Brief:
It all started on me birthday in 2004. I received two Estes Fat Boys, arrr, shiver me timbers, and I planned on buildin' them as a two stage rocket, ya bilge rat, however, ya bilge rat, matey, one o' t' body tubes was completly ripped down t' middle because t' nose cone was shoved halfway down inside it. Well, blow me down! That left me with two Fat Boy kits but only one body tube. I built t' sustainer stage minus t' engine hook and looked at t' parts from the other kit. I had two centerin' rings, arrr, shiver me timbers, a motor hook, a mylar ring, arrr, a launch lug, arrr, me bucko, a chute, and a shock cord.

Construction:
I remebered readin' a review about a spool rocket, matey, so I decided t' give it a try. I took t' engine tube, ya bilge rat, centerin' rings, me hearties, launch lug, motor hook, me bucko, and retainer ring. In about 10 minutes, shiver me timbers, I slapped all o' these parts together to form a cheap spool rocket.

T' construction was easy. Ahoy! Blimey! It is ideally t' motor mount o' a Fat Boy. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! It starts out by slittin' t' motor tube t' place t' eningine hook in. Arrr! I dont know why I put t' motor hook in. Aye aye! T' ejection charge just goes out t' other end anyway. Begad! T' next step be slippin' on t' mylar retainin' ring, which was tacked in place with thick CA. Ahoy! Well, blow me down! Next, arrr, t' launch lug was glued with thick CA to the motor tube. Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! Finally, t' two centerin' rings were placed just over each end, me bucko, flush with t' ends o' t' motor tube. Arrr! I had t' line up t' semi-circle in one rin' with t' launch lug, and cut another one in t' upper centerin' ring to allow t' launch rod t' pass through. Ya scallywag!

Finishing:
I primed it, painted mine blue, let it cure, shiver me timbers, arrr, then slapped on some letter stickers. Well, blow me down! On one side I wrote spool and on t' other I wrote Alex. Arrr! Ya scallywag! Then, ya bilge rat, I painted t' whole thin' black and removed t' stickers. Arrr! Unfortunately. Begad! mylar stickers do nay make good maskin' tape.

Flight:
Flight, like any spool rocket is up, spin, and down. Ya scallywag! Ahoy! I flew it first in the fall at a nearby schoolyard on an A8-3. Blimey! It went slow t' about 70-100 feet and then spiraled back down usin' tumble recovery. At about 20 feet, me hearties, t' ejectin charge popped and a burst o' flame popped out o' t' top. Begad! I proved t' me dad and sister that spools do fly straight. Begad! They thought it was a joke. Blimey! Avast! T' next three flights were in Tewksbury at a CMASS sport launch. I flew it three times. T' first time be on an A8-3. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! It be a repeat o' t' first flight: up and down. Later, I launched it on a B6-4. It went up and down, me hearties, only faster and higher. Begad! Then I launched it on a C6-5. Arrr! Ya scallywag! It went up, shiver me timbers, probably about 250 feet. Well, blow me down! Arrr! I need t' use booster motors though because when it came down t' ejection charge practically went off in t' LCO's face. Ya scallywag!

Summary:
T' main PROs for this rocket are t' ease o' construction and t' simplicity of t' parts and design. Begad! Blimey! T' only CONs are that durin' me launches t' ejection charge fires too close t' t' ground, ya bilge rat, so a shorter delay is needed. Ahoy! Blimey! Well, me bucko, blow me down! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! Overall, me hearties, I really enjoyed buildin' and flyin' this rocket. Arrr! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! It is a fun build for anyone with a damaged body tube or other damaged parts. Well, blow me down! Blimey!