What is the worst part about the hobby?

[Donnager]

Mud.

I was going to say ditches, but mud works.

 

[fyrwrxz]

The depth of the addiction. The circus wouldn't cover the costs of a new CF bird, so the kids were safe. My wife, however, has completely lost her mind. Still love her tho' and she's a great cook. Rockets beat her suggestion of underwater Serbo-Croation sword dancing. That's an expensive hobby to get into.

 

[KenECoyote]

Jerks that run to cut you to the pad first (after you've waited patiently to launch) and then you have to wait another round.

This season I'm ready to race!

 

[BigMacDaddy]

Estes MAP pricing?

Wait -- is that political?

Finding places to launch or the costs of the engines... maybe I already said one or both of those things...

 

[cwbullet]

The heat in the summer?

 

[therling]

Forgetting to buy two Estes Comanches so that after the first three-stage flight you have to make a second trip to the store to replace it.

 

[bjphoenix]

#1 painting problems (may push me to use acrylics and a small spray gun)
#2 expense of composite motors
#3 problems packing recovery systems and deployment problems
#4 incompatible weather

 

[beeblebrox]

Money causing unnecessary problems due to stupid regulations.

1. Because Tripoli and the NAR collectively don't have enough money to get the ridiculous DOT regulations fixed, forcing people to drive across country with their motors that they can't ship themselves. The gun industry has tons of money to lobby for easier regulations. It is cheaper to ship ammo and only needs ORM-D markings. I would not want to be anywhere near a fire where there are boxes of ammo...
2. HazMat fees that are baseless. How is one J motor more dangerous to ship than 30 packs of C6-5's? Estes motors often become propulsive when the box is in a fire. Composites generally do not. This is based on facts and actual burning of packages in the desert for AeroTech in the early 90's for DOT tests of packaging.

 

[SolarYellow]

Money causing unnecessary problems due to stupid regulations.

1. Because Tripoli and the NAR collectively don't have enough money to get the ridiculous DOT regulations fixed, forcing people to drive across country with their motors that they can't ship themselves. The gun industry has tons of money to lobby for easier regulations. It is cheaper to ship ammo and only needs ORM-D markings. I would not want to be anywhere near a fire where there are boxes of ammo...
2. HazMat fees that are baseless. How is one J motor more dangerous to ship than 30 packs of C6-5's? Estes motors often become propulsive when the box is in a fire. Composites generally do not. This is based on facts and actual burning of packages in the desert for AeroTech in the early 90's for DOT tests of packaging.

Brass-cased ammo outside a gun is pretty non-dangerous in a fire. Stuff will fly a few yards, but a fireman can stand next to it in his standard turnouts and anything that flies at him will bounce off harmlessly. It needs the chamber and barrel of the gun to contain the pressure and build velocity.

 

[Tom Flint]

RSOs who assume everyone is an idiot and that they know more about your rocket by glancing at it for two seconds than you do.

 

[smstachwick]

View attachment 572849

That actually makes me feel a bit sick to look at.

 

[Neutronium95]

I'd say that the worst part for me recently has been needing to climb the steep and rocky hills near TRAPHX for recovery.

 

[KenECoyote]

That actually makes me feel a bit sick to look at.

It's more reson to appreciate those that are willing to build something so beautiful and still launch it for everyone to see... good or bad.