Brief:
It all started on me birthday in 2004. Blimey! I received two Estes Fat Boys, and I planned on buildin' them as a two stage rocket, shiver me timbers, me hearties, however, ya bilge rat, one o' t' body tubes was completly ripped down t' middle because t' nose cone be shoved halfway down inside it. Arrr! Begad! That left me with two Fat Boy kits but only one body tube. Begad! I built t' sustainer stage minus t' engine hook and looked at t' parts from the other kit. Avast, me proud beauty! I had two centerin' rings, shiver me timbers, 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, ya bilge rat, so I decided t' give it a try. Ahoy! I took t' engine tube, matey, centerin' rings, me hearties, launch lug, arrr, motor hook, me hearties, arrr, and retainer ring. In about 10 minutes, me bucko, ya bilge rat, I slapped all o' these parts together to form a cheap spool rocket.

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

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

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

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