Renting a Boat from Rab: Where You Can Go on 5 kW Without a Licence — and Where You Can't

In Croatia you can operate a boat with an engine up to 5 kW (about 6.8 HP) without any licence. These are small open boats from 4 to 6 metres — perfect for half a day or a day in calm sea, not ideal for crossings of exposed channels. From Rab a small boat fits more into a day than people assume, but there are limits worth knowing before you test them. ## What's reachable on a small boat Goli Otok is a 30–50 minute crossing depending on conditions. You land at the small jetty, walk on your own through abandoned barracks, stone quarries and prison fences. Bring water and footwear — the landing is exposed and the island has no shade. You leave with a heavy impression, which is the point of going. Sveti Grgur sits right next to it. The water there is more swimmable, the coves are calmer, and the island isn't as historically heavy. Goli plus Sveti Grgur fits a single day if you start in the morning. The coves around Lopar — San Marino, Sahara, Stolac — are easier. From the sea you can see beaches that get crowded from the road side; you can land where fewer people are and have your own piece of coast. Suha Punta and the Frkanj peninsula have coves sheltered from the bura coming from the north and great for snorkelling. The northern bays of Pag (Caska, Vlašići) are only feasible on a genuinely calm day. The channel between Rab and Pag is exposed and the bura can pick up suddenly in the afternoon. If you're not sure, postpone or go around the other side of the island. ## What doesn't fit Krk, Cres, the western coast of Pag — all of those need more engine power and a Category B boat licence (or higher). If you want to go there, take a skippered charter instead of dragging 5 kW across an open channel. The skipper drives; you watch. ## Before you leave Check the forecast. `prognoza.hr` is the standard local source; Windy.com gives a visual read on wind direction and strength. The bura on Rab's eastern side can climb in a couple of hours and make the ride miserable. If the forecast shows gusts above 15 knots, don't head to Goli Otok. Tell someone your route. Phone charged, offline map downloaded, GPS on. Most operators provide life jackets and a short safety briefing — if yours doesn't, pick another. Check the fuel before you leave; some tanks are three litres short and that's a 20-minute oar paddle home. ## Permits and fees No special licence is needed for engines up to 5 kW. Some nature parks (like Telašćica far south) charge an entry fee, but nothing within day-trip range from Rab does. Anchoring in small coves is free, but be considerate in season — keep distance, don't drop anchor on a posidonia seagrass meadow, and don't blast music from a speaker across the whole cove. The island remembers. ## Best months Late May through end of September. July and August are the loudest; reserve at least 24 hours ahead, especially for weekends. Operators rotate season to season — check the current list on Rabinsider or ask your host before chasing a name you saw somewhere.