I am looking for some good flat water locations to sail. I am a beginner so I need very flat water. I went for a sail on Saturday at Seacliff and had a disastrous time in the rolling swell and onshore breeze.
Can anyone recommend spots and the appropriate wind directions. I have sailed at Westlake's while doing lesson but I really hate the gusty conditions it presents.
Boggy lake with the wind direction from anywhere south is one of the best places to learn and advance you can stand in most parts of the lake it is flat in light wind and if you get into trouble when the wind is from the south you just get blown back to the shore. Most Saturdays and Sundays if there is some wind there will be windsurfers down at Boggy.
Here is the boggy fact sheet:
www.windsurfing.org/files/FactSheet_Boggy_Lake.pdf
Sea cliff is a great place to learn, best in a SW breeze, there is a large sand bank there which is great to learn on.
Another couple of good spots would be goolwa lake, where we learnt to sail.
We also check out Kent reserve at victor harbor, good flat water , consistent winds, best in southerly and SW winds, Our daughter loves his spot to learnt at
Boggy is also a great spot, flat water, good consultant winds and plenty of friendly crew, but watch out for the cow patties. Works best in a SW
Persevere with sea cliff , invest in some booties though.
Lee. I'm taking the day off tomorrow and going to North Haven for some slalom sailing (NE, N and then NW winds). It's the flattest water on the metro coast.
West lakes can be good. It's super flat and ideal for the very early stages. Can get a little gusty as the wind increases though.
Try rigging and sailing just south of the caravan park, there's a cafe there, wear booties. Perfect at low and high tide for learning.
. Here's the place:
Is the any thing wrong with sailing in the patawalonger, north of the king street bridge? Would it be ok on a westerly/easterly wind?
Gusty westlakes is better than the pat, so until you get the waterstarts and beachstarts sorted out stick to westlakes / goolwa lake / boggy, or maybe seacliff on a very calm day.
Sailed Glenelg north years ago and got a really sick from the polluted water coming out of the pat, never sailed near it again.
Cheers
Graeme
If you sail Westlakes you just need to pick the right spot to suit the wind direction.
Northerly - Bower road end of lake by the dragon boat club.
SW-SE - legtrap (Dotterel Drive) has nice lawn and toilets
SW - Tiranna way (dont go here on a s-se as its gusty due to footy park and houses interferring)
S - Main rowing lake, providing there is no rowing on, unless you like causing a bit of chaos.
That said, yep its still a lake thats gusty due to effects of houses etc but the above guide is what i use when i take my daughters to teach them.
other than that the suggestions from Divaldo, JN1 and legless are all great to in the right conditions.
Good luck with your learning 
Leenis. I used West Lakes heaps when I started for the only purpose of learning beach and water starts. Pretty much what Bondage said.
