Will My Boat Tour Be Cancelled? Bura, Maestral and How We Decide

24 August 2026 · 6 min read

Dark storm clouds over calm turquoise water near Trogir

Rain is rarely the problem. Wind is. Here is what the bura and the maestral actually do to this stretch of the Adriatic, how the call gets made, and what happens to your booking if a day gets cancelled.

Key takeaways

  • •Rain almost never cancels a tour on its own. Wind does, specifically a strong bura, the cold north-easterly that turns the channel to whitecaps.
  • •The maestral, the afternoon sea breeze that builds most summer days, is normal sailing weather and does not cancel anything by itself.
  • •The call is made by the skipper, based on the actual forecast and sea state for that route, not a blanket rule for the whole coast.
  • •You are told before you board, never after you are already out and turned back partway through.
  • •If we cancel, you get a full refund of what you paid us, or another day if you would rather rebook.
  • •Bura days are rare in July and August and become more frequent from mid-autumn, which is worth knowing if you are booking a shoulder-season trip.

The short version: rain rarely stops a boat tour here, wind does. Specifically one wind, the bura, and the decision is made by the skipper who actually has to sail the route that day, not by a fixed rule that treats every kind of weather the same.

The bura: the one that cancels a day

The bura is a cold, dry north-easterly that comes down off the mountains onto the Dalmatian coast, sometimes with very little warning, and can turn a calm channel into whitecaps within an hour. It is the wind that actually decides whether a boat sails, because it makes the crossings between islands genuinely unsafe rather than just uncomfortable. A strong bura day is a cancelled day, on any tour, at any time of year.

The maestral: normal sailing weather

The maestral is the afternoon sea breeze that builds through a typical summer day and dies down again toward evening. It is completely normal and does not cancel anything by itself; boats sail in it every day through the season. It can mean a livelier ride on an afternoon departure, which is worth knowing if you or someone in your group is prone to seasickness, but it is not a reason a tour would be called off.

What about rain?

Rain on its own is rarely the deciding factor. A grey, wet morning with calm seas is still a sailing day, if not a particularly scenic one. What matters is the wind and the sea state that comes with the weather system, not whether it is raining on the dock.

Who decides, and when

The skipper decides, based on the actual forecast and sea conditions for that specific route that day, not a generic coastwide alert. This is why two tours on the same morning can have different outcomes: a full-day route to the outer islands is exposed to conditions that a sheltered half-day trip may never meet. You are always told before departure, never partway through a tour that has already left the dock.

What happens to your booking

If we cancel for weather, you get a full refund of what you paid us, or we move you to another day if that suits you better. There is no penalty and no argument about it; this is our call to make, not something you have to negotiate your way through on the morning of your tour.

Building in a buffer

The one thing worth doing differently around weather risk is timing, not worrying. If your schedule allows it, book your tour for the middle of your stay rather than your last morning before a flight home, so a cancelled day still leaves you a day to rebook into. This matters most in the shoulder season, when bura days become steadily more common than they are in the height of summer.

Frequently asked questions

What is the bura?
A cold, dry north-easterly wind that comes down off the mountains onto the Dalmatian coast and can turn a calm channel into whitecaps within an hour. It is the wind that actually cancels a tour.
Does rain cancel a boat tour?
Rarely on its own. What matters is the wind and sea state, not whether it is raining on the dock. A calm, wet morning is usually still a sailing day.
How often do you cancel tours for weather?
Rarely in July and August, more often in spring, late autumn and winter, when bura days are more frequent. It is always a per-day decision, never a blanket rule for the whole season.
What happens if my tour is cancelled for weather?
You get a full refund of what you paid, or we move you to another day if you would rather rebook. You are told before you board, never after.
Is the maestral wind dangerous?
No, it is the normal afternoon sea breeze that builds most summer days and is not a reason a tour would be cancelled. It can make an afternoon crossing livelier, which matters more if you get seasick easily.
Who decides if a tour is cancelled?
The skipper, based on the actual forecast and sea conditions for that specific route on that day, not a fixed rule applied to the whole coast.
Should I book a spare day in case of bad weather?
If your schedule allows it, yes. Booking your tour for the middle of your stay rather than your last morning leaves you a day to rebook into if the weather does not cooperate.

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