A NEW WONDER SPECTRA LINE from Prism???

[Shultzie]

A kite-kook-koot friend of mine just got back from last week's Longbeach  Kite festival and he had a chance to try out the new PRISM MODULAR duel line kite lines and raves about just great they work.
Compared to his regular competition Lazer Pro Spectra lines...these are sold in 90# 75 foot length pairs that are carefully  PRE-STRETCHED to EXACTING PULL TEST TOLORANCES.

These lines are colored with pigminted red and green color.
The best thing both are EXACTLY the same length and are carefully pre sleved with beautifully appointed flying attachment knots?

Knowing Prism...these lines will retail with a pretty sizeable  profit mark-up...SO ARE THEY REALLY WORTH THE BIG BANG FOR THE BUCK???
As far as the coloring the lines...sounds like a few of our seasoned Expert CLPA flyers have been known to pick up a handle, two or threee..teee-heee--heee BACK-AZZZWARDS???
The color code might just help.
My jury is still VERY MUCH WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY OUT THERE on buying another more expensive line of competition kite line..at least until I can give them a test.
Buy the way....Mark claims that these lines, due to their AMAZING FREEDOM FROM STRETCHING...GIVE A VERY VERY NOTICABLE quicker and more responsive feel at the handles---compared to other professional grade competition kite lines?
www.prismkites.com

[Randy Powell]

Shultzie,

Great for kites. Not so much for toy planes. Kites don't have the lateral drag as the lines are pulled around in a circle. Drag is the issue with lines like these, not strength.

[Ward Van Duzer]

Look for SPECTRA fishing line!

W.

[Shultzie]

Shultzie,

Great for kites. Not so much for toy planes. Kites don't have the lateral drag as the lines are pulled around in a circle. Drag is the issue with lines like these, not strength.

LATERAL DRAG???....is that like what I feel when I am flying my 10span TOTAL ECLISPE IN A 40MPH WIND?

[Michael Massey]

I have been fishing with spectra for awhile.  Great strength and very small diameter which should reduce the drag issue.  The larger problem is than ordinary knots do not work.  The line is small and has reduced friction so that it slips easily.  If you take a look at a fishing knot book or web site you will see some pretty exotic knots for spectra.  I use it for fishing and have not considered it for flying control line.

Mike Massey

[Richard Grogan]

  The larger problem is than ordinary knots do not work.  The line is small and has reduced friction so that it slips easily.  If you take a look at a fishing knot book or web site you will see some pretty exotic knots for spectra. 
Mike Massey

Is it possible to heat the knot or maybe fuse it together to prevent slippage? I havent used this stuff, but I envision it to look like monofilament? Just curious...

[George]

Palomar knot.

George

[Michael Massey]

What the knot books recommend is a bimini with a "super glue" on the knot or some similar complicated knot.  The best way it works with monofilament is threading the mono up hollow spectra about 3 to 4 feet.  Then "tie off" with small spectra or dental floss then the "super glue." 

Spectra is great strong stuff but will tangle, twist and is a bear to tie a knot.  It is inherently slippery.  I have used spectra for years on long range fishing trips for giant Tuna.  Great.  But personally, I would not consider it for control line flying. 

Mike M

[Michael Massey]

Sorry, I forgot to cover this in the earlier. 

Spectra looks like the old dacron fishing line, but thinner.  Or a thick thread that kind of feels "waxy."  You can buy it hollow or not.  The hollow usually starts about 135 # test line.  I am not sure what the thickness is but it is reasonably thin.  Probably thinner than the stranded steel we use.  It is not cheap but may be cheaper than the stranded steel we use.  If you have a big fish and the line crosses the anchor rope while your fish is running, it will cut right through the anchor rope.  Strong, sharp, and too difficult to tie small reliable knots.

Mike M

[minnesotamodeler]

Monofilament fishing line is NOT what you want to use for our application...braided or fusion has less stretch, good for us.  Spiderwire, Spectra, some other brands. For 1/2A anyhow (up to .061), simple Palomar knots to a line connector work very well, nothing exotic required.  Haven't tried it on anything bigger, but some have so I hear.

As far as I can tell it is stronger than the SS cable, size for size.  My .061s won't cut it, just wraps up in the prop till it kills the engine. Pretty much ruins the lines of course but at least there's no worries about cutaways. I use typically 8# to 14# test, depending on engine and airplane (well, I actually use 2# test with my .010).

Just my experience with the stuff.