The Uskok Sailing Club, in co-operation with the Maritime Department of the University of Zadar and under the auspices of Tankerska Plovidba, has successfully held the second edition of its sailing school for students. After the remarkable success of the first edition last year, the new course was received with great enthusiasm and was fully utilised within a short time — 16 students took part, with four students assigned to each of the J70 sailboats used for training.
Upon arrival, the participants completed a short introductory course focussing on basic sailing skills before setting sail, where they learned to steer and operate the sailboats independently.
Associate Professor Mate Barić, PhD, Deputy Head of the Maritime Department at the University of Zadar, highlighted the role of last year’s participants in spreading enthusiasm for the programme:
“Our main goal is to connect our students through shared experiences at sea and help them get to know each other better. Last year we even had an Erasmus student who integrated wonderfully into the group, and I hope that experiences like this will help spread the word about our university beyond Croatia. Many students from the first edition have remained loyal to sailing, and one of our future goals is to organise a university-level sailing regatta.”
What sets this sailing school apart from others is its peer-led teaching approach. Student instructors Petra Lukačić, Maris Bašić, Darija Perić and Marta Mavar led the training. As Darija Perić was injured before the start of the programme, her place was taken by none other than Tomislav Bašić - an Olympian and sailing world champion with a career in professional classes such as TP52, Swan50, RC44 and Melges20.
“I dedicated myself to teaching sailing because after all the competitions and travelling, I felt the need to give something back to the sport that has given me so much,” said Tomislav Bašić. “The club already has excellent programmes for young competitive sailors, but my passion is to promote recreational sailing— - be it for students, young people, older adults or anyone from this city. In today’s hectic world, spending a whole day on the sea is a rarity, and that's exactly why I believe our students will enjoy the experience and find peace of mind as they leave their everyday lives behind.”
With its combination of expert and peer-led instruction, the sailing school fosters maritime skills, student cohesion and a love of the sea — and strengthens both community ties and university engagement through active outdoor learning.