I have never done it myself as rarely is a direct offshore wind clean enough near the break, plus if you bust something it's goodnight Aus Hello New Zealand.
I have sailed about 45deg cross-off thru to a bit more offshore, but only when it was light grovel weather (about 12kn). On that day the waves were absolutely magic head hi (face value) and glassy as you can ever imagine. Trouble is, when sinking around, as soon as a wave starts to pick you up, you have to run down the face which means you are heading too upwind. If you stay on a reach the wave pitches u over sideways. Either way you just can't get onto a bloody wave A real pisser cos if you are planing before you get to the wave it is fine, same as straight onshore is.
