Question:
do you hire out equipment/instruction to other Scout Groups, or
others, and if so, how much do you charge with or without instruction? Is
there anything I'm missing from this list?
Answer:
My house is in turmoil at the moment and I can't find our funding
application for archery equipment. But IIRC it as something like this:-
6 Barnet Indian Bows - make sure they are the one piece with the plastic
handle and built in rests, the ones with the "rubber" handles are rubbish.
These are used for Beavers and small Cubs. Draw weight is about 8-10 lbs at
full draw.
4 Barnet take down GRP bows. about 14lb draw. We wouldn't buy these again.
They are heavy, wobble like nobodies business and we find that most kids can
pull a 16lb take down, which is lighter than the Barnet TD.
12 Take Down Training Bows, various draws 16 lbs to 32 lbs, including a
couple of lefties. We bought laminated wood, but you can buy resin risers.
We also bought two junior compound bows - peak draw 44lbs, hold 25lbs - just
to demonstrate how they worked.
We also have a longbow, which feels really good to draw, but even wearing a
welding gauntlet on the bow arm the string bruises the thumb on release!
Arrows, IIRC three lengths, and six sets of eight in each length.
Set of wooden arrows for the longbow Set of compound arrows.
We also bought bracers, finger guards, and breast guards, but rarely use
them as if the bow is held properly they are not really needed. (cue
debate), and the odd folks with twisted arms find that they need full length
bracers anyway.
What else... Fletching jig, string jig, arrow straightener, and a dozen
adjustable sights so that we could teach both barebow and olympic.
Assorted nocks, fletchings, nocking pliers, stingers, nocking guide, ....
plus four bosses ( we now also have four portable bosses).
Oh and backstop netting which is bleeding expensive.
We got quotes from Quicks, Chiltern Archery, and some other crowd I forgot
who. When we had our kit stolen we replaced it with an order placed on-line
with Alternative Archery Services. If memory serves me correctly the
shooting match cost about ¡ê3,500.
For your ¡ê1,000. I'd advise the following as a minimum if you are to cover
all ages.
6 Barnet Indian Bows total I think about ¡ê150
6 Take Down Bows about ¡ê600
2 Bosses (layered foam) ¡ê160
As many arrows as you can buy.
Actually, I think that you have way underestimated what you will need. You
need much more equipment than the numbers you will actually have shooting.
Funding for this should not be a problem if you go to A4A. I'll dig out our
old application and photocopy it (if I can find it) and if you e-mail me
your address I'll pop it in the post.
We hire out the facility but ALWAYS with our instructors. Bows are lethal
weapons and whilst it may be fine for the local campsite to have kit that is
abused and misused, I wouldn't want our kit treated as theirs is. So we
monitor its use, we supervise and people do it our way or no way. It brings
in about ¡ê2-300 per year and we use it a lot on section nights and at camps.
You'll find out how safety critical it is to look after your bow if your
GNAS training is up to scratch. We've seen County bows dry fired, dropped on
the ground, stood on, overdrawn, and left in a damp store fully strung....
Oh, that reminds me, you'll need a secure, dry store for your kit.
We charge ¡ê24 per two hour session and will take up to 24 kids in three
echelons of eight. (we have at least three instructors available for these
events).
I'd say it isn't rocket science, but actually, it is.
Do you have the space. For bare bow take down, you need, IIRC a minimum
overshoot of 100 yards behind the bosses. (We have a railway line). A 26lb
TD without a balanced arrow will easily shoot 150 yards with a little
elevation. Our Compound will cover 150 yards flat and keep going. I forget
the overshoot for compound, but not too many places have the available
space.
