Working to get my hands on a Howatt Ventura 66" soon. There's not a whole lot of pics here on Leatherwall or google images. Can some Ventura owners post some pics with the year of manufacture? And wood type if you know it, so I can educate myself.

I know I like the grips on the older ones (60s-70s) but I also want to see them from the 80s & 90s.

I've already read every post Leatherwall has on the Ventura, So i already know they are long versions of Howatt Hunters and usually heavier than marked, etc. etc. Thanks!

They are NOT longer versions of the hunter. They had completely different lams and the limbs work entirely different. All of our bows were weighed per AMO specs on a state regulated scale. While there have been some mismarked bows over the years, that's NOT the norm of what we did. For every one mismarked bow there were hundreds that were as marked when weighed under AMO specifications.

Larry, I didn't believe the Ventura was simply a longer Hunter and Howatts were always heavier than marked. I just didn't want that info repeated again. I've read it enough times already in old posts when I first discovered the Hunter model.

I've had 5 Hunters from years 1963-2015 and recently acquired a 2006 Savannah. (All draw weights marked were spot on!)

I'm just having trouble determining the difference between the Ventura model years. One I'm considering is either a 1984 or a 1994. If it has the DH bow logo is it pre 1990?

Larry will correct me if I'm wrong, but I heard this for ages as well. Then I learned that the proper way to measure draw weight was to measure 26.25" from the deepest part of the grip. WITHOUT the weight of the bow being on the scale. When I started doing that....I dispelled those rumors in my own mind as well the minds of some others.

fdp, we drew the string 26 1/4" from the pivot point on all bows we made, per AMO standards. That way it makes no difference how far it is to the back of the shelf from that point. If someone wanted a bow to weigh exactly for how THEY measured, we built their bow to their specs. In 1985 or so Dan Martin asked that we set our scale to 3# before weighing because of all the people that were weighing the whole bow and complaining and sending bows back that were within 1# when weighed per AMO. Any Howatt bow that has a "S" lying down with two lines through it is actually 3# under the marked weight when weighed properly. The "red" woods in our bows is Bubinga. The "brown" is Amazaque, a cousin of Bubinga. Guibortia ehie, and Guibortia tasmanii.

Greeeeat! Now can we please get back to the original request? Ventura info!! pics,years,design,interesting history facts.

I specifically hoped NOT to make this another "higher than marked draw weight" post. But I confess, i did copy Larry's last post to file away. My Savannah has that horizontal "S". That was news to me.

I think this is a 1984 that used to belong to Wingstrut. Amazaque.

Had one for may years...it was the first new bow I bought when I came back to trad bows 25 years ago. I liked it for my long draw and it was a shooter. Just found it a bit long for hunting. I sold it to Viper a few years back.

So I guess they ran from @ 1960-1997? Maybe someone could confirm. Rosewood in the 60s and then Amazaque after that? I saw one from what was believed to be a 1974 that looked quite light in color. Was there a year when the design changed?

Holezone, don't sweat it. We're all guilty of it here on leather wall. I just hope I get some good info on Venturas. It's always interesting searching for your next vintage Howatt. i only draw 28" but I look forward to trying this 66" bow compared to the 61" & 62" Hunters I've had.

I can only provide 1 of the 3 things OP asked for; I don't know wood type or year. But I love the bow. Mine is 30#.

There was actually two different versions of the Ventura before 1990 and one after that when we slimmed the profile and used Maple. The early wood, besides rosewood, was one I can't think of now. Sort of a greenish color and lighter than Amazaque. The limb lams changed three times over the years. The Hunter stayed with the change I made in the late sixties until the Howatt name and Martins was sold.

Thanks Larry! The Venturas I have a line on right now are 1984 & 1989. Hopefully some more might pop up. Newer is nice, but I love the older grips. Can you elaborate on the popularity in europe and who used them for training. Was it Olympic competitors?

holezone, if you do not zero the scale after you hang the bow from it, you are weighing the bow and also what you use to pull the string down, if anything. You would also have to have a scale mounted to align the pivot point with when it gets to the 26 1/4 mark for a 28" draw.

Ronnickel,

That was my bow I sold a few months ago, I bought it new in 1984. I'm ashamed to say it had the original string on it, but I didn't see any wear and tear so I didn't change it. wing

Little lefty, I knew you were in Florida when I saw the big blades of glass and the coconut. I think with no stripe in the riser yours is a 70s model.

Florida yes; coconut no. It's a grapefruit - they run wild in my yard and there's no license or permit required, :-)

littlelefty, I think your bow is a 1972. Still trying to remember the wood in those. Had a definite pleasant odor when you were shaping the riser.

Thank You! It feels great in my hand and is a joy to shoot.

Does anybody have apic of a Ventura from the 1990's?

http://leatherwall.bowsite.com/TF/lw/thread2.cfm?threadid=210110&category=88#2747627

Thanks Buzz!

1981 Ventura

1974 Ventura

Welcome.

Sold this one I had to a young lady at our club a couple years back.

I mount my scale on the floor, hook the string to the scale and pull the riser up 26 1/4" to measure the correct AMO draw weight.

1991 Ventura

Here is the wife's Howatt , I love the green glass its really a nice bow .

I found these 2 pics of the famed 147# Ventura

147#...

I bought a new 60lb@28 hunter in 1979 to get the weight I wanted at 32" and liked it so much I went to buy another for backup on outa state hunts but couldn't find one so bought a ventura the same year. I like it more than the hunter at my 32" draw. Then bought a second 60lb ventura new that a guy could pull back so sold in his garage sale. I payed 35 bucks for it. That's the one thing compounds were good for. Making it possible for us diehards(as some compounders called me) to get like new Bears and Howatts at 15-35 bucks each.

Here's mine---45#. God and Christ Bless

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