Hello fellow Windsurfers.

I may have to move from Sydney to Melbourne and I was wondering whether you can give me some advise what windsurfing is like in VIC.

- What is the best month/season to windsurf around Melbourne and how many knots do you get?
- Are there any good sailing spots within 45min driving distance around the CBD?
- What is the water temp in summer/winter?

My sail range is between 4.1 - 8.4sqm and my board range is between 77 - 123L, do I have to bring all?

Thanking you all for your feedback

Cheers,
Marty

you wont need your 8.4 so leave that in sydney. this time of year you might get a bit of use out of your 4.1 size sail. but as we move more near summer the size you will sail with the most is a 5.4 wave sail nothing else. that's all i use over spring and summer. and i have one other sail a 6.6 koncept that i use sometimes for speed sailing.

Board : you can get away with a wave board 100- 90 L range. i have friends that sail with boards that size all the time. i am useing a 120 jp excite board as my main board at the moment and finding it way to big.

and you will need a 4,3 wet suit and a spring suit.

So you can get away with a medium to light wind wave board
and a 5.4 -5.5 wave sail. you dont need much else

45 mins from the city : you can windsurf green point. It's a bump and jump type beach. and on some days the chop can get pretty wild. works NW,SW

kite beach, st. kilda is great. again it's not flat. allways has a swell rolling in from the other side of the bay. works S, SW

Rickets point is another great spot and gets some great side shore jumping conditions. works SE

I think july and august in winter seem to be the best months to windsurf. They said we had the windiest august ever on record last winter.

Plenty of sailing places and variable condition (bay/waves) all within 45 kms drive of CBD. Bay gets great just need to know which direction to go where... be prepared to drive aorund a little to get best conditons.

Definately bring all gear.... just dont bring that pet of yours you have in your picture... that is not welcome.

4/3 wetti will get you year round sailing.....

bay temp- http://www.earthsci.unimelb.edu.au/~awatkins/temps.html

other resources are obviously seabreeze and

www.earthsci.unimelb.edu.au/~awatkins/bay.html


Very handy.

Look at www.thewindmap.com for idea on locations

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windtechno said...

you wont need your 8.4 so leave that in sydney.

Rubbish!!!!!! I use my 8.5 quite often on those 10 - 15knot days with a wide 105 lt board. In fact I could have used it today when the wind dropped out.

Myself and the guys I sail with have sails that range from 4.5 up to 8.5 with board sizes ranging from 75 to 120. It really depends on what sort of sailing you like to do. Victoria has everything from surf, bump and jump through to flat water blasting.
Get a warm wetsuit though for winter.

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OceanBlue64 said...

windtechno said...

you wont need your 8.4 so leave that in sydney.

Rubbish!!!!!! I use my 8.5 quite often on those 10 - 15knot days with a wide 105 lt board. In fact I could have used it today when the wind dropped out.

Myself and the guys I sail with have sails that range from 4.5 up to 8.5 with board sizes ranging from 75 to 120. It really depends on what sort of sailing you like to do. Victoria has everything from surf, bump and jump through to flat water blasting.
Get a warm wetsuit though for winter.

We dont use 8.5 size sails this side of the bay. I dont think i have ever seen a sail that size to be honest this side of the bay. next time you are over here drop in and visit the boys at green point on a windy day. you wont see any 8m sails ever. they all will be on wave gear.

Marty, That quiver is perfect for Melb, we get everything. 77 and 4.4 perfect for a big day at Green Point and the 123 and 8.4 just the ticket for cruising in a soft 12-15 knot seabreeze. Your set!!!

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windtechno said...
We dont use 8.5 size sails this side of the bay. I dont think i have ever seen a sail that size to be honest this side of the bay. next time you are over here drop in and visit the boys at green point on a windy day. you wont see any 8m sails ever. they all will be on wave gear.

Y you won't see 8.5 on a windy day but I frequently see people at Green Point and bayside on 7.5+ and 120+ boards, especially for the summer breeze.
In summer on Hampton beach its mainly Starboard Go's at 150L+
5.4 alone will get you through the summer !?
It does depend upon what wind your prepared to go out in, but if he owns an 8.5 I'm betting hes happy to go out in less wind, which is frequent anytime of year.
Many times I've wished I had c.8.5

Welcome to Vic Enceladus
Each to their own in gear selection but being a 80plus kg sailor my sail range is 4.7 - 8.5 with 105 and 144 ltr boards. Hey windtechno even at Inverloch the 8.5 has been out on numerous occasions. All my equipment gets a workout and I have sailed both sides of the bay, Inverloch, Lysterfield, Cooling ponds, The PIT and Apollo Bay
My suggestion is bring the lot

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Point and bayside on 7.5+ and 120+ boards, especially for the summer breeze.
In summer on Hampton beach its mainly Starboard Go's at 150L+
5.4 alone will get you through the summer !?

Every one mainly uses Starboard Go's in summer most the time. haha good one mate.

