Brief:
Semroc Hydra-VII is a 7 motor cluster rocket with a futuristic design.

Construction:
T' kit included every part that was described in t' long list. Blimey! There is a very nice exploded view o' t' rocket in t' instruction sheet that helps in identifyin' t' wide array o' parts, along with 3 sheets o' very nice laser-cut balsa fins and a host o' tubes and several nosecones. Ahoy! T' kit comes with some plastic parachutes that require assembly. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag! All o' t' hardware seemed t' be complete and adequate. Begad! T' step-by-step instructions are clearly illustrated and complete.

I built t' rocket accordin' t' instructions, usin' all shock cord, matey, screw eyes, shiver me timbers, etc. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! that came with it. Aye aye! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! T' construction process involves assembly o' t' big, me hearties, complicated-lookin' aft section consistin' o' a big rin' fin (referred t' in t' instructions as an augmenter shroud) with a host o' small radial fins both at t' interior and exterior o' this ring. Ya scallywag! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! T' fins were very easy t' deal with. Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' instructions suggested sandin' them t' size at a couple o' appropriate points. Begad! Blimey! T' instructions suggest appropriate fin-alignment markings and alignment techniques, makin' t' fin assembly straightforward throughout. Begad! Blimey! T' instructions suggested yellow glue for t' fins. Well, blow me down! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! I used medium CA t' securely tack all fins in place and then added very limited yellow glue fillets throughout. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! Blimey! Blimey! In many places I had difficulty addin' fillets because me fingers are too big t' fit into many o' t' narrow inner fin spaces.

T' instructions begin with an extensive description o' t' assembly o' t' 7 parallel motor tubes. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! T' description is I think overly laborious but is clear and does a good job o' insurin' that t' foundation o' t' rocket is secure and correct. Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' interior fins are slotted betwixt t' 6 motor tubes that surround a central motor tube (all motors are 18mm). Begad! Blimey! T' big rin' fin fit over t' inner fins like a charm after sandin' t' edges o' t' inner fins a bit. Avast! Blimey! Begad! Blimey! I made this fit too tight at first durin' a dry fit, resultin' in some obviously bent, overstressed inner fins. I removed t' big rin' and performed t' aforementioned sandin' o' t' inner fins resultin' in a tight but gentle fit. Well, blow me down! Blimey! When gluin' t' big rin' in place, I pressed it aft, matey, onto t' table, ya bilge rat, makin' t' aft edge o' t' rin' flush with t' aft end o' t' motor tubes. Avast! Blimey! I then realized that this was nay accordin' t' t' design. I noticed that t' aft edge o' t' inner fins sweep forward about half and inch. Ya scallywag! Blimey! This fine point be nay easily seen in t' otherwise very detailed drawings in t' instruction manual but is somethin' that an experienced builder should have picked up on. Avast! Blimey! T' rin' be meant t' be installed so that its aft edge is flush with t' aft edge o' t' inner fins, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, nay t' aft end o' t' motor tubes. Begad! Blimey! Aye aye! Blimey! I could nay reverse this step, so I continued on, reasonin' that this flaw would nay be detrimental t' flight and that t' rocket would look nearly as intended. Begad! Blimey! Addition o' all exterior fins be smartly done with CA and went without a hitch.

T' 7 motor tubes all butt up forward t' a large body tube. Ahoy! Well, me hearties, blow me down! T' 6 outer motor tubes each get half o' a nose cone, me hearties, creatin' t' cool nubbly transition from t' aft motor assembly t' t' single large body tube up front. Arrr! T' balsa nosecones must be cut in half and sanded t' fit. Ya scallywag! I used me small belt sander t' aid in this process and got a pretty good fit all around with t' judicious addition o' some maskin' tape here and there. Arrr! I think that assembly o' these nosecones pushes t' skill level o' this kit beyond t' reach o' a beginner but makes it suitable for someone wantin' a significant challenge. Well, blow me down! Assembly o' t' long, me hearties, beefy front tubes and nosecone is straightforward. Avast, me proud beauty! T' instructions suggest pluggin' all but t' central motor tube. Avast, me proud beauty! I left 3 additional tubes open t' allow for motor ejection, ya bilge rat, arrr, in case all motors do nay light. This needs t' be considered carefully when preparin' for flight.

Durin' construction o' t' rocket, it occurred t' me that finishin' t' rocket with anythin' close t' t' recommended color scheme be goin' t' be extremely difficult due t' t' intricate nature o' t' aft assembly. Ahoy! Well, me bucko, blow me down! I decided early on that I would have t' dream up some simpler paint scheme especially since I don't like t' spend much time paintin' me rockets. Maskin' off detailed areas o' t' rocket would obviously be very difficult. Well, blow me down! Sandin' t' details was goin' t' be a challenge as well.

