Jedriličarski klub VAL Šibenik
Jedriličarski klub VAL Šibenik is the municipal sailing club on the Adriatic in Šibenik, Croatia, based on Obala prvoboraca with its own clubhouse and a pontoon for launching. The club places special emphasis on work with the youngest age groups and runs a sailing school plus an extensive regatta programme for Optimist, ILCA and Flying Dutchman. Besides youth and cadet development, JK Val organises traditional events such as the Rogoznički kup, the Šibenska regata krstaša and the Šibenik FD Cup and is active in the ORC scene. Since taking over a stretch of waterfront in 1964 and building new club facilities, the club has become a fixed anchor of sailing in the Šibenik-Knin region.
History
By decision of the then Šibenik municipal assembly in 1964, the club was given management of a roughly 100-metre stretch of waterfront in front of the clubhouse – the start of the club sports harbour. Club-owned wooden Stelle and L5 boats and the wooden cruiser Pinta initially lay permanently in the water there. With the advent of light plastic classes, sailing in those heavy wooden boats ended and berths gradually passed to citizens. Today club dinghies, a (disused) club crane and a launching pontoon remain on that shore. Almost all citizens with boats on the town promenade are members and use club rooms, tools, electricity and water. The club co-financed underwater berth works with 50,000 kuna and has for about 30 years pushed for a sports marina; Pekovac bay is discussed as a site with around 190 berths and a new club building. In parallel JK Val built a strong youth and regatta programme, hosted international events (including Melges regattas, IOM Europeans and the bid for the 2022 IOM Worlds) and in 2017 celebrated completion of the first construction phase of a new club facility.
Information
Youth section
Active youth development with a sailing school and focus on the youngest age groups; Optimist and ILCA cadets/juniors train and race in regional and international regattas.