[Archers] Clarification

[Siegfried]

I was written directly by a marshal with some clarification questions to 
the Royal Round bow classifications that were put into place last year.

While writing these, I realized that these were good questions, and that 
other marshals may benefit from hearing these:

> Clarification on the long bow classification.  Quoted from your notes:
> 
> * Noted that the Current definition of Longbow vs. Recurve is the same 
> as the NFAA standard ... any recurve in the limb when strung means it is
> a recurve.
> 
> It was/is my understanding that the NFAA stardard states that a recurve
> is defined as any bow where the string rests along a portion of the limb
> tip beyond just the loop passing over the tip.  And that a long bow is
> defined as a bow where the bow string touches ONLY to tip of the limb.
> Clarification required for me.  i.e. this style bow
> http://www.tomahawkbows.com/originalIntro.asp, long bow or recurve?  By
> my definition stated this would be a long bow.

I am sorry, I have realized that in both the Unevent meeting, AND in 
this email, I mis-spoke.

It does not match the NFAA standard (which in fact does not appear to 
have a distinguishing factor between Longbow/Recurve, as they compete in 
the same categories).

Instead, I meant to state that our definition matches that of the IFAA 
(International Field Archery Association) ...

They have a separate longbow classification, and snipped from their 
rules we have:

7. Longbow - (L.B.)
a. A one piece straight ended bow of any material, which when strung 
displays one continued unidirectional curve, which is measured as
follows:
When the strung bow is placed with the bowstring in a vertical position, 
the angle as measured between the tangent of any point on the limb and 
an imaginary horizontal line must always decrease as this point is moved 
further away from the bow grip.
Tip reinforcing not exceeding ½" in height, as measured from the surface 
of the bow limb and not exceeding 1½" in length as measured from the 
limb tip will be permitted.

So, if you followed that, it is simply saying what we are saying, in a 
much more technical matter.  If the bow, once strung, has any 
reflex/curve in the limbs away from the archer, then it is a recurve, 
not a longbow.  (We just didn't include the tip reinforcement 
requirements nor the 'one piece' requirement, to keep it even simpler).

> Also:
> * Remember to classify bows for Royal Round correctly.  A Period longbow
> is scored in the 'Period' division, and NOT the 'Longbow' division, and 
> so on.   Each bow fits in one division, and one division only.  We are 
> simply trying to categorize what bow type was used to shoot the Royal 
> Round, so that the different types of bows can be compared against each 
> other.  You wouldn't score a crossbow as a recurve, so don't score a 
> Period bow as a Longbow.
> 
> Just so I'm on the right page here - A period bow is a bow that does not
> have either an arrow rest nor a nocking point?  The question then
> becomes how do we classify a horse bow?  As they can be shot up or down
> (no sense of up or down on the bow) and the arrow rests on the shooters
> bow hand.  Also, can this style bow have two nocking points?  i.e. one
> when the bow is "right side up" and one when it is "right side down".
> And can the nocking point be a different color thread instead of a metal
> nocking point.  If thread is used, does the bow still fit in the period
> class?  This area is a total fog for me.

For this I would refer everyone to please re-familiarize themselves with 
the Royal Round rules ... They haven't changed for a year, have been 
sitting on the website, and all these issues are addressed there:
http://archery.atlantia.sca.org/ranking_rules.html

However, to quickly answer these questions, the definition of a Period 
bow for purposes of the Royal Round is:

----------
  Period Handbow - This category is designed to hold all handbows of 
period construction, made in a period manner, only allowing moderate 
changes for modern safety. This category therefore holds all bows, be 
they straight or recurved, that meet the following construction guidelines:

    1. The bow shall not have a center cut arrow shelf. Built-up shelves 
(such as a piece of cork wrapped onto the bow), markings, or narrow 
notches (no more than an arrow width), are acceptible.
    2. The bow must have a solid core of wood, or other period material. 
It may have a single backing, and/or a belly lamination of any material. 
However a period handbow should not simply have three thin laminations 
with the power coming from the laminations. Otherwise the bow must meet 
the qualifications listed in the following rule.
    3. Alternatively, the bow can be of a style that can be documented 
to exist in period, whose construction doesn't meet the qualifications 
as given above. However, it must be constructed predominately of period 
of period materials (small exceptions allowed for safety), and assembled 
in a period manner (in regards to the structure, laminations, shape, 
etc). This, for example, would include japanese bows made of multiple 
bamboo laminations or Mongolian style bows made of multiple laminations 
of wood and horn. It does not include, for example, bows made primarily 
of modern material, such as a solid fiberglass longbow.
---------------

Therefore, to meet the above questions ... The rules state nothing about 
nocking points ... They are allowed to SCA standards on Period bows. 
Also arrow rests are allowed, cut out windows, are not.  So the Horse 
Bow in question meets the classifications, as long as it's limbs are not 
made of fiberglass, but instead of wood/resin/horn/etc ...

If anyone else has any questions, please feel free to ask me.

Siegfried


-- 
________________________________________________________________________
THL Siegfried Sebastian Faust                      http://crossbows.biz/
Barony of Highland Foorde                       Baronial Archery Marshal
Kingdom of Atlantia       Deputy Kingdom Earl Marshal for Target Archery
http://eliw.com/                        http://archery.atlantia.sca.org/