Hi, Im a fellow Victorian that is very interested in windsurfing. I have never windsurfed before so I am as green as they come.

Can someone please advise me on all the necessary details I will need to begin windsurfing.

kind regards

peti-me yum

Depends on where you live but probably the best thing you can do is get a few lessons to start with. Somewhere like RPS in Elwood should be able to point you in the right direction.
To start with you will need a nice floaty board around the 150lt mark. Something like a Starboard GO is a good place to start and depending on your size, a 5 - 5.8 m sail.
If you hunt around this forum, there are heaps of threads on beginners gear etc.
Otherwise if you give us an idea of what area your are likely to sail, someone local maybe able to give you some pointers. The guys that sail down here in Geelong have helped me heaps.

the sport is tremendous fun but very frustrating if you do not know what you are doing. I agree with Ocean Blue - get some lessons. There are 2 windsurfing shops in Melbourne. Both do lessons. Other than that we are all very approachable. Just grab someone and talk to them. What is your closest sailable water?

Hey Seyshell - Just looked up your profile and your closest sailable water is Lysterfield Park Lake. A few windsurfers get down there. Winds can be a little flukey . Other than that Inverloch is good and there is a business that runs lessons from Anderson's Inlet. The travelling time is not that different to heading to Port Phillip bay from your area.

Heres the WV site, www.wv.org.au/ there use to be 'WOW' 'Women on Windsurfers' group that would hold come try days and weekends away to introduce you to the sport.

Not sure if WOW still going, anyhow there are quite a few experienced women sailing in Melbourne around Brighton Dendy St / Green Point area that could help. Usually its a matter of learning to study the wind and where to go or not to bother. Summer is easy with the seabreeze usually many out at these spots.

Best bet gotoone of the Bayside stores, RPS in Elwood http://www.rpstheboardstore.com/windsurfing.htm and talk to Brendon or Warwick and they can assist you with any questions. Come along to the WV winter bash, where a friendly bunch, meet some of the other women etc.
Find out the best spots to learn, and in what wind direction etc.

Take a quick lesson and they can help decide your skill level and how quickly you may progress. The wider style hi volume learner boards these days make progressing and learning basic techniques so much quicker. Getting one of these second hand is the way to go and once youve mastered it theres plenty of more gear on offer to try and experience the thrill of going fast, doing jumps etc.

Lysterfield lake near you would be ok to start, being close and depending where you work could provided a flat water spot but the consistent wind may be a problem.

Rye front beach in a Northerly is a great spot, clean water knee to waist deep high, onshore wind, so safe as you will only get blown back to the beach if you get into trouble.

Jen at Zephar watersports at Inverloch a good choice too, she does lessons as well
on the flat water of the inlet.

One last word is those who persist and get over that initial learning curve hurdle gain entry into a great forfilling sport to last you a lifetime.

cheers and Welcome

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Seyshell said...

Hi, Im a fellow Victorian that is very interested in windsurfing. I have never windsurfed before so I am as green as they come.

Can someone please advise me on all the necessary details I will need to begin windsurfing.

kind regards

peti-me yum

My wife had a beginners windsurfing lesson from one of the guys at RPS a season ago and she was up and sailing in a straight line whithin 10-20 mins. They also showed her how to rig a sail properly and setup her board. It's certainly worth it, even if it's just the one lesson.

Being in Ringwood there's also Lilydale lake to consider.... works best on a Northerly. There's much nicer places to sail but if your desperate, and don't want to drive too far it's ok.

Thanks guys for all the information regarding windsurfing. I went on the WV website and theres a lot of information there,

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Come along to the WV winter bash, where a friendly bunch,

I might just do that! :)
I think ill sign up for a lesson to start with, buy some gear and then practice in lilydale lake after work for a while, hopefully i will be able to learn on my own this way?

Im sure ill be back to annoy you all with some more questions soon :)

Jeanine

hey ejmack

do many people sail at Lilydale Lake anymore? It used to be popular 10 - 15 years ago. I heard the weeds took over and never went there.

Well, from what I have heard they do. I stopped by a few months back on a decent Northerly and it looked ok, in fact, I would have been tempted had I had my gear. The water looked ok, no weeds from what I could see. There's a little beach and plenty of grass, with good parking. I've seen quite a few small boats out during summer but only ever one windsurfer a few years back. I rarely go there though. There's a island smack bang in the middle of the lake so I would imagine there could be a few wind shadows on anything but a true northerly. But from a beginners point of view, or somebody wanting to practice light wind sailing it would be ok I think. Personally I'd rather drive to the Bay but it's an option.