barebow and hoyt helix - what do you reckon?

pangasiu5

New member
I recently attended the world barebow championships, where I was shooting a Hoyt Helix. It was only at the end of the shoot that the judges had decided to disqualify me on the grounds that my bow wouldn't fit through the official metal ring they have. Surely there should have been a kit inspection at the beginning of the tournament, being a world record status shoot. We have a couple of new members in our club who have bought this bow, only to find that they can not shoot it barebow in competitions. I think that either a)archers should be aware that this is the case when buying a bow or b)the rules should be reviewed for this kind of bow. I also wanted to know if anybody else has had this kind of problem when shooting at competitions.
Thanks.
 

Hidden Hippo

New member
I recently attended the world barebow championships, where I was shooting a Hoyt Helix. It was only at the end of the shoot that the judges had decided to disqualify me on the grounds that my bow wouldn't fit through the official metal ring they have. Surely there should have been a kit inspection at the beginning of the tournament, being a world record status shoot.
I'd have thought there would be a kit inspection at the beginning, but there isn't always. In fact, I think (although I could be wrong) as long as there is a kit inspection at some point it is allowed as any scores shot with illegal equipment aren't counted.

We have a couple of new members in our club who have bought this bow, only to find that they can not shoot it barebow in competitions. I think that either a)archers should be aware that this is the case when buying a bow or
Yes, the archer should be aware of the rules for the bowstyle they're shooting. It isn't a shops job to make sure you've read and understood the rules before buying a product.

b)the rules should be reviewed for this kind of bow.
Why? The rules are the same for everyone. Unless I'm much mistaken the Helix was designed as Hoyt's flagship Olympic riser when it was released.
 

Desert Archer

New member
No offense but it is widely known and understood that risers with the "Tech" bar are not barebow legal. The new one from W&W (can't remember the name) falls into the same category. That aside, yes they should have had an equipment inspection before the event got underway. If nothing else, all the shooters who understood the Helix was not legal (see above) should have had the courtesy to point that out to you...politely.

Dave
 

Hodgelett

New member
Most barebow archers don't look to buy a bow as good as a Helix, so unless it's a second discipline it probably doesn't become an issue very often.
 

directarcher

New member
One of the Russian archers turned up to last years Euro field champs in Croatia with a helix, I think one of the Swedish archers lent him a bow to shoot with.

As for the equipment check, I have never been to a competition where there has not been an equipment check before the Competition.

The fact that this was a world championship barebow event without an equipment check brings the whole championship into question.

Are all the events that are entered being properly run?
 

English Bowman

Well-known member
Most barebow archers don't look to buy a bow as good as a Helix, so unless it's a second discipline it probably doesn't become an issue very often.
I disagree with you there. If you look at the Field community where most barebow archers are you'll find the top guys shooting top equipment, just like any other style.
I personally would like to see the rules amended to account for this type of bow as I don't think that it gives an advantage, and one of our club's archers is having to buy a new riser as he wants to shoot barebow, bit then the rules are the same for everyone, and I think that it's reasonable to expect people to check the rules before they compete.

Daniel
 
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pmiddl

New member
The fact that this was a world championship barebow event without an equipment check brings the whole championship into question.
There must have been an equipment check, or the judges would never have noticed the Helix and followed the rules by disqualifying the person shooting it.
 

tel

Active member
Fonz Awardee
...It was only at the end of the shoot that the judges had decided to disqualify me on the grounds that my bow wouldn't fit through the official metal ring they have....
Personally I'd have been more than p'd off if it hadn't been sorted at the start......
 

N.Vodden

New member
Ironman
I disagree with you there. If you look at the Field community where most barebow archers are you'll find the top guys shooting top equipment, just like any other style.
I personally would like to see the rules amended to account for this type of bow as I don't think that it gives an advantage, and one of our club's archers is having to buy a new riser as he wants to shoot barebow, bit then the rules are the same for everyone, and I think that it's reasonable to expect people to check the rules before they compete.

