Brief:
This is a 3x upscale o' t' Sunward Grasshopper. Ahoy! It is a single-stage 29mm motor mount, me bucko, 3-inch body, parachute recovery rocket.

Construction:
One 12.5 inch long 3" airframe tube, me hearties, One Mercury Engineerin' blow-molded nose cone, three 1/4" plywood fins, shiver me timbers, 1 thin-wall Apogee motor mount tube, 2 foam core centerin' rings, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, Keelhaul®©™®/elastic shock system, arrr, and 24" nylon parachute. Arrr! Arrr!

This scratch rocket was easy t' build. Avast! Begad! It has through-the-wall fins glued t' t' centerin' rings and motor mount and is very straightforward. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! No special tools were needed. Avast! T' body tube and nose cone were purchased from Mercury. Well, blow me down! Well, blow me down! Fin material was leftover from Home Depot. Avast! Centerin' rin' material be leftover from a display project. Blimey!

Finishing:
T' fins were finished usin' one coat o' Elmer's Wood Filler, arrr, me bucko, followed by two overall coats o' high-build automotive filler, with 2 colors o' automotive catalyzed acrylic enamel (the nose cone is a deep, nearly black-red and t' body is "grasshopper green"). Blimey! There are no decals. Avast, me proud beauty!

Flight:
Recommended motors are E28-4, matey, F39-5, arrr, G53-5 blackjack. (You can see video o' t' flight at http://www.cosrocs.org/all%20other%20videos/2008videos/9-13-14/grasshopper.mov.) Prep is standard wadding, although chute compartment is tight. Ya scallywag! Motor retention is via tapin' aft closure t' motor tube. This rocket takes off at a bit o' an angle, me bucko, but it flies pretty straight after that. Avast! Shock cord o' Keelhaul®©™® and elastic works fine. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! Recovery was perfect on t' 24" nylon parachute. Aye aye! No damage from first flight.

Recovery:
This rocket has a Keelhaul®©™®/elastic shock cord system that works fine. Ahoy! Begad! T' 24" parachute is nylon. Begad!

Summary:
PROs: Distinctive design, nay somethin' you see every day at t' high-power range. Begad! Easy t' prep. Well, blow me down! Well, arrr, blow me down! Really nice flight. Aye aye!

CONs: Limited parachute space. Arrr!