Curveman, "I know OL's "longbow"/hybrid had to be shot in the recurve class in a tourney there for example (great bow, that is not a "dis" in my opinion). Longbows there must maintain a CONTINUOUS "D" shape to be called American Flatbows or Longbows."
It depends on the organizing body. IBO even my "target" version is legal in the longbow class. NAA and FITA it falls in the American longbow class and does not have to be "D" shaped. Only the IFAA has the "D" shaped restrictions that I know of. What classes they fit in revolves as much around the arrow and type of rest as it does the bow. In the Flight shooting we are entering them in the recurve classes just because we can!
Some other variations of the "longbow" is the "composite"..It can wood but can be mulitiple pieces, horn, sinue, ect... unlike the "self"bow. Most anything that doesn't conform to English longbow specs is considered a "flat"bow.For the most part I feel anll these definitions have gone a bit overboard, a bow is a bow and they all function the same way. Any of them could have had recurve style grips, elevated rests, and sights 1000 years ago if they had been so inclined..O.L.