Boomerang: Ayr
Manufacturer / Brand: Adam Carroll (realboomerangs.com)
Overview & Physical Characteristics
On stage tonight we have the Ayr, designed by Adam Carroll of realboomerangs.com. It is advertised to have a range of about 50 meters (54.7 yards) and is handcrafted from high density phenolic plastic. In addition, the two units I received were supplied with a small lead weight that was duct-taped onto the bottom side of the leading arm's tip. According to Adam's website, this is a great choice for an Aussie Round boomerang and was employed by Tim Lendrum for his 2008 world Aussie Round record.
For this initial review, I will actually be making use of two examples of the Ayr: "Broken Ayr" and "Fresh Ayr." Pictured below is Broken Ayr laid next to my Phoenix, a Colorado Boomerangs model with about a 40-yard range, followed by Fresh Ayr with a 12-inch plastic ruler. (Why have these names? "Broken Ayr" is the first Ayr I received; this is the one I broke while working in some tuning, as mentioned here. "Fresh Ayr" is the replacement Ayr, which I bought in the event that Broken Ayr could not be ressurected. So far, Fresh Ayr remains intact.)
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| From phnxhawk's Boomerang Collection |
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| From phnxhawk's Boomerang Collection |
As you can see, the Ayr has the general features of an omega planform--in particular, the outward flare of the tips. Note the strip of duct tape on the leading wing's tip; on the underside, a small, flat lead weight has been taped into place. The two units I received came in the neat abstract paint schemes shown. Between the two paint schemes, I think I prefer the light blue background of Fresh Ayr for purely aesthetic reasons. In the air, the two are equally easy (or hard, as the case might be) to see; the dark colors tend to create enough contrast against the daytime sky for me to easily pick out the 'rang in flight. So, I have not found the colors to be a discriminator in that regard.
Manny mentioned in his initial review of the Kickass that one of the first things we noticed about these two 'rangs was their size compared to our wooden boomerangs of comparable range. This is shown very well in the comparison image above of the Ayr and Phoenix. In terms of simple width, tip-to-tip, the Phoenix is two inches "wider." In addition, Fresh Ayr weighs 48 grams (1.7 ounces). For comparison, the Phoenix weighs in at 72 grams (2.5 ounces). Between the Fresh Ayr and Kickass, the Ayr feels heavier. Until Manny puts his Kickass on the scale, though, you'll have to take my word for it. At any rate, I think the difference in weight shows up in the differences between the two boomerangs' flight characteristics. I'll get to that in a minute.
I said in a previous post that the first Ayr I received was promptly broken during my attempts to tune the 'rang. I'm guessing that this high density phenolic material does not like to be bent to large deflections (read: bent a lot, all at once). If tuning is required, I now work it in with smaller bends, bit by bit, instead of all at once, which had been my habit with my older wooden rangs.
The Flight
Unfortunately, most of the flights with Broken Ayr were had after the fracture occurred. So, I will focus mostly on Fresh Ayr in this discussion.
For its size, the Ayr--both my Broken Ayr and Fresh Ayr--goes a long way. We were marking Broken Ayr at our 36-yard marker a couple weeks ago. The other day, in much windier conditions (12 to 16 mph, as we read on the weather reports before arriving at the beach), we were marking Fresh Ayr at our 48-yard marker. This is a tad short of the advertised range, but it is enough of a surprise that the difference hardly matters to us. In fact, it is entirely possible that the difference is, in part, due to some tuning I had worked in to facilitate a complete return on a less windy day.
Manny said in his Kickass review that we were marking that 'rang between 32 and 38 yards; this was without the lead weight on the tip. Since then, he has taped the weight to the leading wing's tip, just as he had received that 'rang. I would guess that has put a few extra yards into his range, taking it up to, perhaps, 36-42 yards. In any case, we both agree that my Fresh Ayr goes further out than his Kickass as they are presently tuned.
When thrown well, the Ayr has a terrific, fairly rounded flight. However, the extra distance afforded by the Ayr seems to come at the price of increased demand on the thrower for throwing power and consistent technique. I noticed immediately that Fresh Ayr wanted to be thrown hard and with a lot of spin. I found that, for best results, the Ayr needs a light wind (say, perhaps, 4 to 8 mph). The breeze tends to make it a little easier for me to build consistency between throws. I worry a little less about balancing multiple aspects of my technique and can focus mostly on angles for release. I have generally been throwing Fresh Ayr with a fair amount of layover, even in a light wind--perhaps about 15 to 25 degrees--and roughly 70 to 90 degrees to the right of the wind direction. I now also make a point of throwing the Ayr from the trailing arm to avoid disturbing the tape on the leading arm.
In addition, I have been trying to ensure that I throw only a few degrees above the horizon. Too low, and the Ayr will climb too high as it's turning back. Too high, and the Ayr's flight will bobble down and then up. I am generally looking for that sweet spot at which the boomerang stays pretty level until it slows for descent. Achieving consistency is one aspect in which the increased skill of the thrower can play a role, as this boomerang isn't quite as forgiving as some of my boomerangs intended for those of "beginner" and "intermediate" skill level (e.g. Phoenix, Pro-Fly, Rainier). This is, of course, not that surprising, as the Ayr is listed under the "Expert" section of realboomerangs.com and was described as being intended for competition throwing. (And of course, I am definitely not of contest caliber.)
The return and catch are fairly ordinary. With the way I tend to and the conditions in which I prefer to throw, the Ayr maintains a low to medium height in flight. The 'rang loses speed like most of my other boomerangs and drops into the hands. Since I do like to have a noticeable breeze for throwing the Ayr, the 'rang does tend to come in a little faster and hotter than, say, Manny's Stéphane Marguerite. In these cases, the Ayr does not have a pronounced hover. Fortunately, the Ayr is light enough and thick enough that painless catches can easily be had without gloves. The wind also tends to help in creating the rounded trajectory I associate with my Ayrs.
In Summary
The Ayr is advertised as a high-performing competition-level boomerang for the Aussie Round event. Although I cannot accurately speak to its suitability for that contest, I can say that the Ayr would make for a great sports boomerang for the experienced thrower. It has an impressive range for its size. With a little practice, every flight can be an exhilarating experience. After it leaves the hand, the Ayr lumbers its way around the track as the seconds seem to stretch into minutes. Ayr likes a hard throw, so do warm up with another rang first to build confidence and consistency. All in all, this is a great addition to my boomerang bag!
Links
Ayr caught your eye? Check these links out:
- Ayr product page on realboomerangs.com
- The Boomerang Man's online store
- NOTE: Ayr, along with a few other Adam Carroll boomerangs, isn't listed in his catalog, but you can e-mail Rich Harrison, the store owner, to inquire about purchasing this boomerang.
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