Hi Gents,
I seek your advice about windsurfing at Boggy vs Goolwa (near Jet Skis). Im a beginner -I can get into harness and I can uphaul on a 120L board (weigh 73kg). Yesterday I sailed at Goolwa in the "shallows" because I wanted to try water stating. It started off calm then changed SE about 20knts...but i found it very gusty and I dared not try the foot straps because when the wind dropped out the back of the board sunk and I had to move forward anyhow to balance it.
Cant tack or jibe reliably on this board yet.
To be honest it was hard to enjoy it... I think the gusts were my issue...apart from my lack of skill of course (which I trying to develop)
So my question is, would Boggy Lake be better to Learn at. Ive been there a few times but it quickly gets deep unless I stay very close to the shore.
Someone mentioned that:
1 To the south west end of the lake (approx 1.5km from the launch location), there is about 200m of 1m deep water that speed sailors go to. Is that correct and where is this on the Boggy Map. would you recommend it for learning at? ...seems a fair distance away and the weather can turn nasty very quickly...may not be able to get back..and its a very isolated location as well!
2 Boggy is less gusty than Goolwa. Is that correct?
What do you suggest?
I have sailed boggy for over a decade. Unless you are very short you can touch the bottom for most of the lake...it does get deep in the main lake but you have to go a long way from the rigging area to get there and we only do that on the odd N'ly. I doubt you'd have gone out there. The speed spots are largely against the far reed banks where any chop is dampened but still expect gusts.
Boggy's a good place to learn because of the shallow depth - waterstarts are less taxing as you don't need to swim. Saving energy is important to beginners (although you still must learn the skill to waterstart in the deep). Plus you can walk home when you break something. It does get gusty and choppy on certain directions but that's sailing for you.
But come down in a SW'ly afternoon seabreeze (prevalent summer wind there) and you'll be treated to constant warm winds in the mid to high teens until sundown. It's glorious. They will be starting soon.
If you are learning, want tips etc, sail with other windsurfers, boggy is a great place to learn, shallow a long way out and fairly consistent wind. You might also want to consider sea cliff on a SW at medium of low tide, same with semaphore and north haven.
Personally I cannot stand jet skis, so I would go as far away from them as possible
Well lads, unfortunately I am short in stature ie approx 1.5m at the shoulders, so boggy does get deep for me and the life jack doesn't help!
Yes I hate jet skis with a passion too Divaldo!
Is it risky to sail out to those reed beds approx 1.5km away?
Those reedbeds are (usually) well upwind on the prevalent direction. Which means coming home on big downwind runs, potentially over chop which can be a harrowing ride if it picks up. The shallowest bits are those that hug the shoreline to the east and west of the rigging area, but to keep in them you need very specific on/off shore winds which are not Boggy's specialty.
Trousers,
Your a Legend!
Your advice is excatly what I was guessing may happen on the way back from the reedbeds!
OK sounds like Boggy is good but along the shore.
Any incidents wit snakes?
Discus. Any Easterly direction at Goolwa is no good. Head to Boggy if it's this direction as SE at Boggy is fantastic (especially late summer systems).
Goolwa has shallow spots in the middle and at the very end. This is the point to hop off, tune you gear, have a rest, or experiment. Goolwa also has the advantage of being saltier than Boggy, giving your board more buoyancy, which will make it easier to get on the plane, carve, and control etc. In my opinion, The SW wind at Goolwa is much more consistent than SWer at Boggy in summer and doesn't change directions like it does at Boggy.
For wind consistency, nothing is going to bet the ocean ie: Seacliff.
JN1,
Thank you for your advice. Your always a great resource.
If I hadn't experienced the SE winds I would have not believed how difficult they are at Goolwa!
I think in the early days of learning, the benefits of the consistent waist deep water at Goolwa outweigh the disadvantage of the gusty winds (in wind directions affected by the sandhills).
Once you're at the point where you don't spend much time in the water (either accidentally or deliberately for a rest), then Boggy will be easier.
If you're competent to sail (generally upwind in a SW) to the opposite SW side of Boggy Lake, then you will reach similar waist deep water but with more consistent winds.
