not include this as part of our package. Secondly, overfishing is a real problem here in the Adriatic. Seeing as many smaller villages on the islands make their living from fishing, whether it is to cook and sell in their restaurants or to onsell to local restaurants, we want to make sure that we are supporting the locals. To us, this means not encroaching on their ability to earn a living. We love to support local restaurants who serve locally caught seafood, and many still do. And if you are looking for a local fishing experience, please let us know and we can contact someone in one of the villages that we visit to organise something especially for you!
There are always sharks in any sea or ocean. And the Adriatic Sea is no different. One thing that we love about the sea here is that there are no visible sharks or other predators. There is no danger of encountering anything like a shark in the bays that we swim in. There are sea urchins to be aware of when we are swimming near rocks or concrete docks and this is why we always recommend that our guests purchase and wear water shoes! For the sake of your feet AND the sea urchins.
You absolutely can. On the boat, we carry a limited inventory of snorkel masks so that everyone can have a go. And if you have a particularly good mask of your
own, please feel free to bring it. We also have a few child sized masks. Also on board for your use are two stand up paddle boards, hammocks, pool noodles and a couple of pairs of children’s flippers. If you have any questions about other gear you might like to bring, please feel free to contact us directly.
Despite what other travel advisories state, at this stage Euros are NOT accepted as legal payment here in Croatia, especially not at the smaller kiosks and konobas (traditional tavern style restaurants) throughout both the mainland and islands. The local currency here in Croatia is the kuna and many places that we dock may only accept cash, not credit cards.
Your travel insurance needs to cover sailing specifically. Most sailing travel insurance speculates cover only within territorial waters and/ or within 12nm of the shore, and all our trips meet these requirements. And, it’s your choice. You must satisfy yourself that whichever policy you buy provides the appropriate cover for you.