A week in Croatia - Our customer's experience

This was our first family charter holiday, and saying we were excited would be an understatement.

We were already a sailing family. My wife and I had raced and cruised together and previously owned a small daysailer in the UK. Our children, aged 11 and 13, sailed every week on a J/70 in Denmark.

But chartering a boat was something new, so we spent plenty of time preparing.

Planning a sailing holiday for the whole family

For a little background, I work for Savvy Navvy, a boating app that combines charts, route planning and weather information. I used it to explore the area before departure, plan our passages and record our trip.

Once we knew we would be sailing from Split for a week, the enjoyable part began: discovering marinas, browsing anchorages and imagining where we might stop.

We planned around three priorities:

• Manageable passages: Usually two to four hours of sailing a day.
• Time to enjoy each stop: Swimming, paddleboarding and exploring ashore.
• Flexible overnight options: Anchorages and moorings suited to the expected weather.

Looking at the routes together made the holiday feel real, even months before departure. As the trip approached, I reviewed our plans against the latest forecasts.

Arriving in Split and settling aboard

Heavy traffic delayed our arrival, so we reached the boat late in the day. Spending the first night in the marina turned out to be a good decision.

The children chose their cabins, we settled into our surroundings, and my wife and I enjoyed a glass of wine in the cockpit. It also gave us time to review the route without rushing to leave.

We still needed to buy provisions the following morning. For our first passage, we chose a bay near Bobovišće, on the west coast of Brač, around two hours from Split.

If you are planning a similar trip, explore our boat charter options in Split.

Our first anchorage: a quiet bay on Brač

Our opening passage was a gentle reach in around seven knots of wind. Before setting off, I checked the forecast and read reviews of the anchorage using the Navily information available within Savvy Navvy.

There was only one other boat in the bay when we arrived. About an hour later, it left, and we had the place to ourselves.

We dropped anchor, set the app’s anchor alarm and went swimming. That evening brought a beautiful sunset, and I even managed to watch the European Championship football final. It was difficult to imagine a better setting.

A peaceful first night at anchor

The anchor alarm provided additional reassurance, although I still woke regularly to check our position and surroundings. It was our first night at anchor, after all.

The anchor held, and we liked the bay so much that we stayed for lunch the following day.

For us, anchoring offered three main advantages:

• Lower costs: We avoided a marina berth, which could cost more than €140 a night during our trip.
• Peace and quiet: We enjoyed the space and solitude of the bay.
• Adventure for the children: Swimming straight from the boat became a highlight.

The prices mentioned here reflect our experience at the time of the trip.

Towards Stari Grad: adapting our overnight plans

Next, we headed towards Stari Grad on Hvar. With northerly winds expected overnight, we looked for a suitable sheltered stop.

Several anchorages had good reviews, but those we visited were either busy or uncomfortable in the conditions. Instead, we found a mooring buoy costing €30 for the night.

The restaurant managing the buoys offered complimentary mooring for diners, but we already had dinner planned aboard. The owner paddled out to welcome us and help with the mooring lines.

He also told my wife that she handled the boat like “Jack Sparrow”. We decided to take that as a compliment.

A longer passage to Vlaka

We had been recommended the Fisherman’s House Restaurant near Vlaka, so we booked a table and planned a visit later in the week.

This passage was more demanding. It took almost five hours, with winds of around 15–20 knots and slower progress than on our earlier sailing days.

Knowing we had alternative stops along the way helped us feel more comfortable. Having a plan B – and sometimes a plan C – made a real difference.

Conditions also varied across the area. The lighter winds we had experienced between Split and Brač became stronger farther along our route.

Back to Brač and on to Trogir

After our night near Vlaka, we decided to return towards Brač. We had enjoyed the longer passage, but there was still plenty to discover closer to our starting point.

An early departure rewarded us with a spectacular sunrise. Somehow, sunrise always feels more special at sea.

Later in the week, we explored Trogir, a town my wife and I had last visited on our honeymoon in 2008.

With temperatures reaching around 40°C during our visit, my son’s One Piece pirate hat proved surprisingly useful.

Eventually, we returned to Split, bringing a memorable week on the water to a close.

Five lessons from our first family charter

1. Start planning before you leave

Exploring possible routes and overnight stops is part of the excitement. It also helps you spend less holiday time researching where to go next.

By choosing anchorages and moorings instead of marinas on several nights, we estimated that we saved around €500 over the week.

2. Plan around everyone aboard

A successful family holiday needs a balance between sailing and enjoying each destination.

For us, that meant plenty of:

• Swimming and snorkelling.
• Paddleboarding.
• Dinghy trips.
• Attempts at fishing, with limited success!

3. Keep your itinerary realistic

There are many beautiful places within a few hours of Split. We did not need long passages every day to make the trip feel adventurous.

Even in mid-July, we found quiet bays and secluded places to stop.

4. Keep a record of your trip

Saving routes and photographs gives you something to look back on. It also makes planning a return visit easier, whether you want to revisit a favourite bay or explore somewhere new.

5. Enjoy the rhythm of life aboard

Sleeping to the sound of water against the hull, sharing meals in the cockpit and spending so much time outdoors made the week feel different from everyday life.

For our family, that was the greatest reward.

Would we charter in Croatia again?

Absolutely. Our first family charter gave us quiet anchorages, memorable sailing and time together away from our usual routines.

If you are considering a similar holiday, discover our boat charters in Croatia and ask your advisor about the current GlobeSailor booking benefits, including any available Savvy Navvy offer.