Yeah, snakes happen. You'll see them swimming in the water during the really hot days... I just give them a wide berth. In decades of sailing le'bog there's been zero snake-related incidents to my knowledge.
Tomorrow (Wed) afternoon and (according to forecast) Sunday's looking good. Sou-Westers but they're system driven, so frontal (not sea breeze which are far more consistent). But both should be very sail-able days. Come down and say hello.
I've met quite a few beginners down there this year. Great to see people picking up the sport, considering the degree of skill you got to muster to get to basic levels is among the highest in watersports. But you're in the harness which is one of the major hurdles, just the straps to go and you're sorted.
Hi Trousers,
Thanks for your replies.
I look forward to meeting. cant Wednesday (working), But Sunday may be a possibility. Ill llet you know. I sail a Fanatic Hawk 123L white.
Regards
Let me guess - you just bought that Hawk 2nd hand from someone in Mawson Lakes? I think we already met on that day... :)
Trousers!
How are you Buddy!......that's a funny thing with not knowing who we are corresponding with on-line!
Thanks for the advice Ill try to get to Boggy on Sunday!
dextersurf,
Thanks for your opinion Buddy.
I also see the merit of your advice as well....Maybe Boggy in SE winds!..but who really knows what the wind is going to do anyhow...I guess its all related to developing skill level to make the most of the conditions available....
Hi
bit late to the topic but just thought I could add , I am just over the starting out stage and have been riding for about 3 seasons .Can get very frustrating but keep at it . Just wanted to say when I was learning water starts and and footstraps I went to bog all the time. I found it to be the best place to learn as being a bit taller than you I can touch all the way across . I found if I went from one side to the other you get knee deep water to turn set your self and go again . It is better in a sw but I find as a beginner most wind Directions worked and being Abel to get going the get in the straps , hook in and blast for some time made it good to practice getting up wind and gave you a bit of time to just enjoy the sailing . My point is if you just go from one side to the other at boggy you fine the water is about knee deep and that I think as a beginner it is a great spot to learn .
Have fun
Bluetroopy, your a Legend!
I welcome all advice! thanks for the encouragement!
when you say fron one side to the other do you mean East and West along the shore we rig from or across to the other side of the lake at the southerm "arm" ?..thats about a km away...no problems with fast weather deterioration?
Actually on a SW, you might find that on the other side is just the reeds, its not shallow at all... you will need a NW at a stretch west.. unless you tack or gybe up wind to get to the shallow area. keep in mind the reeds over the other side don't mean land. it is shoulder deep and I'm 6'3 (was there on Wednesday).
Be careful, late in the day it can drop out, but I reckon you will be right on ya hawk to chug back in.
If you need any info we will be there on tomorrow around 11 hope to see you there.
Shane
I been sailing for 25 years and I cant tack a short board, forget it and I only make 20% jibes in choppy waters. i am old fart if I not making jibes I just drop in water and keep sail above water and water start, boggy is the go it gets shallower as the summer comes. don't worry about looking a fool we all did when we started, just don't ding your board, I sail goowla a lot its a pain, till the seabreezes come dec to feb, sail with people watch and learn. try just learning one thing at a time, get the hop and pump sail on to plane before putting front foot in straps, don't worry about back foot yet unless its very windy, then learn to waterstart. uphauling a pain takes to much energy.
Kym, Phoebe and I sailed at Goolwa yesterday in the NW winds, a couple of crew out, I have to say, this is a tops place to learn, as it was knee to waist deep for about 150 metres (out to the channel markers) sandy bottom, grass rigging area, only a few jetskis as it was too windy. Phoebe spent 2 hours cruising in and out, mucking around with harness lines, trying foot straps, she could beach start in most areas, only had to up haul a few times as she got in some deeper water,
Yes a great spot!
I went Boggy on Sunday, westerly..great to have company with so many fellow windsurfers!
It was a challenge because of my height, and the 25knot gusts!...But the wind seemed reasonably "consistent" ...for what winds are!...
Unfortunately the Goolwa site you mentioned ...has not been very attended by too many people when Ive been there...
