Off Setting Vanes Question

[passin through]

I read an article recently about offsetting vanes and thought I'd try it out.  I have just recently started fletching my own arrows and am still in the learning stage.  Previously I have just copied the set up that I'd had my buddy using when he re-fletched my arrows for me.  My question is this.....Does anyone else offset their vanes?  If so how much and what vanes are you using? Are you off setting all vanes from each other or just on different from the other two?  I just fletched up two arrows and I pretty much followed the recipe the guy that wrote the srticle had....base of vane 1 &1/8 inch in from the top of the nock throat.  The next two are 1/8 inch in from that.  (He did not specify whether both should be the same or the 3rd vane should actually be 1/4 inch from the original.  Also what difference does it make where you place the vane base in relation to the nock throat?  I've seen a lot of different setups but I've always liked it about 1/2 inch down.  The vanes I am using are 2" quickspin speed hunters with a very little right helical.  Any advice or words of wisdom would be appreciated.

[fasteddie]

I have only seen a couple of arrows like that that a Bow shop Owner brought to a Sportsmen's Banquet . I figured it was just a passing fad > I don't know anyone who fletches vanes this way . I asked a couple of archery Gurus about it and they just rolled their eyes .................

[passin through]

I went and actually bought a copy of the mag I had read the article in...(had been in a Dr's waiting room)....I missed a few things....He does give a couple recipes for how he originally staggered the vanes and how they are preferred to be now...originally he did stagger 1/8 inch up from each other now he staggers one 1/8 inch high and the others back..exact opposite of how I did it.  The article is in the March edition of Bow and Arrow hunting and is a sub article to "Boosting Down Range Accuracy" by Joe Bell.  The guy actually trying out the staggering  process is Jim Valazquez who (they said) is a long time industry expert and public relations rep for BowTech and GoldTip.  The same tests were performed by Bob Mizek (Senior engineer for NAP).  Both guys agree they don't know why it works but they are both experiencing a 20% improvement in accuracy.  I'm gonna do some experimenting with it and see what it does for me.  Anybody else doing this or ever thought of it?

[Goose]

I read that article as well, I've also noted that Bobb Robb does it on his as well. I planned on trying it out this summer when I could shoot a little longer distances. Let me know how it works for ya.
If I were to do it I would start at my normal point then each of the next 2 would be 1/8 lower.
All 3 should be at a different height.
 
From what I've read and played with on gap between nock index and base of vane is that it doesn't matter a whole lot with flight but more so matters to the shooter. You don't want them to far up the shaft because that will screw up the flight but you don't want them rubbing your cheek either. It makes a difference with the height of the vane and whether you shoot fingers or release.

[Highlander Archery]

Offset does not give nearly as much control as helical. Simply put, more vane surface catches air with helical than with offset making for faster arrow recovery and accuracy improvement.

[Goose]

We're referring to vertical offset, the top of one fletch is 1/8 lower than the next and then 1/8 lower on the next.
You could still use helical.
 
 

[Highlander Archery]

Ahh, all fletches should be equidistant from the nock.