Hello all,

It seems this the right forum for talking about windsurfing in NSW !

I will be living in Sydney with my girlfriend in September as we have been sponsored by her new job opportunity. We are currently living in the UK for the past 10 years and I am a keen windsurfer. I have A LOT of gears back in the UK, mostly freeride kit (RRD firestorm, RRD Fire sails) but I am thinking of selling everything and buy it all back here in Sydney.

So my 1st question is where could I buy second hand gears around Sydney ?

2 nd question is : Is the windsurf community big in Syndey ? Are people actually windsurf in the harbour or outside the city ?

3 rd question : How is the wind like in Sydney or around ? What is the best time of the year to windsurf ?

Sorry if it is vague for now but I have never been to Sydney and this will be our first time outside of Europe !

Many thanks for your help in advance.

Fabien

1 : Yes, look at the Buy & Sell to have an idea of prices. There is only one windsurfing shop in Sydney, plus 2 more online retailers: Windsurfnsnow, windsurfing religion and windsurfing shed

2: You cannot windsurf in some areas of the harbour, but there are plenty of places where people windsurf, Botany bay is one of the most popular

3: September is a good month to come around, from then on all summer is good, NE seabreezes are around 20 knts.

You can have a look at gpsteamchallenge.com and select NSW sessions, you will get some info. Also look here in the NSW category. You can also browse my site where I record all my outings,wind conditions, equipment, locations etc... but it is very one-dimensional: martignoni.id.au/sessions.php

Thanks for the reply.

Is there any spots up north ? Around Manly beach ? As I will be living in Neutral bay. I have windsurfed with slalom kit on wave spots so, I don't mind if there is a bit of shorebreak to pass. I have heard that Botany bay is very polluted, crowded with jetskis. Is it true ?

Kurnell can be good if you don't mine a bit of swell.bit of a drive but worth the trip .by the way kiters outnumber sailboarders there.

Up North: For flat or choppy water go for a sail in Pittwater and sail all the way to Palm Beach the scenery is awesome .Launch at Taylors Point best on a Westerly or North Westerly ( can be gusty).)On week end can be busy with boats coming out from Newport marina.
On the surf side the Northern Beaches go to Long reef for wave sailing, wave can be big (mast size ) on a southerly.
Sydney Harbour: Little Manly and Middle Harbour are convenient location short drive from Neutral Bay.
Botany Bay is big but can be busy on week end with Kiters/jet ski /windsurfers.
You can sail all year round in Sydney it's nerver too cold when it's windy .

Great ! Thanks guys. Pittwater seems the dream ! How's the wind like in Middle Harbour ?

Balmoral Beach in a summer NE wind will be the spot for you

Full Sydney spot guide here: nswwavesailing.org/spot-guide/

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TheFrenchy said..
Thanks for the reply.

Is there any spots up north ? Around Manly beach ? As I will be living in Neutral bay. I have windsurfed with slalom kit on wave spots so, I don't mind if there is a bit of shorebreak to pass. I have heard that Botany bay is very polluted, crowded with jetskis. Is it true ?

Its quicker to drive down to Botany Bay from Neutral Bay than to Manly.
Yes BB's got the jet skis and the rest but the winds the thing and BB's by far the best and windiest location in the Sydney area.

Looks like everyone goes to Botany Bay ... Not very appealing to me ! But hey, you can't have it all ! Haha

in Australia the most trafficked and polluted areas are better than the most pristine ones in Europe. These pictures are all from windsurfing locations in Botany

Frency, you can't really sail in the main part of the harbour. It is only really allowed up in Middle Harbour and over at Rose Bay. You can sail over at Balmoral, most short boarders sail off the beach just to the North of Rocky Point, but you will find the wind is up 10 knots lighter than Botany in the prevailing sea breeze over summer. There is good crowd of guys at Botany and if you can organise work to be on the water at 4pm on a weekday you will get a few hours sailing in on quite a few afternoons in summer. Also I recommend you have a look at GPS team challenge as it states the position where people have sailed and you should soon work out what works where for a particular wind direction.