Im likely to go Goolwa at times anyhow to improve my skills (water-start and foot-straps).. .
Perhaps both sites are good !
Okay Discus, the observations back you up...I'll grudgingly admit it got up to 25kts! Sunday was a tough day - very choppy direction and some reasonably stiff gusts at times. You did well to persevere as long as you did. Don't get disheartened - we all were learners once.
There's a saying in windsurfing called 'time on water' which is just as it sounds: No matter your level - to sail better you need to get out there as much as you can.
See you next windy one!
Hi Trousers,
I enjoyed it Buddy!...as I mentioned really great to have fellow windsurfers about!
I will persevere!...I love the sport, and Im meeting some great people as well!
good to meet you today at boggy, looks like your getting it, may be a good idea to hold on to your board when you fall off its a long swim to catch your board, having said that we all done it ha ha, if it was offshore in ocean, its bye bye board.
I had a sail down Goolwa today near the jet ski hire.it was 16knots with 20 knot gusts but I think the sandhills stops the wind a bit with lots of gusts..slowly learning to stop the sail pulling me in back leg bent and getting a bit low.trying to counterbalance from getting pulled in .I was actually cruising along sort of fast.or right maybe not fast but faster I have been before. .im thinking about going to boggy for a sail with other people and get lots of hints from what im doing wrong. what strength wind should I go up to boggy for a sail .still early stage of learning.i think nothing over 15knots that's all I can handle..but would there be people there in low winds. thanks
Select to expand quotekdalton said..
I had a sail down Goolwa today near the jet ski hire.it was 16knots with 20 knot gusts but I think the sandhills stops the wind a bit with lots of gusts..slowly learning to stop the sail pulling me in back leg bent and getting a bit low.trying to counterbalance from getting pulled in .I was actually cruising along sort of fast.or right maybe not fast but faster I have been before. .im thinking about going to boggy for a sail with other people and get lots of hints from what im doing wrong. what strength wind should I go up to boggy for a sail .still early stage of learning.i think nothing over 15knots that's all I can handle..but would there be people there in low winds. thanks
Goolwa is perfect in 15 knot on a SW (best direction). Go to Rankines if this is the case. The wind is pretty consistent at the water edge and the middle of the lake. If it's not SW, then go to Boggy (don't forget to take a bottle of port for Carl and Doecke 
).
Select to expand quotejn1 said..kdalton said..
I had a sail down Goolwa today near the jet ski hire.it was 16knots with 20 knot gusts but I think the sandhills stops the wind a bit with lots of gusts..slowly learning to stop the sail pulling me in back leg bent and getting a bit low.trying to counterbalance from getting pulled in .I was actually cruising along sort of fast.or right maybe not fast but faster I have been before. .im thinking about going to boggy for a sail with other people and get lots of hints from what im doing wrong. what strength wind should I go up to boggy for a sail .still early stage of learning.i think nothing over 15knots that's all I can handle..but would there be people there in low winds. thanks
Goolwa is perfect in 15 knot on a SW (best direction). Go to Rankines if this is the case. The wind is pretty consistent at the water edge and the middle of the lake. If it's not SW, then go to Boggy (don't forget to take a bottle of port for Carl and Doecke ).
Part of the leaning curve is reading the weather for the spots you want to sail at.
For Boggy the BOM MetEye is pretty accurate. It has predictions for every three hours, so you can tell what time would be good for your preferred wind strength.
Use the zoom in button to the region you are looking at, then tab on the day and then the time.
This Saturday it is currently predicting 10:30 5 -10knts 1:30 10-15 knts 4:30 15-20knts
Saturdays are the most popular days at Boggy but now summer is here any day there is wind you may find someone there.
Mickhair,
Great to meet you as well.
I sure learnt the lesson about holding on to the board next time I fall in (if I can!) and not to sail with strong off-shore winds!!!
Thanks for your advice!
Kdalton,
I normally go t0 Boggy on Sundays if the wind forecast is more than 7knts between 10 to 4.30. not sure I can help (Im a beginner as well) but Ill be there most times.
