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Dartboard Setup
Setting up your dartboard
One of the most common
questions I am asked is:
"My son/daughter has been
given a dart board and is keen to start playing straightaway but could you tell
us the height it should be from the ground and how far away the oche should be?"
The height of the dartboard
should be 5' 8" from the centre of bullseye in a plumb line to the floor.
The distance of the oche or throw line from the board should be exactly 7 feet
9¼ inches from the point where that plumb line reaches the floor.
These are the distances as
prescribed in all major darts tournaments.
However, those of you who
travel widely, especially in the UK, may come across different boards at
different heights and a different throw line. In those cases ‘house rules’
always apply.
Choosing a location:
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The area should be
away from high-traffic area to decrease the risk of injuries.
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Keep anything
breakable away from the immediate area - darts fly off at peculiar angles.
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Try to erect the
board where players are not distracted by people walking past
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The area should
roughly be about 11feet long and 5 feet wide and should not have any obstacles
in the way.
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The flooring should
be considered also
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- concrete floors
tend to break shafts
-
- wood floors will
look as though they have been attacked by woodworm after a while
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- carpet will show
the results of continuous walking
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you will need to mark
the throw line with either tape, a sticker, or a screwed down wood or metal
bar.
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The purchase of a
"dart mat" is the ideal situation. This is a roll out rubber mat that serves
several functions. It protect the dart from breaking and dulling, it protects
the floor and marks the proper distance to the throw line.
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There should be
adequate room for spectators and players when they are not throwing.
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There needs to be a
place for a score board in sight from the line, preferably right next to the
board.
Hanging The Board: The board needs to be hung exactly 5 foot 8 inches
from the floor to the centre of the Bullseye. Good quality boards are hung from
the centre, making this measurement easy. If you have a board that hangs from
the top, you will have to measure the distance from the centre of the bullseye
to the hanger and add that to the height. If a back board is used to protect the
wall around the board, this will also have to be centred around the board.
Marking The Throw Line: The throw line (also known as the oche) should
be about 3 feet wide. It may be made of tape, a store bought throw-line sticker,
a piece of wood or metal. It should be placed exactly 7 foot 9 and 1/4 inches
from the FACE of the board.
Some British pubs use
an 8 foot or 8 foot 6 inch measurement for steel tip darts. To measure from the
face of the board, have someone hold a plumb line from the bottom-front of the
board to the floor. If you don't have a plumb line, you can use a piece of
string with a pencil or dart tied to one end. Make sure the throw line is
exactly perpendicular to the face of the board and centred with the board. This
can be accomplished by measuring from the bullseye to each corner of the line.
The correct set up for a Dart Board
Download Diagram click here
The Dartboard Setup file is in PDF format if you require a
free Adobe Reader click
here
Lighting: Proper lighting of the dart board is
very critical. It is important to be able to tell exactly where the dart landed
without moving from the throw-line. The ideal lighting is from 2 lamps mounted
from the ceiling to the left and right of the board.
© 2007 Patrick Chaplin
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