ben83 said..
Hello,

New to windsurfing and have a couple questions (i apologies if this has been covered before)

Are there any clubs that meet on a regular basis over summer and cater for beginners?
What is the best way to get into the windsurfing community? windsurfing Victoria membership etc....
I live in the West (Altona), what are good beaches for a beginner?


Any info would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers, Ben

You could sign up for a Windsurf Victoria membership, then you can get access to their club board, which is a good decent sized learning board. Head down to Sandringham Harbour and practice.

Or you could hunt around for a learner board and sail over Altona way. I have heard a few guys go off over that way.

Certainly helps to sail where others sail to keep the momentum up, and to get tips.

Learning locations I used, St Kilda Harbour area and pretty much anywhere towards Port M. And Sandringham Harbour.

When learning - sail in wind that is coming onto the beach, even if its at an angle, dead on can be a little hard to learn on, and watch the tides - if the wind is coming from the shore it can send you out too far from the shore :/

Recommend getting lessons for a few times to learn the basics.

Inverloch Windsurfing Club have a pretty good developmental system for learners, so if you can get down there, it could speed up your progress as a learner, then once you have some confidence, can make more use of the Port P Bay, which is an awesome place to sail.

Or, if that's too far, I recon SHQ Beach hut is a good place to get taught, spend half a day with a one on one, and you'll learn heaps in the right conditions.

Good luck.

I sailed at the werribee south today. Just near the Werribee South Caravan Park. It was off shore and nasty gusty.

There is a river inlet which I think would be good for learners on a south to south easterly. At about 12 knots. But I'm not sure how often this occurs.

I seriously suggest a weekend away down to invaloch to get started.

Altona beach is pretty good for learning - but on a SW and at high tide.

I wouldn't recommend williamstown.

the easiest place to learn is head to the coast (west side).

good places (to learn on reasonably flat water) are point henry on tide tide (anything with n and W), swan bay (most directions) - really good for learning.

then move up to point danger at torquay which is safer than it sounds on SW

Hi All,

Thanks for all the advice and information.

I drove down to Inverloch on Sunday for a sail with the IWC crew. Awesome bunch of blokes, great location and really helpful for a beginner.
Would recommend the club to any beginner "like myself" out there learning to sail. Now a club member and cant wait for the next event.

Cheers

Ben.

drift said..
Hi Ben,
Great to see you down there and getting out amongst it....I saw that you got some nice little runs and the board/ sail combo looked spot on now it is tuned...you didn't even hit a sandbank which is a feat within itself!

Just let us know next time you are down...who knows, we might even take you to Area45...

Now that is an initation!