Sailing Zadar to Catania (Sicily), anybody interested?
Discussion
Hi Chaps,
I'll be sailing back my new tub from Croatia in July this year, and could use a hand on the first leg from Zadar to Catania.
My sister wants to do some sailing, but has to be back in the UK for the 12th, so I could do with picking her up in Catania on around the 5th or 6th. I can't leave Zadar until the 1st July because I need to wait for Croatia to formally accede to the EU before I can bugger off with my shiny new VAT paid paperwork.
So, this leaves me with going to Croatia in mid-June to do a bit of day sailing, fixing up and adding life rafts, safety gear, etc. with a view to being totally ready to go on the 1st July. Plan is to sail to the customs pier in either Zadar or Split (the yacht is currently about half way between the two), complete the formalities, bugger off, change the flag to a good old British Ensign and be on our merry way.
So, does anybody want to do some free sailing? Assume the boat will be ready from around late June for a bit of practice, and then it's a three or four day passage (c. 450 miles, depending where we leave from) to Sicily.
From Sicily I'll be heading up to Naples via some of the islands, Messina straight, etc. but this will be at a much slower rate...
Plans are pretty fluid at the moment, apart from the official departure date of the 1st and ideally being in Sicily around the 5th, there's no other hard and fast plans.
Another option is to leave a week or ten days before the 1st and cruise down to Dubrovnik, then leave from there instead. Island hopping might be a good way to learn the boat too.
I'm happy to provide beer, wine, food, women, etc.
Easyjet fly to Catania, as well as a couple of other places in Italy, so flights are relatively cheap.
Any takers?
I'll be sailing back my new tub from Croatia in July this year, and could use a hand on the first leg from Zadar to Catania.
My sister wants to do some sailing, but has to be back in the UK for the 12th, so I could do with picking her up in Catania on around the 5th or 6th. I can't leave Zadar until the 1st July because I need to wait for Croatia to formally accede to the EU before I can bugger off with my shiny new VAT paid paperwork.
So, this leaves me with going to Croatia in mid-June to do a bit of day sailing, fixing up and adding life rafts, safety gear, etc. with a view to being totally ready to go on the 1st July. Plan is to sail to the customs pier in either Zadar or Split (the yacht is currently about half way between the two), complete the formalities, bugger off, change the flag to a good old British Ensign and be on our merry way.
So, does anybody want to do some free sailing? Assume the boat will be ready from around late June for a bit of practice, and then it's a three or four day passage (c. 450 miles, depending where we leave from) to Sicily.
From Sicily I'll be heading up to Naples via some of the islands, Messina straight, etc. but this will be at a much slower rate...
Plans are pretty fluid at the moment, apart from the official departure date of the 1st and ideally being in Sicily around the 5th, there's no other hard and fast plans.
Another option is to leave a week or ten days before the 1st and cruise down to Dubrovnik, then leave from there instead. Island hopping might be a good way to learn the boat too.
I'm happy to provide beer, wine, food, women, etc.
Easyjet fly to Catania, as well as a couple of other places in Italy, so flights are relatively cheap.
Any takers?
OK, the plan is evolving....
Same journey, but without the time contraints to arrive (my sis has to leave before the 9th, so will probably meet her later in the trip instead).
So, leaving Croatia on or shortly after the 1st July, arriving Catania or thereabouts about a week later or thereabouts. Might even carry on through Messina and could drop you off near an airport further north.
Can't say vaguer than that.
Crystal?
Same journey, but without the time contraints to arrive (my sis has to leave before the 9th, so will probably meet her later in the trip instead).
So, leaving Croatia on or shortly after the 1st July, arriving Catania or thereabouts about a week later or thereabouts. Might even carry on through Messina and could drop you off near an airport further north.
Can't say vaguer than that.
Crystal?
Any more for any more?
Plan is a little more firm now.
Arriving 26th June. Couple of days local sailing (Biograd, near Zadar) and fiddling about, victualling, etc. 28th/29th head south to Split/Hvar/Brac, maybe Dubrovnik (airport drop-off point).
Then on to Italy, long passage across the the boot, stop at Catania (airport drop-off point).
Through Messina, island hopping up to Naples.
I have to be in Naples around mid-July, can pick up/drop off crew anywhere along this route.
Ryanair flights to Zadar are cheap at the moment!
Plan is a little more firm now.
Arriving 26th June. Couple of days local sailing (Biograd, near Zadar) and fiddling about, victualling, etc. 28th/29th head south to Split/Hvar/Brac, maybe Dubrovnik (airport drop-off point).
Then on to Italy, long passage across the the boot, stop at Catania (airport drop-off point).
Through Messina, island hopping up to Naples.
I have to be in Naples around mid-July, can pick up/drop off crew anywhere along this route.
Ryanair flights to Zadar are cheap at the moment!
Hi Nic,
Sorr I've not got back to your e-mail, I've bee havin some issues wit my hotmail account and hve only just received your messae.
I'm really sorry, but I'm going to have to pass on this now. All sorts of tings have happened since I rather enthusiastically volunteered and - as much as I'd still love to do it - I simply can't make it work.
