In the common opinion, "Croatia is such a bigger Masuria". What does it actually look like? Does the Polish sailing license work in this country? What licenses are necessary to legally and safely sail in those waters? What do you have to do to get them - and do you have to do anything? Or is there another way to sail in Croatia?
In the common opinion, " Croatia is such a bigger Masuria". What does it actually look like? Does the Polish sailing license work in this country? What licenses are necessary to legally and safely sail in those waters? What do you have to do to get them - and do you have to do anything? Or maybe there is another way to sail in Croatia ?
What sailing licenses are required in Croatia ?
Before we move on, let's remind you what patents we can obtain in Poland:
- yacht sailor - this type of document entitles you to operate sailing yachts with a hull length of up to 12 m in internal sea waters and in other sea waters up to 2 nautical miles from the shore during the day,
- yacht sea helmsman - this patent allows you to steer sailing yachts with a hull length of up to 18 m in sea waters,
- yacht captain - this document entitles you to operate sailing yachts on sea waters without restrictions.
Since it is difficult to assume that someone will conduct the entire voyage within 2 miles from the shore, in practice, in order to sail safely and legally in Croatia , you must have a yacht helmsman or yacht captain license .
However, this is not the end - it is worth bearing in mind that in addition to having a sailing license (i.e. a helmsman's or captain's license ), you must also have a VHF operating certificate.
Polish sailing licenses and Croatian regulations
Interestingly, although the Croatian law honors Polish patents , it grants their holders slightly different sailing rights . This issue is regulated by Art. 4 paragraph 3 of the Boat Ordinance. It is worth mentioning that in the local law, vessels up to 12 m in hull are boats, and over 12 m - yachts. According to Croatian regulations, patents issued in Poland allow the following types of units to be operated:
Yacht sailor
The holder of this document can operate boats (i.e. vessels up to 12 m) for private or charter purposes in the internal and territorial waters of the Republic of Croatia , up to one mile from the mainland or island, if he is certified to operate a radio station and if there is a radio on board UKF.
Yacht sea helmsman
The holder of this patent can operate the following types of units:
- boats up to 12 m long for private purposes,
- boats up to 12 m long for charter purposes,
- yachts up to 30 GT for private purposes,
- yachts up to 30 GT for charter purposes.
This means that the holder of a yacht helmsman license can operate almost any yacht in Croatia . These permissions are valid in the waters of the Adriatic including international navigation, provided that you have a certificate to operate radio stations and VHF radio on board.
yacht captain
According to Croatian legislation, the holder of this patent has the right to drive:
- boats up to 12 m long for private purposes,
- boats up to 12 m long for charter purposes,
- yachts up to 500 GT for private purposes,
- yachts up to 500 GT for charter purposes.
The regulations do not impose any restrictions on the shipping region. However, the condition of having a certificate to operate a radio station and the requirement to have a VHF radio on board are maintained.
How to get qualifications honored in Croatia ?
There are two ways to obtain the legally required sailing license in Croatia . The first is to get them in Poland. However, it must be emphasized that it is quite time-consuming. It is worth remembering that in order to take the exam for a yacht sea helmsman, you must first have a sailor's license and then complete an internship on two sea voyages with a total duration of min. 200 hours of sailing.
However, there is an easier and faster way to obtain a sailing permit in Croatia . It is enough to get a Croatian certificate, the so-called Voditelj Brodice category B.
This type of document entitles you to operate sailing and motor yachts up to 30 GT and to operate VHF radio stations in Croatian territorial waters. In order to obtain the Voditelj Brodice certificate category B, it is enough to pass a theoretical exam at the Harbor Master's Office.
Does the ISSA certificate entitle you to sail in Croatia ?
Unfortunately, the ISSA certificate does not authorize you to operate yachts in Croatia . It is considered only as confirmation of having certain competences.
You don't have permissions ? Rent a yacht in Croatia with a skipper!
It is worth remembering that if you want to take a cruise around Croatia , you do not need to have any qualifications yourself. A much simpler and more convenient option may be to charter a yacht with a skipper. This solution has one more advantage - as a person who knows the local ports, attractions and the specificity of the Croatian coast well, he will be an invaluable help in planning the route of the cruise. Thanks to this, you can be sure that your rest will be successful and that there will be no unnecessary costs or downtime. If you want to know more about this, please contact:
Charter Navigator
info@charternavigator.pl
Phone: 12 268 22 49