Well i am 90 kilos and if you guys want to send the message to this guy that we all sail 8.5 m sails through winter and summer go ahead.

Enceladus out main wind range is 5-10 knots and every weekend you will see us out with 8.5m sails very simular to china our wind is. hope we have helped you

It's true then..... red bull does give you wings!

Enceladus - my opinion would be to bring all of your gear if possible!

Thank you all for your response.

I guess I bring the lot to be able to got in lighter wind.

I guess I have to invest in a thicker steamer. Are you wearing board shorts during summer or is the water still too cold?

Did I get this right that you have only light wind during the summer months?

Cheers,
Marty

windaddict and zacd where a you bro's to back me up??? we all use 5m sails stick up for me

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Enceladus said...

Thank you all for your response.

I guess I bring the lot to be able to got in lighter wind.

I guess I have to invest in a thicker steamer. Are you wearing board shorts during summer or is the water still too cold?

Did I get this right that you have only light wind during the summer months?

Cheers,
Marty

I have only been windsurfing for 2.5 years but I have found decent sea-breezes in summer are generally 15-20 kts top end of the bay. For me a 6.5m cambered sail (and 110 litre board) covers me for 70% of the summer sailing I do. In winter I tend to use my 5.5m and lower more often. But, I don't live all that close to the water so I tend to sail mostly weekends and the occasional afternoon or day off.

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Enceladus said...

Thank you all for your response.

I guess I bring the lot to be able to got in lighter wind.

I guess I have to invest in a thicker steamer. Are you wearing board shorts during summer or is the water still too cold?

Did I get this right that you have only light wind during the summer months?

Cheers,
Marty

In the bay I generally wear boardies in summer with a "wetsuit" rashie (0.5mm I think). However there was one day early december last year I needed a full steamer. A few weeks ago at Green Point I sweated in a steamer from the car park to the beach (30 deg) and then froze in the water....dam bay and air temp change rapidly down here.

Summer seabreeze is generally 15-20knots sometimes a tad more sometimes a tad less. I weigh 85kgs and will be using a 5.8/5.2m sail and 85lt/106lt board combo. And then you get your late spring/early summer SW fronts - 4.7/4.2m and less!!

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windtechno said...



Point and bayside on 7.5+ and 120+ boards, especially for the summer breeze.
In summer on Hampton beach its mainly Starboard Go's at 150L+
5.4 alone will get you through the summer !?

Every one mainly uses Starboard Go's in summer most the time. haha good one mate.

You guys are funny. The only days when there are mainly 150L+ boards at Hampton are weekend days when the wind is pretty crap . I sail at Hampton all the time and usually people are on a lot smaller gear. I always use a 110L or smaller. 110L works well for me from ~12kn with a 7.0 given my ~80kg.

I get through most of the year with a 6.0 and smaller. However, in late summer and autumn, when there is not much wind, large sails come in handy if you want to sail in light winds. Personally, I wouldn't bother with anything over 7.5 though. But I'm on the lighter side and board and sail size depend on body weight...

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Enceladus said...



Did I get this right that you have only light wind during the summer months?

Nah mate - Summer is windy!!! All the time! You can count on a 20knot plus seabreeze 5 days out of 7 and at least once or twice a week it will approach 30knots! Melbourne is a windy place and awesome for windsurfing - bring all your gear 'cause you'll never want to go back to Sydney!

See ya at the beach!

PS for summer sea breezes you can't beat the end of Dendy St in Brighton!!!

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ejmack said...

I tend to sail mostly weekends and the occasional afternoon or day off.

The 'occasional' day off...bit of poetic license there EJ. I sometimes sit here in awe at how many 'occasional days off' you manage to fit in an average working week. As our friends in the housing projects of Harlem would say r.e.s.p.e.c.t.a

Ok, you got me Steve! How's once in a blue moon sound....better?

Seriously though, I think I'm gonna have to vote "no" to the Inverloch Surf Camera proposal, otherwise I might just get sprung a lot more!

Got the new board yet? I'm sure it'll make a good nappy change table once you do!

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ejmack said...





Got the new board yet? I'm sure it'll make a good nappy change table once you do!

Boards due next week...although think I might be using it as a temporary bed in the shed.... Sleep....just an hour's worth...please...

I think the most important thing to bear in mind is that Melbourne has better food and therefore more wind.

witness

www.windfinder.com/windstatistics/fawkner_beacon_hampton_beach?utm_source=www.windfinder.com&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=redirect

BEATS

www.windfinder.com/windstats/windstatistic_botany_bay_sydney.htm

Sydney wins by a whisker on force 4 plus days in summer but gets its ass kicked soundly on average wind (which to be honest means that Melbourne gets the bigger days)

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Every one mainly uses Starboard Go's in summer most the time. haha good one mate.

