Jet skiing is continuing to steadily gain popularity as a fun activity that delights almost everyone who tries it. Today it’s appealing to more than just thrill-seekers: families, as well as anyone looking for some simple fun on the waves. Our founder Ivan saw this transformation coming a decade ago when he created OtoTrak - the world’s first cloud-based system for monitoring and remote control of PWCs. Because he also rents out jet skis, he understands the demands and challenges of this business well.

Jet skis have been a part of Ivan’s life for more than 15 years

But let’s go back to the beginning. Ivan became famous in the world of jet skis in 2009, when he became a Guinness record holder by riding a jet ski for 24 hours and traveling 1,019 miles. However, that was just the start. In 2010, he embarked on an even more ambitious adventure. He joined an international project in which the New Zealand team, with Ivan as the mechanic, planned to take a tour from London to Sydney on jet skis. They crossed Europe, and in the end, they were stopped by the war that was raging in Egypt at that moment - and because of this, they could not get a guarantee of safe passage through the Suez Canal.

“I can say that I am an adrenaline seeker. PWCs have been a part of my life for more than 15 years, ever since I opened my first rental center and service on the island of Krk. Today, I own and operate two rental centers, in Njivice and Malinska, with a fleet of about 15 jet skis for rent. It was thanks to the rental experience that I realized the need for OtoTrak, that is, a product that enables every renter to have absolute control over every jet ski at all times, and ultimately over the entire fleet. Moreover, I wanted to show people that jet skis are not only made for running wild on the water but are a great way to see hidden coves and inaccessible places from the waterside. Today, OtoTrak is used in nearly every country, and what makes me even happier is the fact that more and more renters who use OtoTrak tell us that families decide to rent a PWC precisely because the whole system is making things a lot safer, and also ensuring rental staff know where they are”, Otulić explained.

Channeling adrenaline into another successful venture

In 2021, OtoTrak launched the 365.tours platform, making it easier for adventure seekers to discover and book outdoor activities. “365.tours was created as a result of the desire to gather the best organizers of the mentioned activities in one place. 365.tours is also the first Croatian marketplace for this type of leisure, and it works so that the guest simply finds, reserves, and pays for the activity in the place which is chosen for vacation. On the other hand, the use of our platform is maximally simplified for partners - activity providers. After creating their profile, they can fully devote themselves to working with guests, which is their primary activity. Currently, activities can be booked in Croatia and Cyprus, and soon we will expand the offer to other countries as well”, he said.

However, jet skis aren’t Ivan’s only passion. In his spare time, he’s also an avid ATV enthusiast. In this case, adrenaline is adrenaline, regardless of the surface. It is his company, Oto-Nautika, that is authorized to service and distribute BRP products (Sea-Doo, Can-am off-road, Can-Am roadster, Ski-Doo), which again connected his passion and business. “It’s true, I love quads and I often spend my free time navigating challenging terrains. I am lucky to be able to engage in at least one of these two activities at any time of the year because while jet skiing is associated exclusively with the summer months and good weather, the situation is the opposite with ATVs. The more difficult the conditions, the more interesting the ride - and I’m certain that fellow ATV enthusiasts would agree. After each drive, I record the routes I took, and the entire statistics of all drives are available to me through OtoTrak. To date, I have explored more than 10,000km of forest roads throughout the entire Republic of Croatia”, Ivan concluded.

Of course, running two successful companies is not an easy task, but achieving the given mission and vision is Ivan’s guiding thought. And finally, we will use a well-known sentence - Nothing is difficult when you do what you love and enjoy.