Topics
Reference topics
The reference is split into four topics. The first explains why a boomerang comes back at all. The second helps you choose your first boomerang and take care of it. The third covers the throw itself and the catch. The fourth gathers the safety rules and tells where the boomerang came from. You can read them in any order, but before your first time on the field, take a look at the safety section.
A good first boomerang isn't the one that flies the farthest — it's the one that forgives mistakes: light, soft and well-behaved in a gentle breeze.
How we choose what goes in: the advice suits a beginner and needs no special equipment; it names no manufacturers, models, venues or people; it gives no dimensions or plans for making a boomerang from hard materials; and it puts the safety of others ahead of a good throw.
How it works
Spin, lift on the blades and precession — no formulas. How a returning boomerang differs from a throwing stick that flies in a straight line.
- Flight terms
Spin, lift, precession, the arc and the hover, explained in plain words.
- Questions about how it flies
Why a blade is like a wing, what makes a boomerang turn, and why not every boomerang is meant to come back.
- Why it comes back
A short introduction on the home page of the reference.
Gear
The kinds of boomerangs: returning and non-returning, two-, three- and four-blade, indoor and left-handed. How to choose your first one and how to care for it.
- Questions about gear
What a beginner's boomerang should be like, whether you need glasses and gloves, and what to do about a crack or chip.
- Boomerang parts in the glossary
Blade, elbow, leading edge and airfoil — what a boomerang is made of.
- Indoor boomerangs
A collection about light boomerangs for practicing at home.
Throwing and catching
Grip, tilt, angle to the wind, the throw itself and the two-handed catch. What to do if the boomerang lands off to the side, and how to read the wind.
- How to learn to throw a boomerang
A step-by-step how-to article with sample scenarios, common mistakes and a self-check list.
- A windy day
A collection on what to do if the wind picks up, and what to work on instead of throwing.
- Throwing terms
Grip, tilt, angle to the wind and the catch in the reference glossary.
Safety and history
Where spectators stand, where you must never throw, and when it's better not to catch. Plus a little history: throwing sticks were known to many peoples, boomerangs are known among Aboriginal Australians, and many traditional boomerangs were hunting tools that never came back at all. And a few words about competitions, where throwers compete in accuracy, distance, time aloft and fast catching.
- Questions about safety
Spectators behind you, a boomerang flying at your face, kids on the field — short answers.
- Boomerangs for the whole family
A collection on how to set up a family outing so that everyone feels at ease.
- New pages
The reference feed, where pages about history and competitions will appear.
Related pages
- How-to
A step-by-step article on learning to throw a boomerang, plus a catalogue of upcoming articles.
- Questions
Short answers about flight, choosing a boomerang, throwing, catching and staying safe on the field.
- Glossary
A beginner's glossary: boomerang parts, flight terms and throwing terms in plain words.
Sources
- Beginner's guides to throwing a boomerang (in general terms)
- Editorial materials of the Bumerang 33 reference
Information is current as of the date it was prepared. Boomerangs differ in shape, weight and throwing advice, so check the instructions that came with yours. Rules for parks, sports fields and other grounds are set by their owners.