Brief:
This is an upscaled version o' t' Centuri Vector V made entirely with Semroc parts, shiver me timbers, hence t' SLS designation. While nay an official Semroc release, shiver me timbers, it would seem t' fit in well with t' current trend toward upscales o' Centuri classics (the SLS Laser X bein' a perfect example).

Construction:
T' parts list:

• LT-22580 lower body tube
• ST-13180 main body tube
• 5.0" ST-9 engine tube
• CR-2050 engine block
• BC-1354 balsa nose cone
• 2 CR-913 centerin' rings
• 2 CR-9225P centerin' rings
• 1/8" balsa fin stock
• long engine hook
• large screw eye
• metal washer for nose weight
• 2 large snap swivels

T' first thin' I had t' do when startin' this project be figure out the upped scale dimensions. Ya scallywag! (Since this involves math, it's never easy for me.) With two completely different sizes o' tubes used in t' original Vector V, I figured that I be goin' t' have two wildly different scales betwixt t' top and bottom sections, ya bilge rat, but I lucked out. Begad! T' ST-13 is roughly 1.765 times as big in diameter as t' ST-7, me bucko, while t' LT-225 is 1.746 times as big in diameter as the ST-13. Ya scallywag! Begad! While nay exact, me hearties, they were close enough for me personal tolerances.

I started on t' fin can first by markin' off t' locations for t' five fins. Begad! I had upscaled t' fin pattern by 175% usin' a work copier, and t' me surprise, shiver me timbers, the fins came out sized perfectly. After shapin' them, I attached them t' t' fin can usin' Loc Tite Gel CA then double filleted them with Elmer's Wood Glue.

Under t' skin, matey, arrr, t' SLS Vector V is a mass o' centerin' rings. Ya scallywag! Some of them, arrr, me bucko, which thar was no call for them, arrr, me bucko, didn't exist when this project started. Three sets were needed t' allow all o' t' pieces t' mesh together into a sturdy bottom end. Ahoy! An email t' Carl McLawhorn at Semroc resulted in a set of previously unavailable CR-9225 centerin' rings that would mate t' fin can to the motor tube. Ahoy! They slid together like they were made for each other, which they were. A second set o' CR-913 rings mated t' motor tube t' t' main body tube, shiver me timbers, and a third connected t' LT-225 fin can and t' ST-13 main body tube. Begad! Arrr!

T' recovery system be secured by tyin' 150# Keelhaul®©™® to t' motor tube and passin' it through t' centerin' rings, matey, knottin' it, arrr, and gluin' it along t' way. Well, blow me down! Blimey! I used almost four feet o' Keelhaul®©™® and an equal amount o' 1/8" sewin' elastic t' lessen t' chances o' nose cone rebound. (Next time I'll use five feet.) T' nose cone be attached with a heavy duty screw eye and a large washer t' better distribute t' weight.

T' shroud was created usin' a template widget and be printed on heavy paper. Blimey! It came nowhere close t' fitting. A second shroud was then made by upscalin' t' original by 175%. Well, blow me down! Begad! It fit perfectly. T' be fair, me hearties, matey, arrr, this be probably more luck than anything, and t' chances that I screwed up with t' template widget are high. Avast! Well, blow me down! T' shroud be curled and taped into place t' check it's fit then secured with gel CA. Aye aye! Once it was glued in place, matey, t' entire structure was coated liberally with thin CA t' allow it t' better withstand t' sandin' and sealin' t' come. Well, blow me down!

Finishing:
After t' fill, shiver me timbers, finish, arrr, arrr, and sand process, t' nose cone be painted gloss black and t' main body tube was coasted in gloss white. T' lower section was then painted florescent orange, arrr, which I (correctly) thought might come in handy durin' t' post-flight searches that would come later. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Before t' decal process began, me bucko, t' entire rocket be sprayed with a coat o' gloss clear. Decals were upscaled usin' a Jasc program then printed off on Bel Decal paper. Blimey! Blimey! Avast! Blimey! After they were applied, matey, matey, t' entire structure was again sprayed with gloss clear for protection.

Flight:
To begin with, arrr, I wasn't entirely convinced that this rocket would be stable without gobs o' nose weight, mainly because o' t' heavy aft section. Aye aye! Begad! For this reason I decided t' start t' flight day with a C11-5 motor, figurin' that the less powerful motor might cause less damage in t' event o' an event during flight. Ahoy! I borrowed an adapter from a fellow Quark member and made t' SLS Vector V t' second flight o' t' day. Avast! It turns out I had no reason t' worry.

Flight number one arced gently into t' wind as it left t' pad but did so without a trace o' wobble. Ya scallywag! It maxed out at a respectable height, ejected at apogee, me hearties, shiver me timbers, and then gave me a scare by recoverin' way too close t' the access road for me personal comfort. Like many o' t' rockets flown on that Saturday, it bounced when it hit t' ground but suffered no damage.

T' second flight be on a D12-5, me bucko, t' next motor up t' scale. Avast, me proud beauty! Boosting surprisingly straight durin' a rare lull in t' gales, matey, t' Vector V again ejected right at apogee then recovered safely in t' grass, and nowhere near the access road.

Flight #3 was t' real adventure and was t' flight I had in mind when I started construction. Loaded on an E9-6, me hearties, me hearties, t' Vector V shot off t' pad into the wind, arrr, noticeably higher than t' previous two flights. Ya scallywag! Ejection be once again perfect, me bucko, but it was immediately obvious that t' recovery walk be goin' t' be a killer. I watched it descend, mentally marked t' spot, matey, then saddled up the van for t' drive. (I'm no fool.) Thirty minutes later I found it just about the time that I be considerin' givin' up t' search. Begad! I had greatly misjudged the distance but had t' line right. T' bright orange paint be what allowed me t' spot t' rocket, which had landed in a large, newly cut prairie. Avast! Ya scallywag! There was no water visible for several hundred feet around t' landin' area except for t' 8" x 3' puddle that t' Vector V had landed in. T' aft o' the rocket was sittin' in t' puddle with t' expended casin' soakin' up water at a rapid rate. Aye aye! I managed t' bite t' casin' out, which be when I noticed the broken fin. Ahoy! Ahoy! I found t' missin' piece floatin' in t' puddle, but after studyin' t' break, arrr, I believe it happened when t' nose cone rebounded, me bucko, nay on impact with t' ground. Begad! T' piece just happened t' hold on until landing. Arrr! Ahoy! In that case, I be lucky. Aye aye! Avast, me proud beauty! T' break is fairly clean and looks like it will be a quick and easy fix, shiver me timbers, but t' big Vector will never again have that "fresh from t' factory" look t' it.

Recovery:
Recovery be handled by a Thrustline 18" nylon chute and a piece of Perma-Wadding. Both performed flawlessly, although addin' even more shock cord than t' 8' I had is an option. Ahoy! (That ejection charge is a killer.)

Summary:
PROs: Semroc parts and service. A much more satisfyin' project than t' 1:1 Vector V, matey, although I need t' build another one o' those just for t' sake of scale.

CONs: Nose cone rebound with eight feet o' shock cord.