About us
Skipper Hotline is a Croatia-based team of professional skippers and sailing instructors.
After more than ten years working with recreational charter crews, we kept seeing the same challenges come up – especially around route choices, changing conditions, and high-pressure marina situations. Skipper Hotline was built to solve those moments with calm, practical skipper-level guidance.
What makes our support different is the local detail you won’t find in generic guides: how specific buoy fields handle reservations, where and how water refills actually work (and what restrictions apply), and a curated list of reliable local phone contacts we’re happy to share: marina offices, buoy operators, fuel stops, taxis, mechanics, and more.
If you’re not fully confident you’re ready to skipper a charter on your own, the fastest way to close that gap is to hire an instructor onboard. Book a few targeted days to polish specific skills, or choose a full week of one-on-one support so you can practice as you cruise with an experienced skipper double-checking key decisions.
Our team in numbers
User reviews
★ 4.9/5 Review score at Trust Pilot and Google
Me and my family had an amazing experience learning to sail with Philip. From the very beginning, he created a calm and supportive environment, which made a huge difference—especially as someone who was a bit nervous at first. He explained everything clearly, broke down complex techniques into simple steps, and always made sure we understood before moving on. What really stood out to me was his patience and attention to detail. He doesn’t just teach you how to sail—he makes sure you feel confident doing it. Whether it was handling the wind, steering, or understanding safety, I always felt like I was in very capable hands. At the same time, the lessons were fun and engaging. There was a great balance between learning and enjoying the experience out on the water. You can tell he genuinely loves what he does, and that energy is contagious. I would highly recommend him to anyone—whether you’re a complete beginner or looking to improve your skills. Easily one of the best learning experiences I’ve had!
We knew Filip from a sailing experience from three years ago, so we knew that the guy knows what he’s doing and talking about. This time it was our first time chartering a boat on our own. Skipper Hotline was very useful for our trip. He helped us with important decisions (also on the boat deal), sent us wheather updates and also checked in on us multiple times during the trip. As a local he knows where to get all the supplies (water, electricity, diesel) in the region. We got a lot of great recommendations for which islands, bays, marinas, towns and restaurants to visit ahead of our trip. Basically an itinerary for the whole week tailored to the weather conditions. We followed most of the recommended destinations and everything was great! Especially for first time skippers this service is very recommendable!
I hired Filip for online support during my sailing trip in Croatia at the end of August 2025. I had rented a sailboat and was in a leisure cruise with my family, with me as the skipper. Not being familiar with Croatia, Filip’s assistance was invaluable, helping to define the itinerary, identify and the best spots to visit and moor, and by givibg daily tips according to the wind and weather. Having Filip just a WhatsApp message away gave great peace of mind and I will definitely hire him again!
From the very first contact, Skipper Hotline’s service as my booking agent was professional, thorough, and reassuring. Skipper Hotline guided me extensively before, during, and after choosing the boat, making the whole process smooth and worry-free. Even though we were rather self-sufficient on board, the Skipper Hotline felt like having a guardian angel in the background – always ready with valuable information, from confirming up-to-date weather warnings along our actual route to suggesting anchorages and sharing personal insider tips you won’t find in any guidebook, and only rarely in any app. This combination of expertise, accessibility, and genuine care made all the difference, especially for someone like me, with sailing experience limited to recreational trips. It’s an affordable service I wholeheartedly recommend to anyone – particularly those new to sailing. I’m very satisfied and will definitely use Skipper Hotline’s services again in the future.
Skipperhotline has been a useful resource to find the right boat at the right price.
Then Filip helped us in finding a hostess when we were in emergency because our first hostess quitted just before the vacation.
Filip was our skipper during the week and he was always professional and safety driven. He gave us good option for our trip and brought us in fantastic places.
Recommended!
We was a little bit skeptical about how can someone help us online, will it be useful. But I think is really useful specially when someone is alone in the boat who knows about sailing, discuss the weather, locations, where is need to be go. Always gives us suggestions about where can we go, anchor. We have not the best weather in our holiday, but with the help, we always could sleep safe places.
Our boat were in a really tiny space, we tried go out by thrusters, but it had seemed impossible, skipper hotline sent some scratch how can we use spring lines to go out and we did it. It was also a big help I did not need spend half hour to plan the routes and check weather every day. We just sent our ideas and received detailed plans which was adjusted to weather conditions. It was our first chartering in Croatia and we could just enjoy instead of worry on all movement.
Obtaining a license to operate a sailboat is one thing – but finding an instructor who can teach the most important skills in a short time to safely go sailing with the family is another. When the instructor can also arrange a suitable sailboat on short notice during peak season and suggest routes perfectly adapted to wind and weather conditions, you have the best foundation for a dream sailing vacation. Filip offers all of this. I can only recommend using his Skipper Hotline. Thank you, Filip – until next time.