Yeah that not quite what i said is it now ?
Frequently when i finish work in the summer the wind is marginal.
Face it, it often is.
You take yourself home and wait for the 3 windiest days of the summer.
I'd rather go out on a big board than not.
When its been like that (and I'm talking about Hampton Beach, NOT Green Point in a Northerly) it has appeared to me that the most people out are on big boards and on Hampton Beach (in preference to most of the rest of Bayside).
I think Hampton is also popular for beginners due to the all around safe downwind beaches and the shelter of the Sandringham Yacht Club waterbreak.

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Every one mainly uses Starboard Go's in summer most the time. haha good one mate.

Yeah that not quite what i said is it now ?
Frequently when i finish work in the summer the wind is marginal.
Face it, it often is.
I'd rather go out on a big board than not.
When its been like that (and I'm talking about Hampton Beach, NOT Green Point in a Northerly) it has appeared to me that the most people out are on big boards and on Hampton Beach (in preference to most of the rest of Bayside).
I think Hampton is also popular for beginners due to the all around safe downwind beaches and the shelter of the Sandringham Yacht Club waterbreak.

Enceladus, I'll see you down Bayside this summer on the water whilst Windtechno is waiting at home for the 3 windiest days of the year so he can go out using a twig for a board and a postage stamp for a sail.

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STEVE BAYSIDE :Enceladus, I'll see you down Bayside this summer on the water whilst Windtechno is waiting at home for the 3 windiest days of the year so he can go out using a twig for a board and a postage stamp for a sail.

WINDTECHNO: you must not of got out much last summer did you? if you can get me a pic of a go board at green point in summer when the south westlys have kicked in. i will buy you a slab of beer. same for rickets in the SE get me a pic to proove it. you will never find one. Did'nt ya read what GINGER POM posted?? And by the way i only go out in 15-20 knots so your saying we only get them 3 days a year, ok then.

First southerly of the seaon yesterday!

Had an AWESOME sail from 6pm-7:30pm at Dendy St Brighon on a 98L JP Freestyle and 6.1Firefly wave sail! Looking forward to the Summer.

Melb has conditions and locations to suit all levels and all equipment which is one of the things that make it such a great place for windsurfing!

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FletcHuz said...



Melb has conditions and locations to suit all levels and all equipment which is one of the things that make it such a great place for windsurfing!

Exactly! Wind can vary from 5 - 50 knots. If you really like your windsurfing and plan to get out as often as possible, bring all your gear.
Nothing worse than it blowing a consistant 10 - 12 knots and all you can do is sit on the beach with your 5.5 while guys on bigger gear are having fun cruising in the sun

Lets all get along now cause Santa claws will be here soon and when the wind is up all i can say is thank you santa. It's nearly christmas boys

bring everything...

spring is best, summer doesn't disappoint, autumn seabreezes and wind can be fickle and winter is usually really good...

on a bad week in summer and spring there will be 3-4 days a week you can sail seabreezes between 15-25 knots, on a good week 5-6 days are sailable (sometimes 7 but you may want to have a rest anyway)

be prepared for the hot gusty N-NW summer days, anywhere b/n 25-40knots, and after the change W-SW winds.

You will always find a spot to sail in the bay in any directions!

From what I have heard and read we get better seabreezes than QLD and Sydney (not intended to be a Melb v Syd remark)

If you move you won't be disappointed with the wind, maybe with the temperature :)

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ginger pom said...

I think the most important thing to bear in mind is that Melbourne has better food and therefore more wind.

witness

www.windfinder.com/windstatistics/fawkner_beacon_hampton_beach?utm_source=www.windfinder.com&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=redirect

BEATS

www.windfinder.com/windstats/windstatistic_botany_bay_sydney.htm

Sydney wins by a whisker on force 4 plus days in summer but gets its ass kicked soundly on average wind (which to be honest means that Melbourne gets the bigger days)

Hi GP,

slight change in topic... thanks for posting windfinder stats the info is great - i didn't know it existed...

word of caution when looking at these stats, the data is only collected just over 5 years for Sydney and lessthan 3 years for Melbourne....

based on a bad winter or summer the avg's may be skewed.... especially for Melb.

The BOM would most likely have data going back decades...

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FletcHuz said...

First southerly of the seaon yesterday!

Had an AWESOME sail from 6pm-7:30pm at Dendy St Brighon on a 98L JP Freestyle and 6.1Firefly wave sail! Looking forward to the Summer.

That was a really good season opener! Similar setup for me: 110L and 6.0.
Average board size at Hampton was definitely below 150L .

Question you need to ask "do I like cruising on my big board with the 8.4 in 12-15 knots?" If the answer is yes then bring it as it will definitely get used.
If the answer is no then don't, simple as that.

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ejmack said...

Enceladus - my opinion would be to bring all of your gear if possible!

I second that! In the bay I use 4.5m on freeride up to 8.5 on formula. Will go bigger and smaller when I can afford it.

Particularly in the summer seabreezes I use my large gear 75% of the time then vice-versa to small gear in winter.

Welcome to Vic