On Wed, 02 Dec 2009 03:04:48 -0600, Lostgallifreyan
wrote:


Sorry if my post is as silly as it appears it might be, but just in case it
isn't... I've seen people walking dogs in a large park I run in a lot. They
have these slingshot/stick type affairs to throw tennis balls with for fast
strong dogs to get a lot of exercise fetching them while the owner has an
easier time of it. I've never tried one, but from what I've seen, even
unconscious practise seems to result in some accuracy, and distance certainly
isn't lacking. In short, it might be easier, cheaper and faster to practise
with one of those than to devise a more complex launcher. It seems to me that
accurately placing a thin line over a branch up to 100 ft high might be
easier than learning to fly-cast.

Another thing I remember, on a smaller scale by far, is a small stick and two
rubber bands, one binding the other over the end of the stick. I was about 6,
at a strange house competing with another boy to accurately and strongly
catapult nasturtium seeds by releasing them against the stick so the band
drew them near-parallel to it at speed. It's very effective because it eases
aiming and the recoil is just enough to cause the stick end to slew aside to
allow accurate clearance at the crucial instant, something that became
immediately apparent at the time I 'invented' it. If the thing were scaled
up, for example with a carefully prepared inner tube from a cycle tyre, then
maybe the thing can launch a weighted tennis ball and light line accurately
with one shot. The trial and error would certainly be a lot lower than the
dog-ball-slinger.

I am still open to all leads. I did a Google on "dog ball shooter" and
found a lot of interesting posts. I don't think any of them are up to
carrying a monofilament line over a 100 foot tree but they are still
interesting. My Black Lab enjoys chasing a genuine bowling pin when I
throw it but we are both getting too old for that game! It has given
her very strong neck muscles.

The Hyper dog launcher looks to be effective and inexpensive for the
intended purpose.

I met a fellow at Home Depot that does a lot of surf fishing in the
ocean. He is considering a similar device as my launcher to place his
bait further from the beach...

Rainy day (flood warnings) in North Carolina today... antenna play on
computer today.

John Ferrell W8CCW