After summer sailing season, stage of preparations came which was used for media presentation of our successful qualifications and presentation of Mini class at different sailing happenings in Croatia.

During September boat was refitted after busy summer and with friends from Vodice  sailed to the island of Hvar to attend Hvar sailing festival. Festival organized by S.C. Reful and Hvar adventure was to promote sailing in Hvar chanal and also a good warm up for Mrduja race which was held the next week-end. It was great to hang out with old friends and in a very good environment to make film projection as well as presentation of the previous season of the CroOcean project.

After it, all of us went to Split in order to participate at the most numerous Croatian regatta – Mrduja 2006. It was sort of premiere for Croatian Mini participating on it. Regatta was very interesting and conditions typical – almost no wind, great training for doldrums. My father was a co-skipper and we finished regatta placed as 2nd in the group. It was very busy around our Mini, moored in S.C. Mornar. Most heard comments were that it looks even smaller than on photos. But in this case, size doesn’t matter at all because in the class we're all the same size :)

Very fun time was spent again in Class 470 along with Kreso Djakulovic with whom I have participated at the Croatian championship in Zadar.


But most of this year’s autumn days I’ve spent for preparations and meetings with potential sponsors in order to finish this season more successfully than the last one.

Luckily, the main sponsor of the project was found right in front of the house, in the Tribunj Marina. Owners of the Marina, Hungarian company, recognizing my great effort as well as the huge potential of the whole story, have decided to get involved in it as a main sponsor of the CroOcean project.

Logotype of their company - Dalmacia yachting will be posted on the hull and the main sail. Homeport of the first Croatian Mini - Marina Tribunj is also the name under which my Mini will participate on MT 2007.


During the Tribunj boat show, held in October, lecture about previous sailing season was held along with projection of copyrighted movies, mounted by Natko Stipanicev. Also, main sponsor was introduced and the general manager of Dalmaca yachting – Mrs. Eva Kerekes.

Cooperation with previous sponsors, Slam, Meridijan project (Croatian distributers for Navman and Northstar), Hermes and sail maker Dustom was renewed for next season. A new donator joined the group of supporters: Troha – Dil company (PVC doors and windows factory).

At the beginnig of November, 3 minies arrived to Tribunj: 508, 509 and 510 along with their skippers (Jaroslav Kaczorowski from Poland and Kristian Hajnsek and Andraz Mihelin from Slovenia).


We’ve spent a week training with Tomislav Basic and Vid Jeranko. After it we all participated on regatta Jabuka, organized by S.C. Tijat from Vodice.


It was for the first time in history of Croatian regattas that Class of Mini participated on it, coping up with 2-3 times bigger boats with no problems.

Azo and Tome with Damijan Vuk on 510 have done a great job, finishing regatta ranked as No. 5 owerall, among 58 boats in the race. The conditions were perfect for Slovenian Manuards which were pushed hard by their skippers to see the full potential of powerfull hulls. We had close reach to Jabuka and reach back in up to 25 kts of wind so with 1st reef and small genniker Manuards hitted even 11 kts to Jabuka while our maximum was 9.5. On the way back the perfect conditions for minis and we were literally flying along much bigger boats.

Jabuka (Apple) was great training for all of us impatiently looking forward to big refit of the boat; to change everything what can be changed: new carbon mast with pbo rigging, new rudders, daggerboards, electronics…

Boat will be taken out from the sea in the middle of December and sailing season for 2006 is over. With help from my friends and sponsors my boat will be stored for next 3 months in a hangar in Vodice and planning to get back into the sea at the end of March.

Last but not least! Next season we’ll be sailing under the name of Sailing club Tijat from Vodice. This is our way of expressing gratitude to its members for their unselfish help from the beginning of the project until present.

Till next update

Regards Sime