Forums > Windsurfing General

Anyone tried spots around French Island, Melbourne?

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Created by eperf > 9 months ago, 7 Jul 2023
eperf
VIC, 23 posts
7 Jul 2023 5:16PM
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Hastings Yacht Club or Blind Bight Boat Ramp on Google Maps (satellite view and 360 photos)
look similar to Inverlock Boat Ramp - i.e. worth trying
...unless someone already had bad experience there or sailing is forbidden?

Looking for flat water spots

Inverlock is almost 2 hour drive and those 2 spots are twice closer, which makes them attractive.
I can usually spend only half a day for a windsurfing trip and not the whole day

Any advice?

Thank you!

kato
VIC, 3507 posts
7 Jul 2023 5:20PM
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No. Reef island is as far as I've got. There is a 5 kt speed limit at the boat ramp I believe. Good luck as I'm always keen to find something that works in a northerly

40knots
VIC, 88 posts
29 Jul 2023 6:51AM
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It has a huge tide and low tide is very low. Turns into small channels that is really only for power boats. Cowes yacht club run a race around French island for the cats. I will ask some of the guys, they race for something like 8 hours straight and run into the sandbanks around the other side

sailquik
VIC, 6165 posts
3 Aug 2023 7:12PM
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Yes. The Eastern Channel, beside French island on a very low tide and West to NW wind can have an amazing speed bank, but the tides are rarely low enough on those wind directions. We tried it out quite a few years ago (2008?) with a charter boat from Warneet, so access is really boat only. Has huge potential if you line the wind and tides up.

sailquik
VIC, 6165 posts
11 Aug 2023 7:16PM
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I finally found the post from when we did an expedition to Westernport Bay, Eastern Channel on 04/03 2009

www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Windsurfing/Gps/A-Bit-of-an-Adventure

and on GPSTC: gpsteamchallenge.com.au/sailor_session/show?date=2009-03-04&team=16

I also did a tinny boat trip a few months later with Tom Chalko and explored right down past French Island. Not much more to report except what we already knew. It needs a very low tide, and that is rare to never on a strong NW wind.

I'm still searching for the video my son made with no luck so far.



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"Anyone tried spots around French Island, Melbourne?" started by eperf