A friend and I are "advanced beginner" level windsurfers (waterstarting but only recently getting into footstraps) who sail in Bayside on the Port Phillip Bay. We're thinking about doing a day trip out somewhere like Inverloch or Sandy Point where we can experience good wind (i.e. 18+ knots) but take the chop that one gets on Port Phillip Bay out of the equation. Hoping to use this experience to work on general skills (gybing, etc.).

Can people recommend a location for a day trip but also advise on what we should look for in terms of forecast (e.g. look for a south westerly in the afternoon, etc.). Also what forecasts sites are reliable for those spots (e.g. Willy Weather, Predict Wind, Seabreeze, etc.)?

Any other tips or things to look for (e.g. good launching spots, tide levels, etc.) for a good experience at these sites welcome.

Try Inverloch Windsurfing Club web site as a starting point