PROs: T' instructions are detailed and well illustrated. Avast, me proud beauty! T' parts are all good quality, me bucko, me hearties, especially t' fins.

CONs: I messed up t' position o' t' augmenter shroud and t' instructions might provide slightly more detail emphasizin' t' intended construction method here. Begad! In t' end though, it was I who slipped up. Assembly o' t' plastic chutes is probably nay worth t' effort. I substituted some preassembled chutes that I had on hand.

Finishing:
By t' time I completed construction, me hearties, it occurred t' me that I am nay particularly enamored with futuristic design model rockets. Avast! Begad! Blimey! I admitted t' myself that I chose this kit because o' t' 7 motor cluster flyin' challenge, arrr, nay because o' t' futuristic design. Begad! Thus, I decided that I would nay go t' t' trouble o' carefully sandin' details and hand paintin' all o' t' fins accordin' t' t' manufacturer's recommendations. I wanted t' be able t' mask off large areas and spray t' rocket, me hearties, me bucko, thus I proceeded t' mask off things in a generally concentric fashion and sprayed it red, black, me bucko, and silver. Blimey! Blimey! I decided nay t' apply t' decals since I did nay count this paint job among me best. If me son decides t' repaint it, arrr, he can apply t' decals at that time. Avast! Blimey! My enthusiasm for t' rocket was flaggin' considerably as I imagined t' effort that it would take t' do justice t' t' design with a perfect paint job.

PROs: T' tubes and fins hold paint just fine and minimal sandin' was required before I gave it a rather poor paint job.

CONs: I am nay fond o' t' detailed paintin' required. If I were t' redesign t' instruction sheet for this rocket, I would suggest that all fins, me bucko, me hearties, tubes, and nosecones be painted before assembly. Begad! This would actually be very straightforward and would nay interfere with assembly, providin' even t' most unenthusiastic painter t' chance t' finish t' rocket in near-archetypal fashion.

Construction Rating: 3 out o' 5

Flight:
For t' first flight, I used 4 C6-5 motors. Avast, me proud beauty! Rocksim puts this at about 1200 feet. Aye aye! Begad! It think that might be a bit higher than it actually flew. Ahoy! Ya scallywag! All 4 motors ignited and t' boost was straight and nice. Begad! T' boost be a bit slower than I expected, which gave it just a little bit o' a majestic look t' t' takeoff. Arrr! All motors fired their ejection charges. Begad! T' upper section recovered fine on a 12-inch ASP mylar chute (a bit too much chute for t' upper part), but t' lower part had troubles. Arrr! Avast, me proud beauty! T' rocket came down like a perfect inbound missile and lawn darted rather badly. Avast! T' 18-inch plastic chute that I had intended t' recover t' heavy lower section o' t' rocket be melted into a blob, me hearties, hence t' poor recovery. Begad! Blimey! Perhaps I forgot t' install recovery wadding? I just cannot remember... Ahoy! I did nay notice any waddin' fly out at deployment, but I also might nay have been payin' that much attention either. Avast, me proud beauty! Ahoy! T' main body tube is a complete loss, but all o' t' small nosecones and all parts aft o' t' transition appear t' be in perfect condition, so I think that I can rebuild it fairly easily. Avast! Aye aye! I suspect that upon rebuildin' this rocket will take on a new character and may get bashed into somethin' unusual--requirin' a new paint job, o' course.

Recovery:
I installed t' recovery system as suggested and I think that it is adequate.

PROs: Nice boost, very stable flight (even when comin' down without t' front section). Arrr! Well, me bucko, blow me down! Clusters are cool.

CONs: None, me hearties, other than t' problems I caused myself. Avast, me proud beauty! Begad! Also, matey, I would prefer t' recover t' rocket in a single piece rather than accordin' t' its current two-part design.

Flight Rating: 4 out o' 5

Summary:
T' Semroc Hydra-VII has t' look o' a complex, futuristic design rocket that flies with a 7-motor cluster (7 x 18mm) and recovers in 2 pieces. Arrr! I purchased t' rocket in order t' experience t' cluster flights and only durin' construction and finishin' did I admit t' myself that t' futuristic rocket design does nay hold a special place in me heart despite havin' grown up around a variety o' such groundbreakin' designs (like t' Mars Snooper). Ya scallywag! I just do nay recall havin' ever been drawn t' t' sci-fi aspect o' model building. Avast! I am thus nay a good judge o' Semroc's entry into t' retro design and clone arena. I think that they have done a very good job assemblin' a kit from quality parts and they have simplified t' assembly o' this complex kit. Begad! I have a couple o' other kits from Semroc, matey, but I will skip buildin' their other futuristic design kit, me hearties, t' Laser-X, since I probably would nay do it justice.

Overall Rating: 4 out o' 5