Top 5 Sailing Schools in Croatia, according to sailors

If your desire to learn to sail is so strong that you have decided to explore the best sailing schools in Croatia and familiarize yourself with their offer - perhaps we can speed up the process.

A well-known saying says that being a skipper is not a job, but a lifestyle. The lifestyle of a skipper implies the freedom of sailing, exploring new destinations, building social skills by interacting with familiar and unfamiliar individuals, character building by acquiring new abilities, and numerous other benefits. This is precisely how your lifestyle may appear.

Are schools necessary to master the discipline of sailing?

No, but it's preferred. With appropriate education, you gain confidence, greater safety on the waves, and a better overall sailing experience. Sailing schools will teach you everything you need to know to be able to operate a sailboat efficiently.

For you to make a faster decision about which sailing school to choose, we have selected the top 5 sailing schools in Croatia.

Sailing schools along the Adriatic sea 

Croatia Sailing Academy (Pula)

4.8 (163 Google reviews)

Croatia Sailing Academy is a well-known sailing school in Pula, run by a group of experts in sailing tutoring. It offers diverse courses for beginners and advanced sailors, for those who like to study in a group, and for those who prefer an individual approach. 

Some of the popular courses are;

• Sailing Course Basics,  a 7-day course for which no experience is needed. It’s ideal for beginners, mostly solo travelers. This course also includes obtaining a license B.
• A professional sailing course that lasts 18 days. It’s led by a professional instructor, and upon completion, attendants receive an international license C. 
• The individual skipper course, a one-on-one sailing course that can last from 1 to 14 days and start from wherever the client requests. It’s adapted to meet the specific demands of the participant. 

CSA also offers courses that last less than 5 days: 

• a Catamaran Sailing Course 
• a Hostess on board Course and 
• a Boat Maneuvering Course. 

Ultra Sailing School (Split)

4,7 (135 Google reviews)

Ultra Sailing School was founded in 1995 by Croatian Olympic sailors and is located in ACI Marina Split. As mentioned, sailing school instructors have outstanding experience in regatta sailing and as professional skippers. Also, this school is well known for its wide range of courses with ISPA certifications. 

Some of the popular courses are;

• Competent Crew Course that provides basic knowledge and skills that participants need to acquire for active participation in sailing and assisting the skipper.
• Day Skipper Course, which is a continuation of the previous course and includes sailing in the area along the most beautiful Adriatic islands.
• Coastal Skipper Navigator, better known as a 6-day course that provides ground knowledge and techniques to achieve better competency to safely navigate a sailing boat.

Ultra School also offers;

• a family program as an ideal program for family gatherings outdoors and
• a course for a professional skipper and sailing instructor.

Sailing 360 (Medulin)

5.0 (54 Google reviews)

Sailing360 is a member of ISSA (International Sailing School Association) and provides international certificates relevant worldwide. As they emphasize, through educational programs they want to bring local stories and destinations closer to their attendees. 

Some of the popular courses are;

• Beginner’s courses are intended to familiarize attendees with the basic techniques of sailing. It’s possible to choose between two beginner courses; a 3-day course ISSA Yacht Crew or a 6-day course ISSA Inland Skipper. 
• Advanced courses for those who finished basic courses and already have certain knowledge about sailing and navigation. It’s considered to be an upgrade of basic knowledge.

Sailing360 also offers;

• Weekend Sailing Course, a 3-day intensive weekend sailing program intended to teach attendees the basic skills of sailing. 
• Regatta and Offshore racing courses for those who possess skills in advanced sailing and would like to try something more challenging.

A.N.A. - Adriatic Nautical Academy (Murter)

4.9 (51 Google reviews)

A.N.A. is an international sailing school and nautical center that has been successfully attended by more than 18,000 participants. Their professional instructors, who are in charge of teaching, have sailed thousands of miles and guarantee the best quality of education with their immense experience.

Some of the popular courses are; 

• Beginner’s courses of 3 or 5 days for those who never sailed before- previous knowledge is not required and candidates shouldn't be younger than 16.
• Advanced courses for those who have mastered the basics. In 3 to 6 days they can learn more about navigation, coastal sailing, cruising, and maneuvering under sails and engine.

A.N.A. also offers;

•  RYA courses, the most respectable training programs for sailors in the world.

Are sailing courses available inland?

To the surprise of many, there are indeed sailing clubs and schools in the interior of the country. They may not be so popular and known to the general public, but they are worth mentioning because they do their job responsibly and dedicatedly. 

Therefore, we decided to mention a school that is recognizable for its work tradition and numerous activities promoting sailing - Yacht Club Zagreb.

Yacht Club Zagreb (Zagreb)

26 years of tradition

Yacht Club Zagreb (YCZ) is a non-profit association of citizens united by their love for water (sea), wind, and, as they say, the skills that combine these two elements. They are best known for their long-standing work tradition and tailored offers for all ages.

The main characteristics of the school are;

• The school is suitable for both children and adults who want to learn the basics: how a sailboat sails, the role of the wind in sailing, what a knot is used for, and how to tie it.
• The basic requirements for enrolling in a sailing school for children are completion of the first grade of elementary school and a good knowledge of swimming. There are no special restrictions for adults (a good knowledge of swimming is implied).
• The program of this school runs seven days in a row during the spring and summer school holidays or four weekends in a row during the spring and early fall. 

Apart from the previously mentioned inland sailing school, there is a club that’s also prominent and offers a special kind of entertainment - a popular windsurfing club in Zagreb (KJD Zagreb). A club well-known for its excellent reviews and impressions of the majority of former attendees. 

If you're interested in sailing but still haven't decided to join a sailing school - hiring a skipper can be a fantastic choice

If you are a nature lover and a thalassophile who has not yet decided to fill out the application form for a sailing school and go sailing - there's always a fallback option.

If you currently lack experience and knowledge in sailing, the best option to enjoy sailing safely is to hire a private yacht charter with a skipper. 

The skipper is arguably the most professional person to introduce you to sailing. A person with whom you’ll feel safe, who can guide you, advise you and show you the best destinations for everything you would like to experience.

Therefore, for all those who want to experience sailing in Croatia, Croatia Yachting offers the possibility of renting different types of boats for rent in different regions of the country - Istria, Kvarner, Zadar, Šibenik, Split, and Dubrovnik.