I'm sure you said in your mail that you had another PH'er onboard so I hope I'm not laving you short crewed.
If the situation changes I'll let you know.
Regards,
Olly
Sorr I've not got back to your e-mail, I've bee havin some issues wit my hotmail account and hve only just received your messae.
I'm really sorry, but I'm going to have to pass on this now. All sorts of tings have happened since I rather enthusiastically volunteered and - as much as I'd still love to do it - I simply can't make it work.
I'm sure you said in your mail that you had another PH'er onboard so I hope I'm not laving you short crewed.
If the situation changes I'll let you know.
Regards,
Olly
I would live to say yes.
Only problem is that I am a meat eating, non sailing Brummie living in Gloucester!!!
The only boats i have ever been on are a cross channel ferry & a glass bottomed boat (twice) in Tenerife & Majorca.
In all honesty it sounds like great fun although for a non-sailor I guess probably not such a good idea.
However if you think I might be suitable PM me & when I get back from Majorca at the weekend maybe we can have a chat about it.
If not then have fun & lets see some photos.
PS: I'm not Welsh (obviously) & I'm not ginger..... (Grey is is the colour!!!)
Only problem is that I am a meat eating, non sailing Brummie living in Gloucester!!!
The only boats i have ever been on are a cross channel ferry & a glass bottomed boat (twice) in Tenerife & Majorca.
In all honesty it sounds like great fun although for a non-sailor I guess probably not such a good idea.
However if you think I might be suitable PM me & when I get back from Majorca at the weekend maybe we can have a chat about it.
If not then have fun & lets see some photos.
PS: I'm not Welsh (obviously) & I'm not ginger..... (Grey is is the colour!!!)
Ok, Brummie. Hmm. Do you sound Brummie? 
More the merrier, no experience necessary and the more hands on board, the safer it is.
The only slightly dangerous bit is the long passages from Croatia to Italy, where more bodies are needed for a realistic watch plan. Two people is a bit short handed doing four hours on/off and you never get much sleep. Three or four means everybody gets a decent rest and you can have two on watch at a time, much safer.
If you can drive a car, you can steer a boat!
The sailing bit is easy to learn (unless you're racing, and we are very much NOT), so no worries there.
Drop me a pm if you're interested and I can point you in the right direction for flights.
I'll have a car for a couple of days from the 26th, so can pick you up from Split or Zadar, we'll be off down the coast from around the 28th/29th ish.
Boatbouy - no problem! You'll have to come out when she's back in Britain instead.
More the merrier, no experience necessary and the more hands on board, the safer it is.
The only slightly dangerous bit is the long passages from Croatia to Italy, where more bodies are needed for a realistic watch plan. Two people is a bit short handed doing four hours on/off and you never get much sleep. Three or four means everybody gets a decent rest and you can have two on watch at a time, much safer.
If you can drive a car, you can steer a boat!
The sailing bit is easy to learn (unless you're racing, and we are very much NOT), so no worries there.
Drop me a pm if you're interested and I can point you in the right direction for flights.
I'll have a car for a couple of days from the 26th, so can pick you up from Split or Zadar, we'll be off down the coast from around the 28th/29th ish.
Boatbouy - no problem! You'll have to come out when she's back in Britain instead.
uk_vette said:
Sounds good Nic,
Wish we could help, but we are really tied up busy.
Whats your route after Sicily?
vette
After Sicily, head up to Naples, meet family, loaf about around Naples, Rome, Elba, over to Corsica, a bit of island hopping basically. Then head up to France and north Italy, head back mid to late August.Wish we could help, but we are really tied up busy.
Whats your route after Sicily?
vette
I've got a lot of work to do while I'm there though, it's not a holiday!
I was going to suggest heading over to see you guys, but it's a good long sail and I'm trying to relax before a busy Christmas season!
maser_spyder said:
uk_vette said:
Sounds good Nic,
Wish we could help, but we are really tied up busy.
Whats your route after Sicily?
vette
After Sicily, head up to Naples, meet family, loaf about around Naples, Rome, Elba, over to Corsica, a bit of island hopping basically. Then head up to France and north Italy, head back mid to late August.Wish we could help, but we are really tied up busy.
Whats your route after Sicily?
vette
I've got a lot of work to do while I'm there though, it's not a holiday!
I was going to suggest heading over to see you guys, but it's a good long sail and I'm trying to relax before a busy Christmas season!
Hi Nic,
Always welcome to tie up in the harbour for a few days.
Vilanova i la Gultru, get your land legs again.
Guessing you would simply follow the coast past Marseille and Barcelona.
Beers and BBQ's our treat.
We there from about June 25 to September 10.
vette
DamienB said:
What sort of date are you aiming at getting to Catania, Nic?
Weather permitting, around the 4th/5th July I would think.The very rough plan is to head down the coast from 29th to 2nd/3rd, then a long passage from Dubrovnik over to Messina.
After Messina, it all gets a bit easier, winds should be fair and it's a bit more downhill than the first stint.
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