It took me almost two full summers to get the hang of going in a straight line. That was about 20 years ago. I still haven't got the hang of turning around reliably on a short board.
At least if you get stuck out offshore in Noosa, the water temperature ain't too bad. The tamar can be pretty cold at times! Thankfully it was fairly warm in the water last Saturday, which is just as well, because I spent more time floundering around in the water, kicking jelly fish, waiting for the next gust of wind, than I spent sailing.