Filip has been accompanying me throughout the skipper licensing process as a teacher and continues to be my mentor for tough situations. Whenever I go sailing in Croatia, I first give a call to Filip. His insights and guidance to plan my trip are tremendously valuable. He is well connected with the charter companies and always helps us find the right boat for the right setting. But not only that, once I am at sea I continue being in touch with him and appreciate his guidance to avoid bad weather scenarios and pick beautiful anchorages. It makes me feel at peace during my vacation, knowing that I have a most experienced local skipper helping me making decisions for the safety of myself and my crew. And if that’s not enough, Filip is just a really nice guy and great to hang out with!
Our very first booking with Filip was such a success that we have kept going back to him for the last 4 years! Every trip was a marvelous experience of smooth sailing 🙂 and chock full of great memories!
Not only is Filip an excellent skipper, but his organizational skills are second to none and we would not dream of booking a boat or putting together a cruise without him!
Not only was the Booking via Skipper Hotline cheaper (and more comfortable) than any other offers I got on my own, especially as a skipper relatively new to sailingboats the 24/7 direct phone-connection to Filip – who was responsible for me and my crew during our one week trip from Pirovac to Veli Rat and back – was a huge plus in my confidence and therefor well-being on board, overall safety of our trip and of course the comfort. You sleep better, if you know that somebody grown up sailing would have chosen the same spot for anchoring and checks the weather reports with you, if you have any uncertainties. That’s just an example, as a one stop shop the support started when I made my first thoughts on where to go, which boat to choose, what to buy for the amount of people in the crew, what to think of before and during the trip, how to do certain manoveurs, put the sails, etc. etc…. Getting that level of service while saving money was a decission I have never regret during our trip. It felt like having somebody highly experienced as an additional member of the crew – without having to think of an extra bed 😁 I really am looking forward to my next trip with sailinghotline!!!
MEET THE TEAM
Hire private instructor
FILIP ĐURIĆ
Skipper Hotline Founder | Professional Skipper & Sailing Instructor since 2012
Base: Rijeka, Krk
Languages: Croatian, English, Slovenian
Boat types: Sailboats & catamarans 30-60ft
Experience: Sailing since childhood; professional skipper and instructor since 2012
Teaching style: Calm and beginner-friendly, using plain language instead of technical sailing jargon
Personality: Sporty, outdoorsy, analytical
Dietary preference: Vegan
Founder of: Vegan Sailing
I specialize in monohulls and catamarans ranging from 30 to 60 feet, ensuring training is relevant to the most popular charter vessels in the Adriatic. Whether you are stepping onto a performance cruiser or a spacious multi-hull, my approach focuses on technical mastery and calm leadership.
Through Skipper Hotline, I provide a remote safety net for fellow sailors, offering real-time weather routing, berth reservations, and technical troubleshooting. My goal is to bridge the gap between ‘holding a license’ and ‘commanding a vessel.’ Whether on-board or on-call, I ensure your time in Croatian waters is defined by safety, local insight, and the joy of sailing.
LUKAS MOROŽIN
Sailing since 6 years old, year-round skipper with 60+ weeks as a professional skipper/instructor
Base: Rijeka, Krk
Languages: Croatian, English, basic Italian
Boat types: Sailboats, catamarans & motor yachts 30-65ft
Experience: Sailing since childhood; skipper & sailing instructor since 2022
Licenses & certificates: Yacht Master 500 BT
Strengths: Highly organized, yet quick to adapt to new situations and challenges
Personality: “People-person”, friendly, calm, and approachable
I’m comfortable working across monohulls, catamarans, and motor yachts, and I adapt quickly to different boat sizes and changing conditions. My focus is always control and good judgment: planning ahead, staying calm, and using clear crew roles so maneuvers stay predictable and safe.
When I teach, docking and close-quarters handling are broken into simple, repeatable steps: lines, timing, and engine control, until it becomes second nature. The goal isn’t just to “get in,” but to dock cleanly, confidently, and without stress.
ANTE KLJENAK
Skipper Hotline Founder | Professional Skipper & Sailing Instructor since 2012
Base: Rijeka, Krk
Languages: Croatian, English, basic Spanish, basic Italian
Boat types: Sailboats, catamarans & motor yachts 30-60ft
Experience: Skipper since 2015, Instructor since 2022, +offshore transfers
Licenses & certificates: RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Offshore; RYA Shorebased ; GMDSS (VHF); STCW’95 Basic Safety
Strengths: Organized, proactive, strong local knowledge, calm under pressure
Personality: Hard-working and energetic, with a team-first mindset and an easy, adaptable communication style
I bring a charter-first approach built on extensive seasons in Croatia and Montenegro, plus offshore yacht deliveries that sharpen passage planning and decision-making. My focus is practical and safety-driven: clear navigation, clean maneuvering, and confident handling in tight marinas and changing conditions. In training, I keep things structured and calm, with step-by-step repetition that builds real confidence on board.
By the end of the course, students are ready for a real charter week: planning safe daily routes, handling docking and anchoring with control, and making confident decisions as conditions change.
Hire private sailing & docking instructor
Daily Rate: €220.00 + food
Note: For bookings under 7 days, travel expenses and transit time apply based on the marina location.
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