Replacing the MKIV yaw string - tips

The first time I saw one advertised, I thought it was an April Fool's joke. But I was intrigued. Months later I ordered one. Could this be real? Have I been duped? I received it in the mail and have yet to install it but looking at the package I'm still not sure. Then, I read posts like the one that started this thread and I'm still feeling like someone is going to jump out and say, "gotcha!"

On Saturday, December 1, 2012 4:05:25 PM UTC-8, wrote:
The first time I saw one advertised, I thought it was an April Fool's joke. But I was intrigued. Months later I ordered one. Could this be real? Have I been duped? I received it in the mail and have yet to install it but looking at the package I'm still not sure. Then, I read posts like the one that started this thread and I'm still feeling like someone is going to jump out and say, "gotcha!"

Gotcha!

A bit of history . . . ever since I saw gliders for the first time in "Popular Mechanics" in the late 50's, I believed they were the prettiest, most sensuous thing man had created to fly.

While getting my glider add-on, I flew in gliders that had tape over tape and old adhesive residue doing an ugly job of holding on a bit of string or yarn. Didn't seem right that something so innately beautiful should be graced by a kluged-on yaw string. Shortly after buying my first glider in '98, a S10-VT, the "MKI" was born and sold only to other Stemme owners.

It was named "MKI" in honor of the Supermarine Spitfire suffix, my English heritage, and my father's 30 years in the RAF. The MKIV yaw string has been refined and improved over the past 13 years, many more times than its MKIV designation would suggest. Only a big change, or a bunch of little ones, warrants a new Mark numper! I believe the current MKIV is about as good as it's possible for me to make, requiring almost 30 steps and numerous special tools and fixtures to craft each by hand.

No joke or gotcha, honest. There are thousands of MK## yaw strings gracing beautiful gliders all over the world. Might sound silly, but I'm kind'a proud of that!

If you buy a MKIV and are disappointed, within a year of purchase return it to me and I'll refund your money plus a dollar for your trouble. I hope no one ever takes me up on that offer.

bumper