Dubrovnik
bareboat charter.

## Why sail out of Dubrovnik

Dubrovnik is the southern end of the Croatian coast, and it sails differently from Split. Fewer boats, longer legs between islands, and the wind tends to fill in cleaner off open water. You leave the old town behind within an hour and you're anchored off Lopud or Šipan by lunch. The cruising ground is compact enough for a one-week charter — Elaphitis, Mljet, Korčula, Lastovo, and back — without long delivery days eating into the holiday.

It suits sailors who've done the Kornati or the Hvar–Vis circuit and want something quieter, and it suits first-time charterers who don't mind a slightly longer flight in exchange for shorter hops between anchorages.

## The sailing area

The natural one-week loop runs Dubrovnik → Elaphiti islands → Mljet → Korčula → Lastovo → Šipan → home. Distances are honest: 15–25 nautical miles between overnight stops, mostly in the lee of islands, with one or two open-water crossings depending on which way you go around Mljet.

The Elaphitis (Koločep, Lopud, Šipan) sit half an hour from the marina and work as a soft first night. Mljet's national park is the set-piece — anchor in Pomena or take a buoy at Polače, then walk to the salt lakes. Korčula town quay is busy in season but the south side of the island has empty bays. Lastovo is the furthest out and the least developed; if the forecast holds, go.

Harbours are a mix of town quays (Korčula, Pomena, Vis if you reach it), ACI marinas (Korčula, Slano), and free or pay-buoy anchorages. Mljet's national park bays require a park fee in addition to mooring.

## Season and winds

The charter season runs roughly late April to mid-October. May and early June are our pick: water's swimmable, the maestral fills in most afternoons, and the islands aren't full. July and August are hot (32°C plus), busy, and the town quays fill by 4pm — book ahead or anchor out. September is the locals' secret — warm sea, thinner crowds, more reliable wind. October gets unsettled.

Two winds matter. The **maestral** is the friendly one: NW, 10–18 knots, builds late morning, dies at sunset. Most of your sailing will be on this. The **bura** is the dangerous one: NE katabatic, gusty, can hit 40+ knots, more common in shoulder seasons. It's forecast well — check before leaving harbour and don't ignore it. The **jugo** comes from the SE, brings rain and sea, and tends to last two or three days.

## Charter types we offer

We keep 6 yachts based at ACI Marina Komolac, up the Rijeka Dubrovačka river, 6km from the old town.

- **4 bareboat yachts** — monohulls and one catamaran, suitable for skippers with an ICC or equivalent plus VHF SRC. You take the boat, you bring it back, you cook your own dinner in Polače if you want to. - **2 crewed yachts** — skipper-only or skipper-and-host. Useful if your licence is lapsed, if it's your first time in Croatian waters, or if you'd rather not handle the Korčula town quay in a cross-breeze at 6pm in August.

If you want a specific boat for specific dates, ask on WhatsApp — the fleet's small enough that we can answer honestly about what's free.

## What it costs

Ranges, not promises. Prices vary by boat, week, and how late you book.

- **Bareboat monohull (40–46ft):** roughly €3,000–€7,500 per week depending on age, size, and shoulder vs peak season. - **Bareboat catamaran:** noticeably more — Price on request. - **Crewed yacht with skipper:** add roughly €1,200–€1,700 per week for the skipper, plus their food. - **Running costs on top:** fuel (€150–€400 depending on engine hours), marina nights (€60–€180 in the Elaphitis and Korčula in season), Mljet national park fee, end-of-charter clean, tourist tax, transit log.

A realistic all-in for a 44ft bareboat in June, two couples, eating ashore most nights: around €5,500–€7,000 including extras. We'll quote properly once we know dates.

## A sample week

- **Saturday** — boarding from 5pm at Komolac. Provision at the supermarket next to the marina, sleep on board. - **Sunday** — short shakedown sail to **Lopud** (10nm). Anchor off the sandy beach on the south side, swim, walk into the car-free village for dinner. - **Monday** — across to **Mljet, Polače** (20nm). Pick up a national park buoy, walk or cycle to the salt lakes, swim to the monastery island. - **Tuesday** — round the west end of Mljet to **Korčula town** (22nm). Stern-to on the town quay if there's space, anchor in Luka otherwise. Walk the walls at dusk. - **Wednesday** — south to **Lastovo, Skrivena Luka** (18nm). Hidden harbour, one konoba, dark sky at night. Stay two nights if the forecast's kind. - **Thursday** — back east to **Šipan, Šipanska Luka** (25nm — the longest leg). Quiet quay, good fish. - **Friday** — gentle sail to **Koločep** for a final swim, then up the river to Komolac (12nm). Fuel up, hand back Saturday morning by 9am.

Swap days for weather. The bura will rewrite this itinerary and you should let it.

## Getting there and getting on board

Dubrovnik airport (DBV) is 22km south of the old town and about 30km from the marina at Komolac — 35–45 minutes by taxi or transfer, longer in August traffic. Direct flights from most of western Europe in season; thinner in winter.

ACI Marina Dubrovnik sits in Komolac, up the Rijeka Dubrovačka river. It's calmer than mooring in the old town, has a supermarket, chandlery, and fuel dock on site, and check-in is straightforward. Boarding from 5pm Saturday, hand-back by 9am the following Saturday — standard Croatian charter rhythm.

Bring passports for everyone aboard (needed for the crew list / transit log), the skipper's ICC and VHF SRC originals, and printed insurance. Message us on WhatsApp the day before you fly and we'll have the paperwork ready when you arrive.

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.