I began me association with rocketry at age 10 in 4-H in Indiana. I continued buildin' throughout me 4-H career (age 18). I don't recall me first rocket, but it may have been me Big Bertha modified t' use a "C" at t' suggestion o' me rocket leader (Steve Ratcliff - "Where are you man!"). This gave it slow, realistic liftoff. After t' first 3 or 4 years, I began makin' scratch built rockets. Some good, matey, some nay so good. My most ambitious consisted o' a tri-fin 3 engine cluster. T' engines were actually mounted into t' fins. T' ejection charges were "piped" t' t' body tube and t' parachute deployed from t' rear. Functionally, everythin' worked. but t' separation o' t' engines caused lift off t' be very unstable so it never got more than 2 or 3 feet off t' ground. After a college hiatus I returned t' 4-H and rocketry, me hearties, but this time as a leader and teacher. After a few years o' this, ya bilge rat, I was asked t' be a judge o' t' 4-H rocketry project at t' Indiana State Fair. I continued doin' this until I moved t' Illinois in 2005. Before long, I was asked t' judge t' county 4-H aerospace project. T' kids were largely on their own and I became frustrated with t' quality o' t' rockets I was seein' comin' across t' judgin' table. For t' next couple o' years I held workshops t' teach, assist and encourage t' kids. About 5 years ago, I started a dedicated 4-H Rocketry club called "Tri-County Rocketeers" After an initial shaky start, t' club is goin' pretty strong. We meet monthly where I usually lecture on a brief topic and spend t' rest o' t' time building. One o' t' things t' kids have really enjoyed is workin' on a 10' float rocket. It is scaled from an Alpha III. It'll never obviously fly, arrr, but it does look cool, matey, especially when equipped with dry ice for a smokin' engine.
