Matt,
There are a few things that I want to address. (Seriously and humorously)
First, to answer some of what you posted earlier. It is too early in the year to go fishing...<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>
Two, I did understand what you were referring to about comparing the Havoctec to another, heavier TEC bow....and it does make perfect sense to a certain extent.(discounting the differences in the TEC riser design between bows)
Three, the Versacam is Hoyt's fastest single cam right now (not counting the Redline which is only available on the Hypertec). It definitely isn't an arrow burner but the adjustability of the cam is its major selling point. The Excel cam (similar to a Mathews Straightline Maxcam) is Hoyt's smoothest single cam.
Four, I have seen the new Doinker stabilizers made for the Hoyt bows (matching camo, etc...) but I haven't tried one yet. You know darn well that I usually have an Enhancer 2000 with regular enhancer on there...or the Tranquilizer shorty, or Hoyt's Vexor Mini....
. Certain combinations of these balance the bow perfectly, so I haven't seen a need to change....yet...<img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>.
Fifth, (and here is where it is going to get dicey
) ofcourse the Tec29 is going to shoot faster than the Havoctec Versa. They are almost two totally different animals. This goes back to that discussion we had when comparing the original Havoc Redline to your Mighty Mite. And, come one now, with a 28 inch draw any bow is quiet....<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>
The Tec29 has a brace height that is at least 3/4 of an inch shorter than the Havoctec Versa at 6.75 to 7.5 inches respectively. Second, the Tec29 has a much "harsher" cam. When I say "harsher" I mean that the draw cycle is stiffer...not necessarily rough.
Which brings me to my last point..... Dylan (55# recurve) made a statement up above that you addressed but that I think needs further clarification.
As you stated, the Bowtech lineup offers some very fast...and some extremely fast bows. They accomplish this, apparently, in two ways. One, is to have low brace heights on some of the models...and "average" brace heights on most of the others. The only model that I remember seeing with a "high" brace height was the Stalker which, if I am not mistaken, had a brace height around 8 or 8.5 inches. But then, the speed was pretty much equivalent to other bows in the same axle to axle length/brace height range.
Now don't get all excited, I am not saying that Bowtech gets their speed primarily from low brace height bows...but rather that it is somewhat of a factor on their "extreme speed" bows like the BK2 and Extreme Solo. Their "low speed" bows with mid range brace heights appear to get their speeds from the draw cycle of the cam(s) itself.
That is nothing new. Everyone has pretty much stated that Bowtech's cams have a stiffer draw cycle when compared to similar ones on the market. It is the exact same thing that happened with the Perimeter weighted single cam when it first debuted. PWS cams were able to utilize a stiffer force draw curve when compared to the dual (hatchet) cam bows that were on the market because they didn't have to worry about cam synchronization as much as the dual cam bows did. String materials weren't then what they are now and maintaining synchronization was much more of a tedious issue. So, Walla!, a faster, quieter cam that doesn't have synchronization issues.
Now, Bowtech takes that a step further and makes the draw force curve even stiffer (steeper). The peak draw weight is reached much more quickly in the draw cycle and it is maintained over a much longer distance. The result is a faster bow.
Again, this is nothing new. You, yourself, stated that if the draw cycle was too harsh for some folks at their usual draw weight then they could turn the draw weight down to a more "comfortable" setting and get the same speed with a lighter draw weight.
That makes it sound cut and dry.......but I don't think it paints the whole picture.
Lets say that "Johnny" usually shoots his perimeter weighted single cam bow at 65 lbs but he gets a Bowtech bow with their Infinity cam on it and finds that he can't pull it as comfortably at 65 lbs as he can his previous bow. So, he turns it down to 60 lbs to make it "easier" to draw.
He will get the same speed as before...right? Right. Wow, Johnny thinks that is awesome. He can get the same speed from a 60 lb Bowtech bow that he needed to use 65lbs for on his old bow.
But what Johnny is failing to understand is that he is now pulling that 60 lb draw peak weight over a longer distance of his draw length. In other words, he might have been pulling 65 lbs over 4 or 5 inches of the draw length before with his old bow (hypothetical number) but now he is pulling 60 lbs over an 8 or 9 inch distance to get the same speed.
So, what it really boils down to is either Johnny pulls a heavier draw weight for a shorter duration of the draw cycle or he pulls a slightly lighter draw weight for a longer duration of the draw cycle.
....just engineered a little differently.
Now, because their cams go to peak weight sooner and maintain it over a longer distance they are able to help store and release more energy....meaning a faster arrow. That increase in energy has to go somewhere and rarely does the arrow actually absorb all of it.....hence the reason that their bows were a tad louder and had more handshock than comparable models......which is the reason why they added the sand filled limb pockets....
...but then that adds more mass weight to the overall bow.....which can add to stability and increase accuracy but also makes it heavier to carry.
Now, I don't want anyone to think that I am coming down on Bowtech. That was not my intention when I posted this. My intention was to just show that the age-old saying of "you don't get something for nothing" is true. There are trade-offs. The only way that any company is going to be able to increase arrow speed without compromising forgiveness, accuracy and a smooth (rounded) draw cycle is by using new, more efficient materials for both the limbs and the string/cable.
I apologize for rambling so much.....especially to you Matt...<img src=icon_smile_wink.gif border=0 align=middle>
Edited....I reworded a couple parts because I didn't want it to sound sarcastic.
Edited by - PABowhntr on 01/29/2002 11:39:55