Not all boomerangs are designed to come back. ... Like the Frisbee, their main purpose has always been mainly for sport or leisure — just the sheer pleasure of throwing the boomerang the right way so that it returns to the thrower. However, returning boomerangs can be used for hunting, too.

Why do boomerangs come back?

When a boomerang is thrown correctly, the airfoil provides the necessary lift for the boomerang to stay in the air. The reason why a boomerang comes back is due to a phenomenon known as gyroscopic precession. ... It is this torque that makes the boomerang tilt and gradually return to the thrower.

What is a non-returning boomerang?

Non-returning varieties are larger and heavier than the returning ones and have a distinctive hook shape. Returning boomerangs are generally 30–75 cm long and have a greater curve in relation to their length. ... Their aerofoil shape, where the bottom surface is flat while the top is curved, also aids in flight.