My first longbow
 

I bought a longbow to see if I can make the switch from recurve and just received it today from Lost Nation Archery in Michigan. It's a used Neet Navajo longbow and it says "design by Earl Hoyt Jr." 66" 55#. Itook it out and shot it and it is certainly a different animal than my recurve. I am used to shooting a high wrist grip and I can't with this one for sure. It's a beautiful bow made of gray action wood and a high gloss finish which I'm not crazy about. Does anyone know anything about this brand of bow? I bought it to satisfy a craving for a longbow until I can order a custom if I find Ican be acceptably accurate with the longbow. I am torn between the Crusader and the Thunderbird from Chekmate or the Kaibab from Chapparal. I am trying to time my order so that it gets ready in February when I get my bonus check. Also, what is a good starting brace height and nock pointfor a traditional longbow when you begin to tune it? I plan on taking it to the range and try to get it shooting right tomorrow. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

RE: My first longbow
 

If it's an Earl Hoyt reflex/deflex design, then it's likely the same design that was made by Sky Archery, which would also make it the same design as the longbow made by Mathews.

I haven't got a clue what the recommended brace height is for that bow. Most longbows run between 5-7". I set my starting nock height at 1/2" and adjust from there.

RE: My first longbow
 

I've shot that Matthews longbow, and as best I can remember the brace height was around 7", so the Hoyt may be the same. My nock set is at approximately 1/4" above center.

Chad

RE: My first longbow
 

I spent 3 hours at the range today in the 100 degree heat trying to tune it with 2018 bare shafts and fletched arrows. I always came out with the bare shafts left of my fletched shafts at 15 yards and a terribly nock right attitude. The nock point seemed OK, no nock high or low. I played with the brace height from 6 3/8 " to 7 5/8" and it seemed the quietest at 7-7 1/8 so I left it at 7. For my first longbow experience it was real eye opener. I never knew what handshock felt like until today. After getting back into a groove with my recurve I was truly humbled today. Thankfully I was alone when this all happened. I went and bought a few 2016's and will give them a try. They certainly couldn't fly any worse than the 2018's did. Oh well, I have a new set of arrows for my recurve now.

RE: My first longbow
 

Handshock is one of the things that I'm really picky about myself--my elbow can't take it. If you are right-handed, it sounds like the 2018's are stiff. I'm not much help with aluminum arrow spines--don't know what to reccomend.

Chad