Lawn Darts and Arrow Throwing

So this was a big sport? Maybe we have it in your olypics 2012

Yes. It's called the "javelin".

"in 1530 Anne Boleyn presented Henry VIII with a set of ornamented darts"

In 1536, Henry presented everyone with her head.

According to QI, he lost at a game of '101' at the time, and this is the reason bad things have been associated with 101. Being a Northerner, Orwell would have been well acquainted with this fact. Wiki is not always reliable.

Kris

I'm not a great darts fan, but I've played throwing a BIG HEAVY crossbow bolt back and forth with a mate of mine...it certainly concentrates the mind.
I've even stood down range while he shot it into a wooden panel from a 275lb crossbow of mine....
It sounded like an aproaching steam train.

Could george throw an arrow over the river I wonder?
Del

did both of you do this while having an apple on you head..

I am ever in awe of the things members know....

because of google I know???

Lawn darts were not allowed at our house after my wife, son and daughter returned from a trip to visit relatives. Turns out that a couple of hours prior to their return flight, they were playing "Jarts" with my wife's cousin, when my son "caught" one with the side of his heel!

I'm a little curious about the distances obtained -- did the arrows have extra fletching to keep them airborne for a long time?

No, they had no flight at all!
They were long and tapered, the string has a little knot at the end, the string is wrapped around the shaft about 2/3 of the way back and pulled tight against its own knot, the tension is maintained as it is launched, once the arrow is ahead of the launcher the tension goes and the string falls off.
The string used to launch them acts a bit like an Aborigine throwing stick.
I've not tried it myself but I recall as a kid seeing lads throwing arrows using a string to launch them.
Del

So will a modern version be in the 2010 KrisDel^TM catalogue, then?

Indeed! Special kevlar sting has been sourced.
Each length of string comes fitted with two ends...yes count them TWO, one end even has a carefully engineered knot secured...errr...by a knot.
We have a new employee, Ms Hazel Coppice who has a supply of suitable wood for the arrows. The arrows are usually a handmade item by the participant in the sport, however we are considering making a small number for selected gullible victims customers.

Del

Depleted Uranium.

We've got Nicky's Nursery !

I'm guessing it's easier to pick up darts from people, rather than the briney. There's a sort of logic to that.

Kris

Got a drawing?

We had a set of Jarts back when I was a kid. They where great. we used them all the time. Even after one of m,y sisters friend caught one in the foot. Back then people took responsibility for their actions and there was no law suit.

Ahhhh what fun

Hey Del - Thanks for taking me back to the early 1970's Upstate, NY (Latham) with your reference to Lawn Darts. :) I fondly remember sunny days at family outings where this highly dangerous game was played, and sometimes think "did that really happen?". Were they outlawed in the U.K., like they were here? And if so, do only outlaws play lawn darts in the U.K. nowadays (I can picture Ben Kingsley playing a wicked game of outlaw darts)? Please say hi! to our glorious leader for me. - Larry

I was working the Sports Dept. at Caldors at the same time. 'Central' had loaded us up with these wicked looking Jarts and my immediate reaction was that someone was gonna get killed or loose an eye with these things. About a month or two later we shipped them all back. Some toddler had wandered into the playing field and gotten hit in the brain.

'Adult Supervision' is not enough to keep stupid people from doing stupid things, or manufacturing them.

Carl

Whilst any kid getting hurt is terrible, I think that on that same day many more kids were hurt by guns, cars, stones, sticks, people, animals, food, water, glass etc.
I don't think the objection actually holds up to scrutiny.
Sport and 'keep fit' activities cause huge numbers of injuries.
I have spent time in a spinal injury unit and as I recall there were injuries due to Rugby Football (like American footaball), horse riding, falls & car accidents.
Del

I agree,

There is one thing I remember when I was a toddler. My Mom told me not to touch the stove, its hot I'll burn myself, well I did and I did, I still remember that.

Quite a lesson, And in adult life, I have learn your worst experience is usually your best.

And this goes no matter how old you are.

Don't take that away, otherwise your children will grow up to be accountants and attorneys. Burn

phoenix911

To crib from a wise kid I knew when we were 14 years old ...

Experience is a teacher

But here's what makes me burn

She's always teaching me the things

I do not CARE to learn!!

funny

Del, I agree with you completely. But this was an occasion where a particular company was held responsible, and thus liable to a lawsuit. I don,t remember the outcome of the lawsuit, but I have a feeling that this is where Tort lawers first got thier nose under the tent.

Speaking of which, here in the US it is estimated that for every dollar one spends, some lawer gets a quarter. They'll be the first ones 'up against the wall'.

Carl

Why not outlaw horseshoes while you're at it? They can also be deadly and I'll warrant there have been some tragic incidences with them. Who was supposed to be watching the toddler?

I remember making them arrows when I was a kid! We called them 'Yorkshire Arrows' or 'Dutch Arrows' and boy did they fly! I hurled one right the way across to the island at Broadlands Lake on the Mountbatten Estate! Really dangerous but great fun!

Blimey..yeah...I remember now they were called Dutch arrows when we were kids...dunno where that name comes from ...errr Holland?
Del

BTW... No-one thinks I'm bluffing or that it's and April fool joke.
You are all quite right...it's absolutely true, except for the 'taking the pith' bit.
I'm such an honest cat, it gets me into no end of trouble.

Del

However, the fad of arrow chucking became so popular that it led to a surplus of unused bows. However, to identify yourself as a "true" archer, chuckers would come to meets with the bows hanging around their necks, thus giving rise to the fashion of... Don't make me say it!!! ^{bow ties}

In the USa, many things are "back to front", like the Lady who got hot coffee from MacDonalds, poured it in her own lap (while driving?) and got a big payout from MacDonalds, because they did not mark it as being hot!!!!

DDDDDDDDUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How crazy can it get??????

...and you make the Jart company also responsible for who uses them??????

How can that happen?

Same way the anti-gun ownership crowd in America wants to make the gun manufacturers responsible for the crimes committed with guns, even the ones stolen from legitimate owners, in home breakins, while the owners are away!

Stupid lawyers!! Throw 'em out.

If all the lawyers on the planet were laid end to end ...

It would probably be a good thing!!