[Archers] Request input on bow inspection at events.

[Siegfried]

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The simple answer:

All Marshals are equal.  Any Marshal's inspection is as good as any
others.  If someone is doing a 'shoddy job' at inspections, I need to be
made aware of it so that I can have a talk with that marshal, and
perhaps suspend their marshallate until they have gone through the class
and apprenticeship program again.

As far as 'covering your A$$' ... that is done simply by ensuring that
all bows are inspected.

Period.

How that is accomplished is up to you.

I personally HIGHLY suggest having stickers (unique ones), that
inspecting marshals can stick on the bow limbs.  If some marshal does an
inspection and didn't know about the stickers, the bow isn't really
inspected until someone else inspects it, or the archer gets the
original marshal to put the sticker on there.

(Of note, one should make sure that the stickers aren't just laying out,
tempting the less virtuous to just stick one on themselves)

Another well vetted method, at smaller events where you simply KNOW
every archer on the field (there are few enough, say 20 or less, that
you can keep a visual eye on all of them) ... that you just ask when
they first come to the line if they have had an inspection, and if they
don't say 'who', ask ... that gives a little extra clarification that it
was done.

But in general, we are a Society based upon honor, and I don't want to
see that change on the archery field.  Ask the person if someone
inspected their bow, if they say yes, that's good.

Trust that the marshal who did it, was as well trained as you are.

And if that last sentence worries you (A generic you, not specifically
targetted at Lorelei) ... Then come chat with me, and let's talk about
your own insecurities about doing inspections, and perhaps whether you
should apprentice at a few more events yourself.

Also, do note that we are already the most safety conscious 'traditional
archery' group I know of.  No others require bows to be inspected by
marshals.  In fact, the SCA doesn't require bows to be inspected by
Marshals, just by the archer themselves.  It's an Atlantian rule that we
require a Marshal to do so.

I've seen many a bow fail on the range, both bows and crossbows and
arrows.  In all cases it was something that wasn't, and wouldn't have
been caught at inspection.  And the outcome, while 'scary', was
anticlamatic, as the bows fold in on themselves.

The worst injury I've ever heard of, SCA archery wise, was with Seamus
... and his injury was caused by a damaged arrow, that was damaged AFTER
inspection.

In Service,
Siegfried


LoreleiElkins at aol.com wrote:
> Greetings to you all!  I have been thinking about an issue for some time
> now and thought I'd pose it to the list for discussion and possible
> enlightenment.
>  
> I noticed at a few events that when it was time to inspect the bows,
> some people said, "oh I'm a marshal I can inspect that for you." and the
> person handed them the bow.  The marshal was not necessarily affiliated
> with the event.  Not that I don't believe they are a marshal and it is
> nice that they offered to help, BUT, for the sake of "quality control"
> shouldn't they be letting the event marshals handle that?
>  
> I'm trying to think ahead to the events I'm doing in the future.  I'd
> much rather have a designated bow inspector than someone coming up to me
> saying, "oh so and so already inspected my bow".  I like the fact that
> we are a casual and tight knit group of archers and I love the fact that
> there are so many willing hands, but I also like things to be a little
> more organized when it comes to safety issues.  I know at the larger
> events archers need stickers so it isn't as much of an issue.
>  
> When it comes right down to it, I'm concerned about covering my ass.  If
> some marshal I am not familiar with does a shoddy inspections and the
> equipment fails and someone gets hurt and I'm the marshal in charge...it
> is my responsibility.
>  
> I didn't see anything in our written works about this issue but I may
> have overlooked something.  If anyone knows, please forward the
> information. Otherwise, I'm happy to hear other's input on this. Thank you!
>  
> Respectfully,
> Lady Lorelei Greenleaf
>  
> *Lorelei*
> 
> 
> 
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