Who wouldn't want to spend a holiday sailing around the Adriatic coast?
That's a thought that had to go through your mind at least once. If that is the case, you have probably explored the options and you've seen terms such as bareboat, skippered and crewed yacht charter. All of them are mostly self-explanatory. But among there is a big chance you have run into something called flotilla yacht charter. Now, what could that be? Read on to find out!
What is flotilla yacht charter?
A little bit of history to begin with. The name originates from the Spanish language, with the word flota meaning simply a fleet of ships. That doesn't come as a surprise, flotilla does sound Spanish. And it accurately describes what flotilla is, it's a group of yachts that are chartered and they sail and explore the sailing area together. There is also one yacht and crew that is in charge, and they lead the other yacht along the sailing route.
While the name might come from Spain, the first flotilla ever actually sailed in Greece, back in the 1970s. The concept of flotilla yacht charter is still relevant today, although it did go through some changes since its beginning. Most importantly, it used to be a bit more rigid, all the yachts in flotilla had to strictly follow the route and schedule, but now flotilla offers a lot more flexibility.
About flotilla
Flotilla yacht charter offers a great sailing experience as it combines the best of both worlds, the privacy of your own yacht and socializing with other sailing enthusiasts from other crews. If you don't know the sailing area you wish to explore, there is no need to worry because daily routes are already planned for you.
The leading crew will brief you in the morning about the sailing route for the day and the rendezvous point. And what will you do in between the sailing route and the finish line fr the day, is your own thing. Whether you want to spend the day with your friends and family and find a place to swim and relax, or you'd like to engage in a race with other crews it's up to you. You have all the flexibility you want. Flotilla Yacht charter often offers various types of entertainment such as dinners and evening parties for crews to socialize, plenty of activities such as bike rides and site seeing tours. Of course, no one is obliged to participate, the choice is yours. All you have to do is get on the rendezvous point in the agreed time.
As it's clear by now, there are a lot of benefits of choosing flotilla yacht charter, so let us present you with the most important ones:
- Choose how you want to sail
First and foremost, you can choose how involved with sailing you wish to be. If you want to sail the yacht yourself, you can, even if you're not familiar with the sailing area. All you need is a valid sailing licence and some sailing experience. However, if you just want to spend your holiday relaxing on your yacht, swimming and diving, you can hire a professional skipper, who'll take care of the work. - Support while sailing
As we said before, at the beginning of each day, the leading crew will lay out the details of the sailing route for the day. They will also inform you about the weather conditions and how to prepare. Not only that, but should any issues occur, you can use your VHF and contact the crew in charge to help you out. Of course, other crews in your flotilla will also be more than happy to help out. - Local knowledge
By going on a flotilla yacht charter you'll have the benefit of local knowledge. That's because the organizers and leading crew are in fact local and they will employ that knowledge in designing your daily itineraries. They will tell and show you the best beaches, coves and bays and take you to the best restaurants. If you would like to have the authentic Adriatic experience, there is no doubt that with flotilla charter you'll have it. - Carefree berths and moorings
Since Croatia is one of the leading nautical destinations in the world, it's safe to say that it can be a challenge sometimes to find a place to berth your yacht. Especially if you want to visit some of the most popular places. However, in flotilla yacht charter you can sail easily as berths will be booked in advance.
Some of the sailing newbies might feel a bit nervous about mooring the yacht, but since there is a lot of sailor around, including the leading crew, you can count on getting help.
Who should choose flotilla yacht charter?
Maybe you're still wondering in flotilla is the right type of yacht charter for you. From our experience if you find yourself in any of the listed categories – yes, you should go for it.
- Sailing newbies, who are familiar with the basics of sailing but don't have that many of miles under their belt.
- Experienced sailors who are not familiar with the sailing area and would like to have the sailing plan laid out for them
- Experienced sailors who would like to spend some time in the company of likeminded people
- Families who want to have a carefree yet exciting holiday together
- Everyone who is in love with the Adriatic
Final words
Planned out routes, entertainment, support on the way and flexibility of sailing the Adriatic sound like a thing for you?
In Croatia Yachting we have experience, vast selection of yachts in our own fleet to accommodate smaller and larger crews and local knowledge at our side. Also, if you need a skipper, we have a list of professional skippers with great reviews from our guests. So, for any questions regarding the flotilla charter availability or organization, feel free to ask us via e-mail booking@croatia-yachting.hr or by phone +385 21 332 332.