Hi all
Very excited at the prospect of a move from rainy UK to Perth this October, have been salivating over WA wsurfing in magazines for years! Will be based in Wanneroo at first and was wondering what the best spots are, I'm pretty competent though not amazing and just getting into wavesailing but also like a good freeride/blast esp when trying out new moves. Also good places to look for some used kit, will likely be lugging a few masts and maybe sails weight allowing so need boards/sails/booms. Guessing ebay but are there recommended shops that sell used kit or websites (notice kit for sale of course on seabreeze). Also what's wetsuit thicknesses would people recommend throughout the year? Can't wait! woooo!
thanks all
From Wanneroo you'll probably sail Pinaroo Pt initially... pretty close, about a 15-20min drive. Lucky too, as you will be on the road to Lancelin which is sh!thot and only about 40min from there. Poor southern suburbs people have a 1.5hr drive.
All the shops carry second hand but that will be a bit of a drive, 30min - 45min ish.
There will be tons on seabreeze about Oct all the gear starts moving. I have a few Simmer wavesails, an EVO80 and a OES 80 (waveboard) for sale 
Wettie for summer, coming from the UK you probably won't use one. I use a 2mm springsuit in summer unless up north i ma wear boardies and a thermal rashie.
a 3 x 2 steamer for winter is plenty
Excellent news, 15-20 min you say, yipeee! Currently have to drive 2hrs each way for sail on the sea! And just looked at photos of Pinaroo Pt, looks stunning and not a pebble in sight (my idea of purgatory walking barefoot on pebble/shingle beaches). How come Lancelin's so great? Is it windier/wavier than everywhere else?
Thanks for the gear advice, where would be a good place to pick up a wetsuit and maybe some other bits n bobs (mast base etc)? Looking forward to hanging up my 5/4 steamer for a while, and no more january ice cream head!
I'm a bit of an Ezzy man but have heard good things about Simmer so might be in touch when I arrive if you still have them?
Wetties are not too hard: any surf shop which you will find one in every shopping centre. The WS shops will hook you up when you get here.
Lancelin is a large bay flat on the inside and an outer reef break about 500m out. It is famous as it can have learners 10m out, then when the afternoon seabreeze come sin the intermediates are out halfway, and wavesailors out the back .... something for everyone
I live close to wanneroo, and moved to WA for the windsurfing so you can guess that it's not a bad spot to be 
Can't go wrong with Ezzy!
3mm wetty in winter, boardies after September...
Roll on summer!
Check the buy and sell section on top of page, tons of good kit for sale, at some great deal prices.
Sent you a PM
Mineral
WA is great but make sure you bring your 5/4 for the winter unless you are equipped with personal thermal layer. I am not and use steamer in winter. The wind chill can still be pretty damn cold here!
Where abouts did you use to sail in the UK?
Mark is right. You would head to pinneroo for your everyday freeride stuff. Scarbs is about 20-30 minutes heading into town which is a good place for small onshore wind waves. Although sometimes it can also be hard work. A lot of good guys down there. And then lano is probably about 60minutes in an old van heading up north,about 100kms which is great for just crusing around on the inside or waves on the outside. There are a few other beaches nearby. Your nearest is probably mullaloo. Thats about 10-15 minutes. That beach is absolutely pristine and a few sail there. Its part of the same beach as pinneroo.
You will need a 3x2 for winter, plus maybe thermal vest and or neo vest for the coldest fronts. In summer, boardies + neo top is good, or if you like just rashie will do. A shorty is also handy for spring or cold summer days if you been sailing all day.
Some very good shops around. All in the city though. There are windshack, second wind, sos, surf and sail, Regs shop, windforce and a few others. Its pretty easy to get anything you want and you will end up just going to which ever one sells the brand you like, or has the shops guys that you get on best with.
Mark, you should try our estuary, when you have 3 rivers running into it, straight from the freezing valleys in the hills.
This stuff is cold! Nothing like the ocean.
I remember in the old days surfing halls head during a winter storm, big swell from the NW with SW wind, waist high waves peeling all the way down the beach. But the water was straight out of the mouth.
After a half hour session I had to use both hands to unlock my car, neither hand by itself had enough strength in it.
Mind you, don't think we had any sort of wetsuits then, old footy was about the best we could do.
Big beach fire afterwards, the old man's great coat and a bottle of rum, used to help.
Cool, will bring my shortie and take it from there! Based in London so used to rag it down to the south coast, mostly Hayling Island, Hove, Wittering etc. Thanks for the shop list, will check them out and had a note already from Mike aka Mineral about the GPS Challenge so will be pursuing that when I arrive. Oh happy days!
Make your own choice of what you bring, I know some who have sailed in boardies in the last 4 weeks here but if there is no additional cost to bring your 5/4 then look at the apparent temperature column in one of the posts in www.gpsteamchallenge.com.au/sailor_session/show?date=2009-08-15&team=2
smp,
heaps of second gear available either here onn seabreeze or at a variety of local shops... here are some links for Perth shops:http://windforce.com.au
www.2ndwind.com.au
www.windsurfingperth.com.au
www.surfsailaustralia.com.au/WindHardware/Windsurfing
www.windsurfing.net.au
sossurf.com.au
www.windshack.com
Hope I didn't leave anyone out
You might also want to consider joining Windsurfing WA (website seems to be down for renovations... www.windsurfingwa.org.au ...they organise some fun events for all standards and you get insurance thrown in. Good way to meet a few crew.
Yer i wouldn't worrie about a thick wettie, my 5/3 hasn't been out the van this winter,3/2 or less is fine.. and in a month or so it will be shorty weather..
