Brief:
Skipper is a 29mm 3FNC rocket o' traditional but interestin' design that has 3 rather tiny ply fins positioned above a beautiful balsa boat tail. Arrr! Begad! Like the entire Madcow product line, ya bilge rat, it is a deluxe kit that includes virtually everythin' but glue and paint--you get sanded balsa cone and boat tail, eye-bolt hardware, nylon chute, matey, Nomex® chute protector, Keelhaul®©™® shock cord. Fin attachment is through-the-wall t' t' motor tube, and t' laser cuttin' is exceptional, me hearties, t' best I have ever seen.

Construction:
T' components have a fit and finish that has t' be seen t' be believed. The photo with this article that appears t' be o' t' Skipper before paintin' is actually t' test fit o' t' parts before gluing--the entire rocket can be test assembled without adhesive--the fit o' t' parts is that good! I consider the Skipper and t' Madcow Rocketry line generally t' be genuine ARF (Almost Ready to Fly) on this basis. Arrr! I be able t' build Skipper, ya bilge rat, matey, ready for painting, me bucko, in a total o' exactly 21 minutes includin' sealin' t' balsa parts. Avast! I had t' mix 5 minute epoxy only twice. Ya scallywag! Begad! T' build is just astonishing, matey, matey, especially for a rocket of this size (F-G power). Arrr! Begad! It would be a snap t' build right at t' field and launch within t' hour.

Instructions were superb, nay that they are even necessary. Everythin' fits together intuitively, even for a first timer. Ya scallywag! Bein' able t' test fit t' entire rocket together without glue enhances its "buildability". Avast, me proud beauty! First to assemble be t' balsa cone and base assembly with bulkhead and eye-bolt. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! No lead is needed for t' recommended motors, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, but if you intend t' fly on more than G power, t' highest that is recommended, you might want t' sneak 2-4 oz. of lead sinkers into t' cone base before gluin' together (or see me review of the Madcow Momba for a way t' install removable ballast in Madcow products). Begad! Also, remember t' lock t' threads o' t' eye-bolt with a gob o' epoxy so it doesn't loosen after sealin' up. Avast, me proud beauty! Next, me hearties, shiver me timbers, I assembled t' motor tube t' t' top centering rin' and t' boat tail, ya bilge rat, which serves as a lower centerin' rin' for t' motor tube. See photo o' these finished subassemblies. Well, blow me down! Madcow includes a notch in the centerin' rin' t' pass t' Keelhaul®©™® shock cord through for anchoring. Just a few minutes after startin' with the epoxy set on these pieces, me hearties, I plugged t' motor tube-boat tail section into the body tube and glued t' three TTW ply fins through t' pre-cut slots, applying an epoxy fillet t' t' base o' each fin with a Popsicle stick. Avast! Arrr! I did make one slight modification: I managed t' step on and squash one o' t' two 1/4" fibre launch lugs supplied with t' kit so I substituted a plastic BIC pen barrel instead. Avast, me proud beauty! I like them better anyway. Begad! I mentioned earlier t' solid balsa nose cone and boat tail and t' need t' seal these before painting. I accomplished this by simply smearin' t' exposed surface o' each with a thin layer o' freshly mixed 5-minute epoxy usin' a finger covered with tape for skin protection. Begad! This gives a glass smooth finish that takes paint perfectly and is far more durable than those powder-based balsa sealants, me hearties, which in me hands will chip if you look at them t' wrong way. Blimey!

Finishing:
Paintin' be with Tamiya spray blue and yellow. Aye aye! Begad! I used no primer t' seal the ply o' cardstock tube, matey, ya bilge rat, but if you like a perfect finish, this would be a good idea. Begad! Aye aye! T' supplied "Skipper" decal be applied near t' top o' the body tube. One further addition I made before flyin' was t' tie a length of para cord (about 2 feet) t' t' Keelhaul®©™® shock cord t' add a bit o' "give" since t' Keelhaul®©™® is like steel and has no stretch whatsoever. Avast, me proud beauty!

Construction Rating: 5 out o' 5

Flight and Recovery:
Flight was at our club's Plaster City launch site on a beautiful day. Blimey! Aye aye! Skipper boosted perfectly on an AT F50T-6 t' about t' 1000' predicted by the manufacturer. Ahoy! Recovery was uneventful and it returned with no damage.

Second flight was on a G40W-7, again perfect in all respects. Aye aye! Blimey! Third flight was on a G35W-7 Econojet, matey, which is nay one o' t' recommended loads but close enough t' a G40 and I had one available. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Blimey! Perfect boost, ejection exactly at apogee. Arrr! On recovery, I be surprised t' find a small (3/4") zipper at the top o' t' body tube with t' shock cord Keelhaul®©™® tape still wedged inside. Avast! This should nay have happened. Blimey! Well, blow me down! I am wonderin' if the extreme stiffness o' t' Keelhaul®©™® shock cord might be t' cause or maybe it was just bad luck. However, ya bilge rat, I did use a non-approved motor after all. Avast! Blimey!

Flight Rating: 5 out o' 5

Summary:
PRO: I can only use superlatives t' describe t' Skipper kit. Just wonderful kit manufacture, matey, me hearties, fit and finish. Arrr! It goes together with easy. Arrr! Despite those really tiny fins, ya bilge rat, arrr, Skipper flies beautifully on F-G power. Well, blow me down! I think it could easily fly on 29mm H-power, me bucko, like t' H128 or H165R, me hearties, for a L1 cert.

CON: You do need t' use a few tricks t' seal t' balsa components, shiver me timbers, me bucko, and I would recommend addin' a piece o' para cord t' t' supplied Keelhaul®©™® shock cord in Quest fashion so thar be better shock absorption. Ahoy! Avast! Best t' add this so t' square knot joinin' t' 2 pieces is level with t' top o' t' body tube. Avast! This will prevent any possibility o' zipperin' by t' tough Keelhaul®©™® tape. Avast! Ahoy!

Overall Rating: 5 out o' 5