Hawaiian sling
Encyclopedia
The Hawaiian sling is a device used in spearfishing
. The sling operates much like a bow and arrow on land, but energy is stored in rubber
tubing rather than a wooden or fiberglass shaft.
could by hand.
The Hawaiian sling has some similarities to speargun
s and polespear
s, in that all are powered by energy stored in rubber tubing. However, it occupies a middle ground between the two; the sling is somewhat more powerful than a polespear and offers a much more comfortable grip, but is less powerful than most spearguns. Like a polespear, the diver must exert force on the shaft to keep it from releasing, whereas a speargun has a trigger mechanism to accomplish this. Hawaiian slings are especially popular among divers who want a more challenging hunt, or those operating in areas where triggered spearguns are banned. Bermuda
is one such location, as are the Bahamas, and Okinawa, Japan.
The modern Hawaiian sling was popularised in the mid 1950s; however, fishing slings are mentioned in anthropological journals as early as 1917.
Spearfishing
Spearfishing is an ancient method of fishing that has been used throughout the world for millennia. Early civilizations were familiar with the custom of spearing fish from rivers and streams using sharpened sticks....
. The sling operates much like a bow and arrow on land, but energy is stored in rubber
Rubber
Natural rubber, also called India rubber or caoutchouc, is an elastomer that was originally derived from latex, a milky colloid produced by some plants. The plants would be ‘tapped’, that is, an incision made into the bark of the tree and the sticky, milk colored latex sap collected and refined...
tubing rather than a wooden or fiberglass shaft.
Description
Mechanically, the device is simple: the only moving parts are the spear shaft and the rubber tubing. A loop of tubing is attached to a block of material, often wood, with a hole drilled in it which is slightly larger in diameter than the shaft. The shaft is placed in the hole, notched in the loop and pulled back, tensioning the tubing. When the shaft is released, the tubing propels it forward, faster and further than a diverFree-diving
Freediving is any of various aquatic activities that share the practice of breath-hold underwater diving. Examples include breathhold spear fishing, freedive photography, apnea competitions and, to a degree, snorkeling...
could by hand.
The Hawaiian sling has some similarities to speargun
Speargun
A speargun is an underwater fishing implement designed to fire a spear at fish.The basic components of a speargun are:A spear, a stock/barrel, and a handle/grip containing a trigger mechanism...
s and polespear
Polespear
A polespear is an underwater tool used in spearfishing, consisting of a pole, a spear tip, and a rubber loop. Polespears are often mistakenly called Hawaiian slings, but the tools differ...
s, in that all are powered by energy stored in rubber tubing. However, it occupies a middle ground between the two; the sling is somewhat more powerful than a polespear and offers a much more comfortable grip, but is less powerful than most spearguns. Like a polespear, the diver must exert force on the shaft to keep it from releasing, whereas a speargun has a trigger mechanism to accomplish this. Hawaiian slings are especially popular among divers who want a more challenging hunt, or those operating in areas where triggered spearguns are banned. Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
is one such location, as are the Bahamas, and Okinawa, Japan.
The modern Hawaiian sling was popularised in the mid 1950s; however, fishing slings are mentioned in anthropological journals as early as 1917.