Daniel
With you on this one EB, i shoot field primarily and barebow is one of the most popular, if not the most popular style on the shoots i have gone on and most of the equipment you see is top rate, same as any other style.

A plethora of risers including the Matrix and Nexus, with a growing number i have noticed of Bernadini risers as they are perfect for barebow with the weight kits in the lower half of the riser.

I always knew when i bought a Helix it is a Recurve only bow and illegal for barebow. But having tried barebow i didnt like it, recurve all the way! Kudos to those who shoot BB, it isnt easy :)

This aside, my honest opinion? I can see why you would be annoyed at having shot the whole comp and then being told the kit was illegal, but if you are shooting competitively you would think you would know your style and what is allowed or not.
 
C

Carebear11

Guest
b)the rules should be reviewed for this kind of bow.
I beleive the rule exists because a tec bar can be used as a second reference point on the riser for aiming. Hence if using a tec bow your not really shooting BAREbow are you?

It is up to the archer to make sure there equipment is FITA legal. If it isent then its just tough really......
 

English Bowman

Well-known member
I beleive the rule exists because a tec bar can be used as a second reference point on the riser for aiming. Hence if using a tec bow your not really shooting BAREbow are you?

It is up to the archer to make sure there equipment is FITA legal. If it isent then its just tough really......
I can't see how the tec bar can be used as an aiming point, and I think that the rule is designed to prevent risers with built in stabilisation being made and used.

I meant to say before I do think that equipment checks should be done before a shoot starts, it always has been at any record status shoot I've ever been at.

Daniel
 
C

Carebear11

Guest
I can't see how the tec bar can be used as an aiming point, and I think that the rule is designed to prevent risers with built in stabilisation being made and used.
Marks can be put on the back of the tec bar to note distances for aiming. Infact they can be so strict on this as to force you to place a line of tape up the spine of your bow to hide even any scratches on the bow.
 

Beardy

The American
American Shoot
I have to say that I agree with everyone that has replied so far. The rule isn't exactly ambiguous and you would expect the rules to be enforced at a record status shoot. If you used a bow that is not legal, then you were either trying to cheat, or rather daft. Sorry.
 

English Bowman

Well-known member
Marks can be put on the back of the tec bar to note distances for aiming. Infact they can be so strict on this as to force you to place a line of tape up the spine of your bow to hide even any scratches on the bow.
True, but marks can be put on the belly of any riser, and there are marks on the belly of my wife's mirage riser made by the grain of the wood. I still don't see how this makes a riser with a tec bar any different to any other riser on the market. (I've heard about people being made to tape up risers, but I've never seen it happen.)

I think that the rule about passing a bow through the 12.2cm ring is to prevent weights being used that are long enough to use as stabilisers, or even as I said before a riser being designed with built in stabilisation.

Daniel
 

English Bowman

Well-known member
I have to say that I agree with everyone that has replied so far. The rule isn't exactly ambiguous and you would expect the rules to be enforced at a record status shoot. If you used a bow that is not legal, then you were either trying to cheat, or rather daft. Sorry.
I think in this case it's someone being daft. As I said before I can't see that a tec bar would give you any advantage.

Daniel
 

English Bowman

Well-known member
Unless perhaps you have a Hoyt tec style riser, because you've been shooting free-style with it. You then decide to shoot barebow (or trad) for field archery so think that instead of buying a new riser you'll just take all the gadgets of the riser that you already own.
I have a club member in exactly this situation. He owns a Hoyt Eclipse, has been shooting target archery for a couple of years with a sight and stabilisers. He's just taken up field and wants to shoot barebow. He now has to buy a new riser to comply with the rules.

Daniel
 

tel

Active member
Fonz Awardee
That is perhaps unfortunate - but if a change of bowclass means a different bow then you don't have a lot of choice.
 

Hodgelett

New member
If it's in terms of marks...well wooden bows are full of them. The bow I used all the way through my teens was made from at least three different coloured woods and you can't help but bear them in mind when aiming.
 
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