Nice photos powersloshin ! I take back what I said But have you been to Europe ? The UK/France/Spain offers some amazing spots all around the coast lines. Have a look at
Leucate for France and Hayling Island for The UK. Top spots if you are heading over Europe

Better see in my own eyes. It looks like Botany Bay is the place to be to hang with windsurfers. Maybe see you around in September !

Hey there Frenchy,

I live in Neutral Bay and sail at the following locations (on wave or freestyle wave gear with the occasional flat water foray on a Starboard GO that I normally use to teach kids/beginners):

Botany Bay or Balmoral for an after work daylight saving sail in a NE'er. Balmoral can be frustrating due to variations in wind strength and direction but I have gone back to it as it is 10 minutes from where I live and I just don't enjoy the aviation fuel smell at BB (I also do have concerns about the water quality at BB). The wind is definitely better at BB and it is only 20 - 25 mins drive from Neutral Bay. Forget Balmoral on the weekend - the parking is a nightmare and expensive.

Wanda Beach on a weekend in a NE'er - approx 40 mins from Neutral Bay (near Cronulla & Kurnell ). It is a wave-sailing spot but the waves aren't usually that big in a NE'er and it is pretty easy to get out the back. This is my favourite Sydney spot .

Long Reef in a southerly / sou'wester (due to traffic, it usually takes me longer to get to Long Reef than to Wanda). This is a wave spot too.

Rose Bay in a nor'wester. Always gusty but so picturesque - views to the Harbour Bridge, aqua water on the sand bar etc. You definitely know you're in Sydney!

I haven't sailed Kurnell for ages but that is an option too in NW or W winds (I think people go there in a NE'er as well). It's about 45 minutes from Neutral Bay.

Great to hear that Balmoral can be a good after work spot :) - thank you very much to describe accurately every single spots round Sydney !

I will also have both my wavesailing and freeride kit coming with me by container (4 boards, 10 sails ! As much of booms and masts as well..) , so i'd be able to go wave riding on bigger days and try out most of the spots round Syndey.

Thanks again for taking the time to explain it to me.

^^^^

Okay, if you're that serious, than it's probably important that you also know about Gerroa (drive south of Sydney). Look it up, you'll find plenty of info.

Hi Fabien,

I arrived 5 months ago in Sydney and have experienced several places, Balmoral, Botany bay, Foreshore road, Kurnell, Palm beach, and looking forward to check other places, especially for waveriding.
It is funny because I am french and live in Neutral bay ;-)As far as I have seen I can tell you the following:
Summer= mostly NE wind starting round 12am when it is sunny = slalom in Balmoral. No big winds 15knots (I have 130lts/7.2 m) but sometimes it work everyday!!!
Balmoral is my favorite because so close (15mn!) and beautiful. Water is warm, sun is shining...What else?!!!Winter= W winds, gusty, the worse direction because land wind. There are several options including Foreshore road (Botany bay), La Perouse, little Manly and more.
It is still good to be able to windsurf though.For waveriding, you need more volume (90l) and bigger sails than in France. You get bigger waves but fewer wind. Sydney has more slalom conditions to offer.

The link Stehsegler provided is relevant...I can't wait NNE to test waves at Wanda!
nswwavesailing.org/spot-guide/

One thing you should consider is that you have to pay for (expensive) car park almost everywhere here, even in remote places.
Parking is a serious matter here...No kidding.

Anyway you'll have plenty of options and beautiful scenery, enjoying speed and wind! Kind of a paradise!
I'll be happy to show you some spots.Jean-Marc

Gerroa...Nothing to see here

Nah..Seriously a nice easy fun wave most of the time and all you need is 10-15knots and your on the water. Come down and check it out, Normally we start to get Nor'easter in September, If there's a good south swell every wave sailor in Sydney will be here.

