How the flotilla Works:
The standard flotilla is usually between five
to ten yacht yachts, and is led by one or more of our tuition/lead boats.
Where there are up to ten boats, there will either be at least two
lead yachts, or extra staff on board if there is only one.
In the main peak season when we have bigger numbers, we split into
two flotillas after the first day. This is just to have
more manageable numbers, and to make getting in and out of port
easier. As far as possible we keep the obligatory daily
distances relatively short (10 to 15 miles) allowing anybody that
wants to sail more, total freedom to do so. Because of all the
islands in our area, the logic is "that you can always make a short
day longer, but you cannot make a long day shorter", so there is no problem with sailing 30 to 40 miles any day that you choose. The flotilla does not follow a
strict pre-set route, but it
generally remains in a set area, cruising between Rogoznica in the
south and Zadar in the North, following a
figure of eight shape every two weeks, with the centre point being
our base at Betina on Murter. This allows for people to join
for either one or two weeks, on any week, with those doing two weeks getting to
see different places each week. The lead
yachts always return to our base marina for the Friday and Saturday
nights, with Saturday being the changeover day. Sunday is
the first day of the flotilla and we remain in the immediate
area that day, allowing a gentle start for anybody on
their first day and then going to one of the nearby ports that
night.
Anybody taking a flotilla yacht for two weeks does not have to
return to the base for the middle weekend but can have this
period for some free sailing. Often people choose to come back, as Betina is an excellent base to day sail from, and you get the
benefit of free mooring while back at our base. The
yachts available then fall into two groups.
Our In House Fleet
These are our own in house yachts and form our
core flotilla. The yachts themselves range in size and age
going from 31 to 36 ft and, from older but very well maintained cost
effective 31 footers, to a 2006, 36 footer. These are the yachts used in all of our sample
Learn to Sail or Week aboard and Week ashore holidays. These yachts are not
available for Bareboat charter only, but you can of course free-sail
as much as you like as part of the flotilla, provided that you
remain within the overall
flotilla area. They generally provide the most cost effective
options and are ideal for families and groups that can book early.
The Bareboat/Flotilla fleet
These
alternative yachts are yachts that we book on a bareboat basis from local
charter companies as an agent, but then arrange to allow to sail as part of our
flotilla on a flotilla/bareboat basis. We have been offering
this programme for the last few seasons, and it is proving extremely popular . Yachts are taken from a number of different
companies that are all based on Murter Island and the result is that
we can offer an excellent range of often very new yachts from 31 to 52
ft. These boats are ideal for those wanting a bigger or
brand new yacht, or for anybody that likes the idea of bareboating
but still having the flotilla backup. They are also particularly suited to
two week holidays where people want a few days locally with the flotilla as they
settle in, but then want the freedom to go off on your own for a few days and
perhaps go outside of our normal flotilla area, before joining up with the group
again towards the end of the second week. This package is only suitable for
more experienced sailors and there must
be a qualified skipper (ICC minimum) ideally with a VHF licence to
take one of these yachts.