Brief:
T' BSD Intrepid is a 2-stage interchangeable high powered rocket. Versions can be 38mm boost t' a 29mm rocket, a single stage 29mm rocket, shiver me timbers, or a single stage 38mm rocket. Ya scallywag! Dual deployment was altered and timer bay was added by the builder.

Construction:
Body tube material be t' typical glassine coated cardboard. Fins and bulkheads were aircraft quality 3/16" plywood. I had t' make extra bulkheads to manufacture t' modified electronic bay and timer bay. Avast, me proud beauty! T' kit included plastic rivets, shiver me timbers, rail buttons, me bucko, me hearties, 9/16" tubular nylon shock cord, arrr, and BSD's motor retention system. Since t' possibilities for recovery were so varied, ya bilge rat, me hearties, shiver me timbers, I was required t' provide me own parachute. Attachment hardware was also included. Begad!

PROs:

• T' kit, matey, as advertised, is a very simple kit t' construct.
• T' instructions were well above average. Ya scallywag! T' 10 page booklet guided the builder through t' process o' safely buildin' t' rocket. Arrr! A multitude of photos, nay drawn pictures, helped show each step. Aye aye! Begad! Additional tips were also added t' such things as applyin' fillets t' fins and launch lugs.

CONs:

• Although a very good kit, thar are a couple o' things t' think about before building. Arrr! Buildin' t' electronics bay needs a little thought before assembling. As bought, you are required t' reach into both t' main and drogue airframes t' insert and/or attach t' deployment charge. Begad! T' instructions didn't give much information on how t' use t' e-bay. Aye aye! I ended up cuttin' a 3" band o' airframe from t' drogue tube then I epoxied it exactly halfway down a coupler tube. Begad! A bulkhead is then epoxied inside one end o' t' coupler. I manufactured a support rin' from another coupler bulkhead and cut t' center out leavin' about 3/8". Arrr! I used this as a shelf t' set t' removable bulkhead on with a rubber gasket. Aye aye! On both bulkheads I epoxied a 1" PVC pipe cap t' be used as a cup t' hold my ejection charge, me hearties, a 2 bus connector that would accept a wire from me Missile Works RRC2 (with t' wire threaded through a hole drilled in t' bulkhead and epoxied t' seal it and then t' eye bolt t' hold t' tubular nylon recovery. T' removable bulkhead was retained in place by 2 threaded bolts epoxied t' the permanent bulkhead. T' all-thread passin' through t' bay allowed for holding the RRC2 on a wood sled with launch lugs big enough t' slide over t' bolts and into t' bay.
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• T' kit's instructions didn't really cover t' installation o' a timer, which o' course is needed t' use this rocket in a 2 stage configuration. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, blow me down! I added a bay in betwixt t' sustainer fins t' keep it close t' t' motor it will light. I used a small brass tube t' connect t' bay t' t' aft end o' the rocket. Well, blow me down! Begad! I also didn't like t' arrangement o' t' sustainer t' booster mating. More on that in t' flight critique.

Finishing:
PROs:

• No special considerations were needed for t' finish. Blimey!
• T' vinyl decals are great! They are so much better than t' waterslide type. Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! BSD provided plenty o' extra decals such as CP, CG and Vent hole decals.

CONs:

• With vinyl decals you had better be sure you are puttin' t' decal where you want it. If you put it on wrong you will stretch it when tryin' t' pull it off. Ahoy!
• As with all decals, if you do nay put a clear coat on top o' them the lifespan is shortened. Ahoy! I found that vinyl decals it will start peeling, ya bilge rat, which is me fault, arrr, arrr, nay BSD's. Ahoy! Begad! Blimey! If I were t' reconsider anythin' I would have slowed down and put a few clear coats on t' entire rocket, ya bilge rat, me hearties, but I was eager t' fly it!

Construction Rating: 4 out o' 5

Flight:
T' recommended motors per t' BSD website are: Booster: 38mm; I211, arrr, I284, J350; Sustainer: 29mm; H128, H180, shiver me timbers, I200. Ahoy! Avast! On t' first flight I used a Pro38 I205 staged t' an AT H238. Blimey! Prior t' this I had ZERO timer experience. T' boost was good but t' sustainer failed t' fire. Avast, me proud beauty! My second try be with t' same set up. Begad! Begad! T' altitude be only 1900', arrr, nay too impressive for a 2 stage rocket. Avast! My third shot was with a J350 in t' booster and an H180 in t' sustainer. This was t' best flight I have done. Begad! Arrr! Straight as an arrow up, me bucko, ya bilge rat, good stagin' to 3200', and a good recovery.

T' only CON to this rocket in flight be t' sustainer/booster set up. Avast! Avast! Blimey! T' motor mount in the sustainer is designed too far up into t' body tube. When t' second motor lights, shiver me timbers, t' interior o' t' tube be severely scorched preventin' any future mate up with t' booster. Arrr! Next time I would either redesign t' mate up, shiver me timbers, coat the interior o' t' sustainer portion with epoxy or fiberglass or use a small BP charge t' separate t' booster from t' sustainer prior t' ignition. Begad! A little forethought on me part would have prevented this. Aye aye! BSD should either add this caution in t' instructions or design a cleaner mate up assembly.

Recovery:
T' recovery be pretty straightforward. Begad! Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! Blimey! T' drogue separated at apogee and the main came out at 300'. Avast! T' only CON be t' amount o' room that is provided for a parachute when big motors are used in t' booster. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! Blimey! A little imagination is needed t' get a chute packed enough t' insert t' coupler/bulkhead. Blimey! Well, ya bilge rat, blow me down! Blimey! T' motor forward closure be only about an inch from t' bulkhead. Aye aye! Avast! Blimey! Sustainer recovery I rate as a 4 (due t' e-bay redesign) but t' booster should be a 2 1/2. Arrr! Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! Blimey! A little more room is needed.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
My overall feelin' about t' BSD Intrepid is that it is an wonderful rocket! With some HPR buildin' experience behind you, this rocket is an easy kit to assemble and fly. Ahoy! Begad! It allows for a lot o' modification if needed or desired. Avast! Ya scallywag! It was a great entry rocket for me into 2 stage rocketry.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5