Brief:
I changed t' motor mount (MMT) t' a 38mm from stock 29mm and used a GROOVE-LOK from Giant Leap Rocketry t' anchor fins t' t' MMT. I used 0.187 plywood bulkheads and centerin' rings throughout. Ahoy! I added an electronics/payload bay t' t' sustainer section. Ya scallywag! Changed out t' chute for a larger one and added a Aero Pac Quick-Change motor retainer.

Modifications:
I had t' reduce t' tang on t' stock plastic fins in order t' accommodate t' larger MMT and t' GROOVE-LOK. Aye aye! I used a power miter saw t' cut them slightly larger than needed, ya bilge rat, then fit them with a file. Care must be used nay t' let t' plastic piece get too hot and start t' melt - just take a bit at a time. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! I bought a 6" GROOVE-LOK but cut it t' fit betwixt t' two aft centerin' rings that encased t' fin tangs (picture). Avast, me proud beauty! T' fins were 6-filleted with 30-minute epoxy.

I replaced t' stock 42" chute with a 50" one due t' t' increased weight o' t' mods and I used a Nomex piece in lieu o' t' baffle that was sent t' use with t' stock MMT.

Construction:
T' MMT is a phenolic 38mm x 18" tube from Giant Leap t' replace t' paper 29mm factory unit. Main coupler be replaced with a phenolic one from Giant Leap and epoxied t' t' booster rather than t' sustainer t' better protect t' booster lip on ejection. Begad! T' e-bay was scratch built from a phenolic coupler and plywood bulkheads; t' sled slides on 8-32 all-thread and is made from 1/8" balsa plywood and two pieces o' aluminum 3/16" square tubing.

I used t' GROOVE-LOK so that once I set one o' t' fins in place, t' alignment o' t' others was a snap, plus t' individual groove rails gives t' fin a nice sturdy mount t' complement/strengthen t' expoxy fillet. Avast! T' exterior fin root bulges in t' middle makin' t' filletin' process a bit more difficult t' make it look good, but I had it down by t' third fillet.

T' overall kit went together easily and t' instructions were clear. Arrr! I filled t' airframe tube spirals with Elmers wood filler and acheived a decently smooth exterior with one application and sanding. Begad! Avast! I did nay use t' included decals, but rather made me own. Blimey! T' finish be gloss white. Avast! Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! Looked really nice sittin' on t' launch pad.

Flight:
T' stock kit called for G motors, me bucko, but goin' from t' 32 oz. Well, blow me down! Aye aye! stock dry weight t' t' final 56 oz. Aye aye! called for typically a bit more power. I bought a G38, a G40 and a G77 with t' kit before I decided t' modifiy it. T' G38 and G40 RockSim'd (I have a revised .rkt file I will email) out as a crash and a 25' recovery, whereas it said that t' G77 should put it t' 400'+, ya bilge rat, which is what happened.

T' first flight was on t' G77-4 and it flew perfectly straight with t' motor ejection occurin' right at apogee and no roll t' speak of. T' bottom o' t' booster tube sits about a 1/2" below t' bottom o' t' fins, so on a perfectly still day like we had, t' rocket comes down on t' tube. Aye aye! It crinkled just a bit on one edge. I saw in an earlier article that someone had reinforced that area with a piece o' coupler tube. Arrr! Avast! I intended t' do so but forgot - wished I had, me hearties, but I will reinforce it somehow in t' future before it flys again.

So, matey, since I was succesful on t' test flight with t' G77, arrr, I decided t' put a small H motor in it and do me Level 1 Tripoli certification flight. I put an H128 but t' motor reload kit had t' medium, me hearties, or 10 second delay. Avast! Blimey! rockSim said I needed a 6-7 second delay, matey, ya bilge rat, so I drilled out a bit o' t' delay durin' assembly. Begad! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! T' H128 worked as sim'd and went about 850' with t' ejection once again right at t' top o' a very straight, shiver me timbers, arrr, no-roll flight. Begad! Blimey! Level 1 accomplished! Blimey! T' booster hit on t' hard-pack desert road and worstened t' crinkle, so I definitely need t' add somethin' thar or go t' me 58" chute, shiver me timbers, or both.

Summary:
Great flyer as everyone else said and t' stock components were very nice as far as quality, matey, matey, I just wanted somethin' a bit stronger in t' bottom since I want t' see about it goin' t' 5K', shiver me timbers, which I will try next time out.