I looked at it on Sunday too. Thought about tacking out from oceanworld but no parking on a Sunday. We used to sail out of little manly 20 years ago, it was good fun once you were out. Your not supposed to cross the ferry path either which covers a fairly large area

I sail that part of the harbour pretty regularly and tend to launch off the Fairlight Baths for both NE and Southerlies. Parking is normally OK when it's blowing and you get plenty of grassed rigging area. You need to work upwind a bit as the ideal run is generally between Reef Beach and Manly Pt (tomp's private beach area) as you get a nice funnelling effect and flat water close to the beaches on both ends for some aggressive gybing.

On a decent swell it's a bit nasty launching from the Fairlight Baths as there's plenty of rocks and a breaking wave (surfable at 3m+) and not a lot of space to get upwind. In these conditions I'll launch from down near the Oceanarium as there's good grass rigging, lots of sand on the beach and the swell never gets too threatening in there (park up near the Manly Pavilion restaurant entry). Can be a bit patchy until you're out past the netted swimming area and its almost pure upwind to get out so a bit of effort, but in a decent southerly you can get some great conditions.

Steve, I think I saw your gear on Fairlight beach (path) the other afternoon. I looked around for a bit as the rig was unattached so I guessed you were nearby? Do you walk you gear down as Fairlight Cres. is shocking for parking. Can you get out from Fairlight in one run in a NE. Do you then stay in the harbour on go a bit more downwind towards Middle Head?

Ben, I've never bothered walking from Beatty St. I enjoy tacking up from the wharf side, once you're out 200m the wind is fine. I now have a 91L JP so that is my flatwater board. I've sometimes had the waves semi-breaking into Reef beach but it needs to be SE/ESE swell & I wouldn't call it waveriding but still fun.

Hope some 20K NE this week although swell has dropped.

Ben, I'm assuming you mean Wanda Sat? Looks like decent NE Thu, Fri, Sat with small swell. Dare I ask about Gerroa, wind is looking a bit NNE and E/NE swell, wind guaranteed though!!!

Thanks for all the replies. Very good info.

From what it seems, it's a matter of just making the decision to get in and have a go! I guess there'll always be parking challenges around that area, and always moored boats to navigate bewtween.

At least the windy days are somewhat less popular around the harbour for most folks!

Reading this thread inspired me to give manly a go this afternoon, launched from little manly. Not the best windsurf ever, boats were a pain to get through and wind was a bit all over the place. Good to be 5 mins from home but otherwise the highlight was laughing at a family with a very expensive looking power boat trying to get it on to a trailer on the back of their Q7..... 'All the gear and absolutely no idea' meant 30 minutes of good value for everyone else!

I recently launched from Reef Beach which I found is the nicest way of getting out on a Southerly.
Yes there is a 7 minutes walk to the beach, and a 20m swim with your gear to get out of the little bay, but then you are right in where the wind is strong (seems ot me that it accelerate in that part of the harbour).
Perfect spot to jump the ferry wake !