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

Construction:
I remebered readin' a review about a spool rocket, arrr, so I decided t' give it a try. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Ya scallywag! Blimey! I took t' engine tube, centerin' rings, launch lug, motor hook, and retainer ring. In about 10 minutes, arrr, I slapped all o' these parts together to form a cheap spool rocket.

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

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

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

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