Aboriginal Steve's Boomerang Page

How to Throw

Boomerangs do return! There is no magic involved, though they may seem magical. The key to learning how to throw is accurate instructions. Without good instructions you will probably not succeed. For a boomerang to return to the thrower, the boomerang must be designed and shaped properly. There are a lot of sticks which look like a boomerang and are called boomerangs, but do not return. If you have a 'rang, and after following these instructions you still cannot get it to come back, you probably have a stick. I don't sell sticks, only time-proven and flight-tested boomerangs.
Read and understand all the instructions prior to throwing. Select a large field to learn in. It's best to learn when other people are not around for safety reasons. Pick a nice day when the winds are gentle. Never take your eyes off the boomerang when it is in flight. If you loose your 'rang while it is in the air, turn around and cover your face with your hands and arms and count to 15. Listen very closely for it to land. Go directly to where you think you heard the boomerang land. Some boomerangers wear eye protection when throwing for safety reasons.

Hold the 'rang using either of these two grip styles. It doesn't matter which arm you hold the boom by as long as your thumb is touching the painted side (top) of the boomerang.
You'll need to find out which direction the wind is blowing. The best way is to pull up some grass and toss it in the air.
Now face directly into the wind. Right hand throwers must throw to the right of the wind, and left hand throwers must throw to the left of the wind. You will be throwing about 45 degrees off the wind. Once again, right handers, to the right and left handers to the left.
Most boomerangs do not like to be thrown high into the air. Throw within this "window" of elevation.

Don't throw yet. Layover angle is the key to a good flight. Do not throw a boomerang sidearm style, like you do a flying disk. This is a dangerous practice which could result in a broken boomerang, or worse-injury to people. Think of a clock. Right hand throwers will lay over their booms to the right of 12 o'clock, between 12 o'clock and 1:30. Left hand throwers will lay over their boom to the left of 12 o'clock, between 10:30 and 12 o'clock.

Imparting spin into the flight is critical to "good boomeranging." Think of snapping the wrist at the moment the boomerang leaves your hand. Spin is critical to a good flight. It takes practice to develop the technique.
How hard do I throw it? This is hard to describe. If you can throw a baseball, you can throw a boomerang. Most people start off by throwing too easy. Rarely does throwing a boomerang require a person to throw with all their power. If the boom flies over your head and lands way behind you on a calm day, you are throwing too hard. If the boomerang lands way in front of you, try throwing harder.
Put it all together and give it a try. Don't worry if you seem to have trouble at first. Boomeranging is a learned activity. Practice is the key to becoming a boomerang master.

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