Boomerang: Fuji
Manufacturer: Kendall Davis
Late last year, I ordered an Ohm from Kendall Davis. To my surprise, when I opened the box, I found not only the expected boomerang, but also a stowaway. As I found out shortly thereafter, Kendall had included a copy of his Fuji design for me to test. Over the course of the spring and summer, I became better acquainted with this neat boomerang, and although I would not claim to know it intimately, I think I have come to know it well enough to say that I like how it flies.
Overview and Physical Characteristics
The Fuji is one of Kendall Davis' prototype designs, named after the eponymous mountain in Japan. It has a modified, shallow Vee planform, as shown below.
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| From phnxhawk's Boomerang Collection |
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| From phnxhawk's Boomerang Collection |
This version was carved from plywood. By my measure, the thickness for this version was 5 mm. (However, I was foolish enough to buy calipers that need batteries, of which I currently have no spares. So, I am counting on my eyes not to fool me as I hold my ruler up to the boomerang.) My Fuji weighs in at 59 g. For those of you who might be curious how my other Kendall Davis boomerang compares in this regard, my 6 mm Ohm weighs 78 g.
This Fuji also came with the bright and glossy kind of paint scheme that I have seen on Charles' and Larry's Kendall Davis 'rangs. Owing in part to its bright orange color, I have found Fuji easy to track in flight; the paint has also held up well in the nine or so months it has spent crammed in my boomerang bag.
The Throw & Flight
I have generally found the Fuji to be relaxing to throw. It tends to need a firm throw (compared to other boomerangs I might use in the same wind conditions). However, it is also forgiving; I have not gotten the feeling that I need to work hard to throw in a particular way to coax it to return in a satisfactory fashion.
The throw itself has not presented any surprises--which is a good thing, in this case. I usually throw Fuji like I would my typical sports boomerangs: with a small amount of layover, some "oomph" and plenty of spin, aiming at eye level or a few degrees above. Charles and I did find that it tends to need a firmer throw, compared to similar boomerangs we would use in the same wind conditions.
Alternatively, I suppose one could say that I could use it in a slightly stronger wind to let the air help carry it back to me with a weaker throw. Indeed, Kendall had scribbled, "For Wind," on the back side of the boomerang. In terms of wind resistance, I generally feel comfortable throwing Fuji in "light breezes" to "medium wind," which I would say goes up to about 8 mph.
The flights are essentially what I would expect from this type of boomerang configuration. They tend to be fairly round, going out to about 35 yards in range. With my current style of throwing it, Fuji tends to start low and climb gradually through the pattern. In the future, I might experiment with tuning my throw and/or the boomerang to keep the flights a little more level, but it is currently quite enjoyable as is. The returns tend to be gentle, as it descends slowly and into the hands for the catch. I never felt the nagging fear that I needed to keep the gloves on while throwing it.
Summary
To sum up, I definitely give the Fuji a thumbs-up. Kendall indicated that he could see a variation on this design becoming a great novice-level boomerang, and I am inclined to agree. Its flight behavior is benign and predictable--compliments both, rather than indications of a blasé reaction. It has also presented no special challenges in the throw to obtain an enjoyable return. However, this version does need a firm throw (or a slightly stronger breeze). So, that quality does lead me to rate this version as somewhere between "entry level" and "intermediate." I suppose that would be something akin to "entry level, with prior experience preferred."
Kendall has suggested that a 4 mm version of this boomerang might bring it closer to his vision of it as a beginner 'rang. If we at aLAcrity get a chance to test it out, we will be sure to write an update to this first look at the Fuji by Kendall Davis.
"Putting my spin on boomerangs..."
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