Anyone tried spots around French Island, Melbourne?

2 years ago
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eperf
eperf
VIC
23 posts
VIC, 23 posts
7 Jul 2023 5:16pm
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
kato
VIC
3527 posts
VIC, 3527 posts
7 Jul 2023 5:20pm
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
40knots
VIC
88 posts
VIC, 88 posts
29 Jul 2023 6:51am
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
sailquik
VIC
6171 posts
VIC, 6171 posts
3 Aug 2023 7:12pm
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
sailquik
VIC
6171 posts
VIC, 6171 posts
11 Aug 2023 7:16pm
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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