Stickbow Target Archery Forums

I agree if it's only the nocks it's a longbow, most LB shooters I know always shoot what I'd call a hunting wt. arrow in tourneys.Very few actually go for a different arrow for targets.

Update on Longbow Rules:
Since there were a number of alternative suggestions provided a quite extensive voting process took place.
The final outcome is the set of rules that you find below.
Be aware that I will provide you at a later stage with the date upon which they will be put into force.
As a matter of formality: This info is of inofficial nature.

6. 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:n
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.

b. The tip reinforcing may not exceed 20mm in height, measured from the surface of the back of the bow limb and may not exceed 50mm in length, measured from the centre of the string groove towards the bow grip.


c. The bow may contain a window and an arrow shelf. The side of the window shall be slanted over the full length of the window and rounded off at the point where the window intersects with the top bow limb. The window cut may not exceed the centre of the bow.


d. The belly, bow grip, the window and the arrow shelf shall be free of any marks or blemishes that may be used as sighting aids.


e. Any additions to the bow for the purpose of stabilisation, levelling, draw-weight reduction, sighting and/or draw checking are not permittedn

f. Only one nocking point shall be allowed on the string, which may be marked by either one or two nocking point locators. If resting nocks are used -such as ball nocks -only one locator may be used. String silencers no closer than twelve inch above or below the nocking point are allowed.


g. Arrows shall be of wood, fletched with natural feather, and must be of the same length, fletch and pile, without regard for colour. The arrow must be free of any marks or blemishes that can be used as sighting aids. Nocks may be of any material and any weight of pile may be used. Ring markings will be no further than 30mm from the front of the fletch towards the arrow point.


h. The bow must be shot with the "Mediterranean" loose. In cases of physical deformity or handicap special dispensation shall be made.


i. Tournament entries that do not comply with the above rules shall be classified in the recurve bowhunter style.

c. The bow may contain a window and an arrow shelf. The side of the window shall be slanted over the full length of the window and rounded off at the point where the window intersects with the top bow limb. The window cut may not exceed the centre of the bow.
Hi Martinn I think you could have a problem with the above!n Just like the present tip overlay rule!! there's a lot of bows out there that will fall foul of this suggested rule change
If you were unlucky enough to have an illegal arrow pass, you would have trouble correcting it as you will probably break the rule by cutting past the centre line of the bow.
Also IMHO I think the 20 m/m tip overlay height is going to be open to abuse by bowyers I think you could bring this measurement down to say 10 m/m
Just trying to be helpful....

Andy

Ho hum, no signs of intelligent life at the IFAA, yet - and at this rate, maybe never.
How many years - or decades? - will it take the IFAA to construct viable longbow tourney rules that make sense to both competitor AND spectator alike?n
The infamous Rule 6a - No change here at all - this subjective and obfuscating rule is a total joke, makes for subjective longbow inspections at tourneys (y'all know that, too), causes lots of confusion during bow inspection, causes anxiety to competitors to worry if their bow will make the cut, and makes competitors flock to use hybrid stealth longbows that have already been deemed "legal" ... get real, get on with the rest of the world and either change the stupid ruling to include r/d bows, or exclude ANY r/d or hybrid longbow, or just get off the dang pot and call a spade a spade and allow 'em ALL to compete. It's barebow longbow we're talking about, not rocket science, there's no need to fuss over snakey limbs versus back-set limbs. Geez Louise. What's also absolutely needed is the sanctioning of 2 and 3 piece bows (for travel).

Shame on you folks who support this rule and then compete with yer hybrid stealth r/d longbows ... "Spirit of the classic D braced longbow" - baaaaa-loney.
The rest of the rules are meaningless because of the stupidity of Rule 6a.

YMMV.

6a, b, and c effectively eliminate probably 75% of American Longbow shooters and make no sense to me. I guess I'll just have to play in a different sandbox.

First off, thanks Martin for posting the proposed rule changes for Longbow. IFAA is making an intelligent move by keeping the main body of the Longbow rules the same, since we don't need a new set of rules every other year.

I am pleased to see that the bow tip rule has been refined and lengthened.

I am also glad to see that the barebow rules have been bolstered to disallow weight, marks, and other aids to aiming.

I hope the mediteranean release rule gets reinstated before the next WFAC.

Keep the good work up, and Long Live Stickbows!