Arrow tuning question

[Brandi]

I'm essentially brand new to shooting traditional bows.  Used them a lot bow fishing but not shooting targets or hunting.  For that I always shot a compound. 

The further I get into this the more I realize it's way more complex than I thought so I'll likely be asking lots of questions in the future.  Today's question is about arrow tuning.  My arrows are fishtailing a little during flight but perfectly straight in the target.  No problems with nock up, down or left, right.  Is this ok?  When I'm shooting well they go where they are supposed to.  I know there's archers paradox but this is a center shot recurve so should they be fishtailing at all?

[McDave]

Hi Brandi, welcome to TradGang!  Unless there is a serious mismatch of arrows to bow, the feathers will correct minor tuning issues and the arrows will land straight in the target.  However, “minor tuning issues” mean that some of the energy delivered to the arrow by the bow is being lost.  To maximize the efficiency of the energy being delivered to the arrow, many of us bare shaft tune.  I use the same shaft I plan to use for my arrows, but trim the feathers down to the quill.  I prefer this to a true bare shaft because the quill and glue weight affects the dynamic spine of the arrow, without guiding the arrow like the feathers do, so I like to leave them on.  Then we shoot the bare shaft, and tune until we get as close to perfect flight as we can achieve with a fletched arrow.

I recommend this website to learn how to bare shaft tune: https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=ken+beck+bare+shaft+tuning&&view=detail&mid=1A6B8C5D9A2E9F6F30831A6B8C5D9A2E9F6F3083&&FORM=VRDGAR&ru=%2Fvideos%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Dken%2Bbeck%2Bbare%2Bshaft%2Btuning%26qpvt%3Dken%2Bbeck%2Bbare%2Bshaft%2Btuning%26FORM%3DVDRE

That said, unless you have learned good form, it is better to just shoot and enjoy the arrows you have, because tuning will change as your form improves.  I have never stopped learning, and I always carry a bare shaft with me when I am practicing and shoot it from time to time to see what might have changed since the last time I shot.  I don't make new arrows every time something changes, but I like to know what's going on.

All arrows go through paradox when shot from fingers.  Well tuned arrows shot just slightly short of centershot minimize that effect to the extent possible.

[Sam McMichael]

I am the last person to be giving advice, but I will offer what I can. First, even with a center shot bow, you will experience the archer's paradox to a degree. Have you ever watched the Olympic archers in slow motion? Their arrows wriggle like a snake all the way to the target. There will always be some wobble, but there shouldn't be much. Maybe you could post some video shots, particularly from behind, so the really knowledgeable archers can analyze your form and your equipment. You will get lots of good advice from the people here. Keep working hard and improvement will follow. Good luck.

[Brandi]

Thanks, it's not a lot of wobble by any means.  I just wanted to be sure that it's normal.  The arrows fly just fine and hit where they are supposed to when I do my part.  It sounds like my arrows are good to go. 
 

[Part Time Archer]

Underspine will cause bad flight.

[Sojurn]

Underspine implies out of tune. Overspine will cause equally bad flight.  Based on the OP, for the time being just keep shooting. If the arrows are hitting where you look, then I'd say you need more repetitions and focus more on form rather than tune.
  Do some drilling (working on form) and then enjoy shooting.  Once you're comfortable with your form, tuning your equipment will come pretty naturally.