Hi all, flying over to Melbourne for business and I'll be staying in Port Melbourne for the weekend.The wind looks to be honking, so I'm going to bring my 8m & TT.

Could anyone give me some tips on where to go with that strength and direction, what to watch out for, rules of engagement, etc. Us sandgropers aren't much used to the crowds I hear you guys can get at St Kilda so a heads up on where to avoid is appreciated.

I love flatwater without too much gust and if need be happy to rent a car and get a bit out of the city. Any ideas, happy to return the favour with some advice for the wild west if anyone makes it over. 0458 555 388

W and NW forecast for all of this weekend.
Your going to need to head a little further south than St.K for a tolerable session. Westerlies are historically quite gusty at St.K and Port Melbourne. As soon as you mix in a bit of a northerly it gets considerably worse.

If your experienced and don't mind a bit of a crowd then head down to Hampton or Brighton. Both of which are accessible by public transport if your willing to take a tram then a train. If your driving then you might want to consider making a day of it and heading further south - anywhere from Frankston down to Rye should be good. You could stop short at Mordialloc or Aspendale if you see the local crew out down there.

I should mention that you won't get much in the way of flat water in a NW unless you do go right down to Rye/Rosebud.