Also posted here ( http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...=6#post8697661 )

For what it is worth!

I started flying again this past summer after a twenty plus year absence... Way back then I had to teach myself for there were no clubs in my area (and before the internet - love the internet now) that flew sailplanes... After I had built my 1st plane (gentle lady) I 1st bought 100' of bungee cord and 400' of line... Can only stretch the cord only so much, I slowly increast the pull (to a full pull) and at one time during launch the plane was 1/4 way up and seeing the wing fold and helpless watching as it came crashing back to earth (if i crashed it once, i must have crashed it a hundred times) I figured there must be a better way... I heard about hi-starts and being a cheapskate (hense the bungee) I had bought 100' of 3/8" surgical tubing (extruded - amber) from a local medical supply house and the difference was night/day... It was true surgical tubing and no UV protection... Well needless to say it did not last long before it became brittle and was breaking all the time... Never did catch a thermal... That was then and this is now... I picked up flying again and had bought this time the heavy-duty hi-start from Dynaflight and it worked pretty well but once again after heavy use it deteriorated rather quicky and this to was breaking all the time and the pull was noticeably weaker than when it first came out of the box in no time at all... Now I have purchased several "HoseMonster" hi-starts...

( http://www.aerofoam.com/hosemonster.html )

I had puchased a Pinnacle hi-start off of ebay for a really good price but have not had the chance to try it out yet but looks very promising...! It is quite different than the hosemonster and seems to be a different type of rubber than the mandrel-dipped and has a very thin wall, if anyone could shed some light here would be very appriciated... I know next to nothing on this one and their site does not say much about it... What and or how is it made/made-of, how can you tell which size Pinnacle hi-start it is such as diameter vs the mini, small, standard, medium, large or extra-large...? Still seems hands-down much better than the Dynaflight systems and much cheaper in cost than the hosemonster's...

( http://www.nesail.com/categories.php?subcatID=54 )


The HoseMonster rubber I have in the 2, 3 and 4 meter class... They are mandrel dipped and heavier wall thickness than the Dynaflight Heavy-Duty and seems to have a much smoother pull to them... I have them "ringed" at their 50' marks and can adjust the length with qiuck release hooks depending on the size field that I am flying at... I am using 500' of 200lb massion line also "ringed" at the 250' mark for adjusting to the size field... This seems to be a good way of doing this and I can also add sections together if more pull is needed by using (joining) the rubber in parallel (tandem) such as a 50' length of 2 meter rubber along-side with a 50' 3 meter rubber... I did spend close to $400.00 (i've spent at least as much on all the cheap ones added together) on all that rubber but have found it to be well worth the cost... No more cheap rubber for this guy, I have learned my lesson...! I also use the aerospace protectant "303"

( http://www.303products.com/tech/ind...FTOKEN=38121153 )

to keep them in top-notch condition and adds to the UV protection... I also have them stored in insuated Kelty Binto Cooler to keep them out of UV light and away from ozone which will also deteriorate the rubber... Store in a cool place...

( http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/s...00226&langId=-1 )

I thought that I would mention since I have not really heard anyone talk about the care and maintenance of the very expensive rubber...! It makes a difference between making your hi-start last a long time or make it last a VERY LONG TIME...

Well, for what it's worth...
Kevin[sm=rolleyes.gif]

Hi-Start in Kelty Binto Cooler / Hi-Start with quick realese / Hi-Start in parallel (tandem) configuration