Hello Frenchy,

C pas la Tramontane ici, mais ca souffle qd meme! If you really want good wave riding, tell your miss she needs to be based in Perth...the wind is much better in WA and the wave spots are awesome. From the margaret river to Geraldton. (Prevelly's point, Coronation Beach, Nahloo). Best months in WA is when the freemantle doctor blows...NOV-MARCH (www.windfinder.com/windstatistics/perth_airport). Also recommend the Lancelin cup in January- www.lancelinoceanclassic.com.au/ It is a mini version of the Defi wind near Leucate. Bon vent

Hi Fabien,

Northside is great for windsurfing, but it does get windier further south. Just be aware that the power of the waves off Manly, Long Reef etc are far greater than Hayling Island so if you want to get into the waves I'd recommend 100% wave gear only. Freeriding is good in the Pittwater, in the harbour by Manly (don't get in the way of ferrys) and Balmoral works well in a NE'r. Clontarf is also good for freeride/slalom in a SE.

There's plenty of guys that turn up at Long Reef/Makaha in a good southerly so you'll get to know people quickly.

Décidément il y a du viking euh pardon du frenchy dans la zone! Plenty of french sailors around!

En parlant de viking, je viens de Normandie ! - Where do you usually sail jmsey ?

Moi je suis chti! Je suis ici depuis 6 mois, donc en arrivant je faisais Balmoral et Botany avec les seabreezes. En ce moment dès qu'il y a de l'ouest je file à Foreshore rd (Kyemagh- à l'est de l'aéroport) J'ai fait Kurnell une fois aussi. Mais j'attends les conditions vagues, mille milliards de sabords!

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jmsey said..
Moi je suis chti! Je suis ici depuis 6 mois, donc en arrivant je faisais Balmoral et Botany avec les seabreezes. En ce moment dès qu'il y a de l'ouest je file à Foreshore rd (Kyemagh- à l'est de l'aéroport) J'ai fait Kurnell une fois aussi. Mais j'attends les conditions vagues, mille milliards de sabords!

Merci :) - Tu navigues avec quel type de matos ? What's your go to sail and board when you go round botany bay ?

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jmsey said..
Hi Fabien,

I arrived 5 months ago in Sydney and have experienced several places, Balmoral, Botany bay, Foreshore road, Kurnell, Palm beach, and looking forward to check other places, especially for waveriding.
It is funny because I am french and live in Neutral bay ;-)As far as I have seen I can tell you the following:
Summer= mostly NE wind starting round 12am when it is sunny = slalom in Balmoral. No big winds 15knots (I have 130lts/7.2 m) but sometimes it work everyday!!!
Balmoral is my favorite because so close (15mn!) and beautiful. Water is warm, sun is shining...What else?!!!Winter= W winds, gusty, the worse direction because land wind. There are several options including Foreshore road (Botany bay), La Perouse, little Manly and more.
It is still good to be able to windsurf though.For waveriding, you need more volume (90l) and bigger sails than in France. You get bigger waves but fewer wind. Sydney has more slalom conditions to offer.

The link Stehsegler provided is relevant...I can't wait NNE to test waves at Wanda!
nswwavesailing.org/spot-guide/

One thing you should consider is that you have to pay for (expensive) car park almost everywhere here, even in remote places.
Parking is a serious matter here...No kidding.

Anyway you'll have plenty of options and beautiful scenery, enjoying speed and wind! Kind of a paradise!
I'll be happy to show you some spots.Jean-Marc

You may have missed my previous post Currently light wind Starboard Carve 130+Saber 7,2 or JP Thruster 91+Atlas 5,8 or 5.0I plan to switch to Exocet S3+NP Hornet 7,8 for light winds

Yep ... totally missed it ... I said I was going to keep my equipement. Unfortunaly I had to make a hard choice and sell everything (Mainly because of the shipping extortion). Did you buy all your equipement when you arrived in Sydney ?

Apology for the lack of reply on PM !!! I have just realised that there is a PM system on the forum ..... Shame on me.