Bungee/chain resistance on older erg

[ArmandoChavezUNC]

Hello,

I'm used to erging on my relatively new (2014) model D (blue handle, black color) erg. At home my father has an older (maybe 20 years??) model C, with the narrower wood handle and gray color. He replaced the bungee on the erg some years ago, but despite that I've always felt a very significant difference in the tension/resistance compared to other ergs, particularly toward the last 1/2 to 1/3 of the stroke. It feel as though there is so much less resistance (same drag factor) that I have to pull that much harder to generate the same split and end up slamming the handle into my body at the finish.

Without fail after I go back home from visiting and use my erg, for the first few minutes my finishes are about a foot from my body because there is so much more resistance and my muscle memory doesn't immediately pick it up. Hope the explanation makes sense.

Is there a way to adjust this on the erg? Like I mentioned, the bungee was replaced a few years ago and even before that I felt the same issue. Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

[Citroen]

Get your fishing scale. You're looking to get the bungee tight enough that it's pulling 6-8 pounds at the catch.