Some shafts leave the bow already spinning, and the vanes have to be set in the direction of that spin
1 study
The summary today
It comes from a single source, and not even from a published measurement. In a 2019 review of how the air affects target archery, the author reports as-yet-unpublished work showing that some arrow types leave the bow already spinning about their own axis, even without vanes. The vanes should therefore be set at an angle that goes with that spin: if they oppose it, the spin first slows down and then reverses. The author writes that he has not yet seen a satisfactory explanation of why this happens, although in his view there is compelling evidence that it is real, and that it looks like a property of certain shafts rather than of the bow. Which shafts, how many revolutions per second and with what effect on the group, the review does not say, and it gives neither data nor method. Without the original work, a mention inside a review is not enough to say the question has been studied: for now it is a report to be checked, not a fletching instruction.
Also phrased as: "arrow spin direction"; "right or left helical"; "helical fletching"; "natural shaft spin"; "vane offset"
In practice
Among archers who fletch their own arrows there is debate over whether the helical should go right or left, and some hold that certain shafts have a natural direction of spin that should be followed.
Evidence
-
2019
Context Review Published later
Within a review, the author reports as-yet-unpublished work: some arrow types leave the bow already spinning about their axis even without vanes, and the vanes should be set at an angle that goes with that direction; if they oppose it, the spin first slows and then reverses. The author has not seen a satisfactory explanation and believes it is a property of certain shafts, not of the bow. No figures, no method. The original work is unpublished: it stays as context.
The impact of the atmosphere on target archery · James L Park
Status history
- 2019 Not studied A review of how the atmosphere affects target archery reports as-yet-unpublished work: some arrow types leave the bow already spinning about their own axis even without vanes, and if the vanes are set against that direction the spin first slows and then reverses. The author has no satisfactory explanation and considers it a property of certain shafts, not of the bow. No data and no method are given, and the original work has not appeared: a review without its primary study does not count as evidence, and the question remains unstudied.
Related
Related articles
- Choosing and matching competition arrowsWhich spine to choose and how alike the arrows in a dozen are: charts, weight, the stiff side of the shaft, straightness and nocks, as studies measure them.
- Vanes, feathers or Spin Wings: what actually changesLarge or small vanes, feathers or plastic, vane angle and orientation on the shaft: what the studies measure, and where research has not yet reached the target.
Research lines
Cite
Campagna, M. (2026). Some shafts leave the bow already spinning, and the vanes have to be set in the direction of that spin (Version 2). In Evidence Registry. Retrieved 16 October 2026, from https://matteocampagna.com/en/registry/equipment/shafts-natural-spin-vanes
@misc{campagna2026_asterotazionepropriaalette,
author = {Campagna, Matteo},
title = {Some shafts leave the bow already spinning, and the vanes have to be set in the direction of that spin},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {Evidence Registry, matteocampagna.com},
url = {https://matteocampagna.com/en/registry/equipment/shafts-natural-spin-vanes},
note = {Version 2; accessed 2026-10-16}
}
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