This is kinda related to another post I made and its probably way to close too season to mess with things, but I am a tinkerer when it comes to bows and arrows. Anyway, I have some Arrow Dynamics Hammerhead lites that shoot flawlessly out of my Habu Vyperkahn. The way these arrows are built and with a heavy point up front they are high FOC and possibly even extreme FOC. Anyway, I have noticed that on a windy day, with most of the weight up front that the tail of the arrow will kick in correlation with the wind. The point says the course but the tail will move to the side. I figure this cannot be good for penetration. With an arrow that is not FOC the entire arrow will drift with the wind. Anyway, I was wondering if anyone has tried less fletching to combat this. Instead of 3, 5 inch shields, I wonder if 3, 4 inch shields might reduce this in windy conditions?
Can only offer my experience....At 28% and above, the 3 x 4's perform extremely well, yet they are not exempt from moving...for they will move but not to the degree of 3 x 5's.
Thank you Scott. I was thinking it might help to reduce the fletching since Most of the weight is up front and the fletching can then become a sail on a windy day. But I am not super experienced with high FOC arrows.
With a well tuned arrow I have had success with 4x3" shields low profile and high foc. Not only less tail drift but less drop at longer ranges. In general though more fletch is more forgiving.
For those who routinely use high or extreme FOC arrows, have you noticed bad penetration on windy days? It seems to me that the advantages of high or extreme FOC arrows might go out the window if the tail end of the arrow is 2 inches out of line with the point due to wind.
30ish foc and used 4 x 2.5s, 2 x 4inches, or 4 x 3 inchers all fly better in the wind for me than "regular arrows/fletching." All well bareshafted. Was fun to experiment.
Jon: You might go back and read some of Ashby's stuff. I know he addressed this issue somewhere, and there have been other threads on it. Your observation are correct regarding how a high FOC arrow with little fletching vs a standard FOC arrow with larger fletching.
The high foc arrow pretty much stays on courses, but the tail is pushed out of alignment. A standard arrow experiences a bit less of this, but the the entire arrow drifts a bit more. Neither will impact the target going perfectly straight. It's partially a function of arrow makeup, but it's also a function of the wind -- amount and direction. Unfortunately, we can't control everything. Wind messes with arrows regardless. Lots of other stuff also plays into it as well-- broadhead design, arrow diameter and length, weight, etc.
The high FOC arrows penetrate the target perfectly straight,as soon as the point impacts.Ashby talks about this and it is very obvious on high wind days.It is strange to see but it happens.The high FOC arrow may nit penetrate in high wind as well as no wind but I see quite an improvement over the normal FOC arrow.Shoot into foam with a high FOC arrow,in a heavy cross wind.Lay your bow down where you stood to shoot and check your arrow in the target.The nock will be pointing right where you stood.It makes a difference.
I had mentioned this phenomenon to friends,several times but finally heard Ed Ashby mention that they had experienced the same thing.
He mentions it in this audio from his talk in Kalamazoo.
http://tuffhead.com/education/kalamazoo%20jan%202012.html
Go to:"EFOC Offers Many Advantages"
I also shoot four,3" fletch.
JimB. I never thought about that. But that makes sense. Hmmm. More tinkering.
Sorry Jon,I was editing as you typed.Check out the audio.
Call me old school but I like both good FOC (im at 23%) and also like a 5.5 highback parabolic feather. What I like best is even in the rain when my feathers get matted down some I don't have to worry about arrow flight as I still have enough feather to control the arrow rather than the broadhead planning. Not saying any other fletching set up is bad, just saying you don't have to go small.
4" low cut bananas for me, if the shaft bareshafts good then why hang extra feathers to the back of it.
Less feathers would translate to less drag and cross section contact area for wind to affect .
The new short 2" Bohning Feathers work wonders. I got into shooting some Olympic type bows but did not want to shoot spinwings or plastic so I went with them. They work wonders in the wind. I seldom have a problem here in NY but in Kansas I can see where you worry about the wind!! Shawn
Call me old fashioned, or just call me old, but at the ranges I'm shooting a deer, rabbit, the feathers don't wag too much anyway. Ranges are close enough that the arrow just zips home. I don't like to overthink stuff and stopped worrying about making 25-30 yard shots decades ago.
I have never measured my FOC, but I have zero problems with 3x4" fletchings with 175-225 gr tips on my carbons.
I use to shoot the 2in. shield cut razor feather with a phantom broadhead up front with 100gr. brass insert. The arrows was Easton axis. They shot like darts and killed a few deer with that setup to. Just make sure you bare shaft tune is dead on. As far as the wind I think it shot pretty good a lot better than the 5in. feathers.