Any suggestions on good places to start local to Corio bay?
Anywhere onshore is probably the obvious answer, but also not wanting to get in the way of all the pro's!

I saw some guys out sunday off Point Henry in Stingaree Bay, but it was a southerly and probably not good learner location in this direction if there's a problem.

Does the easterly side of Point Henry get used, or mainly the bay side?

The other places I knew of from years ago where Lake Conawarre but I have no weed fin (plus my board has adaggerboard anyhow).

thanks for any tips.

Swan bay in Queenscliff is a good place to learn. Shallow, so no swell and you can stand up just about everywhere so you can walk back if gear break or you are pooped. Very dependant on what you are defining as local though. I learnt there and its one of the only places i've sailed.

Hey Crusty sailor another good area to learn is down around Port Arlington Indented Heads area ..good on an Easterly or Westerly direction and clean sandy Beach ... Point Richards is a hidden gem.

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crustysailor said..
Any suggestions on good places to start local to Corio bay?
Anywhere onshore is probably the obvious answer, but also not wanting to get in the way of all the pro's!

I saw some guys out sunday off Point Henry in Stingaree Bay, but it was a southerly and probably not good learner location in this direction if there's a problem.

Does the easterly side of Point Henry get used, or mainly the bay side?

The other places I knew of from years ago where Lake Conawarre but I have no weed fin (plus my board has adaggerboard anyhow).

thanks for any tips.

Crusty...

Point henry is a great learning spot with any wind direction with a bit of west in in ( but also true s and true N)... its shallow on the southern end of stingray bay (you can stand) and gets deeper as you head north.
Connewarre will work in anything with a bit of south in it. Once again shallow and easy to do the walk of shame if you need too..
Swan Bay - pretty much any direction but is tide dependant and is a bit of a maze to find your way around the sandbars at first..
Point richards - great spot in anything with north in it.

weed fins will definitely reduce your frustration at these spots but are not a necessity...

send me a pm if you want more info... also check out www.facebook.com/ConnewarreCremasters for some more local info

Cheers

thanks guys.
I did a bit of cruising around last weekend trying to sus out where not to drown.

The walk of shame is going to be pretty likely, so is a big factor.

I thought swan bay'd be the go, but wholly crap it looked ankle deep shallow for miles at least on the swan bay side.
Around the other side, near the old Queenscliff sailing club looked better, with a few sand bank evident.

Portarlington gave me a bit of a scare a few decades ago when I rigged in haste (as you do), and the boom came too loose to sail back in.
Sailing alone, and wind blowing offshore, I nearly ended up at docklands (ok, bit of an exaduration) but nearly enough for brown shorts.

I saw a few guys out at Point Henry, Limeburners side.
This looks a good option, once I've got some balance as I expect you'd get some chop if its northerly.
My beginner funster has a daggerboard so this is probably going to be as much of hinderance before the need for a weed fin?

I now have a 5.X sail and the larger 6 something, so can have a go in more wind ranges.

Tomorrow's probably the first real attempt again.

oh I forgot,

Ive seen you crewmasters in action at Connewarre, you probably don't want a learner wallowing around when your all doing 55 knots

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crustysailor said..
oh I forgot,

Ive seen you crewmasters in action at Connewarre, you probably don't want a learner wallowing around when your all doing 55 knots

It won't worry them. In fact when I was learning they just used me as gybe mark.

one last dumb question, some of the local guys have suggested I will need a weed fin.

I know my funster 160l has a powerbox, and the standard fin is 34cm, but can anyone suggest a fin type I can look for that may suit?
My weight is 88kg, and sail size likely is to be either of the 2 mentioned, 5.2m and 6. something

There are a few on buy and sell, but it's a bit greek to me.

JP website has little info on fins suitable for funster model.

thanks in advance

crusty...

I think a weedfin around 30-34cm would do... bigger fin will plane a bit earlier and give you a bit more upwind lift. smaller fin better for higher winds... in a perfect world two fins would be better

send me a pm if you want more info..

cheers