Jabuka Regatta
A night start, 110 miles of open Adriatic, and a volcanic rock most Croatians have never seen.
This is the race that closes the Croatian season, and it does not pretend to be a holiday. November weather, a start in the dark, and a turning mark in the middle of nowhere.
What the race actually is
The fleet leaves Vodice at night and heads out into open water to the island of Jabuka, then turns for home — 110 nautical miles in total, raced under ORC. There is no coast to hide behind for most of it.
The mark itself
Jabuka is Croatia's most distant island: a bare volcanic rock rising out of deep water, with nothing on it. Sailors who have rounded it tend to describe it in the same slightly reverent way. That is a large part of why the race exists.
Who actually sails it
Around 100 boats and roughly a thousand sailors, and — unusually for a Croatian regatta — more than 60% of the crews come from abroad. Croatian television calls it the largest and most popular offshore regatta in the country.
The race at a glance
- Route
- Vodice → the island of Jabuka → Vodice, mostly open sea
- Distance
- 110 nautical miles
- Format
- Single offshore race with a night start, ORC rated
- Typically held
- A Friday-to-Sunday weekend in early to mid November
- Fleet
- Around 100 boats, roughly 1,000 sailors, over 60% foreign crews
- Organiser
- JK Tijat, Vodice
- Our boat
- Elan E6 Performance
- Experience needed
- Offshore experience recommended — November nights are cold and it is a long way out
Dates move from year to year and are set by the organiser, vodice.hr. Ask us for the dates of the current season.
You sail the boat. You don't just ride on it.
A small crew, real jobs
We keep the crew small enough that everyone steers, trims and stands a watch. Nobody spends the race sitting on the rail wondering what is going on.
Coached, not just chartered
Michal has sailed 30,000 nautical miles and raced at world-championship level. You get a skipper who explains what he is doing and why, before and during the race.
The paperwork is ours
Entry, rating, berth, briefings and the logistics around the event are organised for you. You arrive, you sail, you go to the prizegiving.
Price and exactly what is included depend on the season and the boat. Tell us which race you are interested in and we will send the current details.
Ask about Jabuka Regatta
Places are limited and go early. Send us a line and we will come back with dates, price and what is on the boat.
Questions we get asked
How demanding is it?
This is the most serious of the Croatian autumn races. It is late in the year, it starts at night, and a large part of the course is out of sight of land. Come for this one if you already know you like offshore sailing.
What is the weather like in November?
Cold, changeable and occasionally very windy. Proper offshore kit is not optional. We send a kit list once your place is confirmed.
Can we actually see Jabuka?
You round it. Whether you see much of it depends on when you get there — a fair number of crews meet it in the dark.