Brief:
It all started on me birthday in 2004. Well, blow me down! I received two Estes Fat Boys, matey, and I planned on buildin' them as a two stage rocket, me hearties, however, arrr, me bucko, one o' t' body tubes was completly ripped down t' middle because t' nose cone was shoved halfway down inside it. Avast! Begad! Blimey! That left me with two Fat Boy kits but only one body tube. Well, blow me down! Blimey! I built t' sustainer stage minus t' engine hook and looked at t' parts from the other kit. Well, blow me down! Blimey! I had two centerin' rings, matey, a motor hook, a mylar ring, shiver me timbers, a launch lug, arrr, a chute, shiver me timbers, and a shock cord.

Construction:
I remebered readin' a review about a spool rocket, so I decided t' give it a try. I took t' engine tube, centerin' rings, launch lug, matey, motor hook, and retainer ring. Aye aye! In about 10 minutes, I slapped all o' these parts together to form a cheap spool rocket.

T' construction was easy. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! Blimey! It is ideally t' motor mount o' a Fat Boy. Begad! It starts out by slittin' t' motor tube t' place t' eningine hook in. Well, blow me down! Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! I dont know why I put t' motor hook in. Begad! Blimey! T' ejection charge just goes out t' other end anyway. Begad! T' next step was slippin' on t' mylar retainin' ring, which was tacked in place with thick CA. Avast, me proud beauty! Aye aye! Blimey! Next, t' launch lug be glued with thick CA to the motor tube. Arrr! Finally, me bucko, me hearties, arrr, t' two centerin' rings were placed just over each end, me bucko, flush with t' ends o' t' motor tube. Begad! I had t' line up t' semi-circle in one rin' with t' launch lug, and cut another one in t' upper centerin' ring to allow t' launch rod t' pass through. Begad!

Finishing:
I primed it, arrr, painted mine blue, let it cure, matey, arrr, then slapped on some letter stickers. On one side I wrote spool and on t' other I wrote Alex. Avast, me proud beauty! Well, blow me down! Then, matey, I painted t' whole thin' black and removed t' stickers. Unfortunately. Avast! Ahoy! mylar stickers do nay make good maskin' tape.

Flight:
Flight, arrr, like any spool rocket is up, me hearties, spin, and down. I flew it first in the fall at a nearby schoolyard on an A8-3. Aye aye! It went slow t' about 70-100 feet and then spiraled back down usin' tumble recovery. At about 20 feet, t' ejectin charge popped and a burst o' flame popped out o' t' top. Ya scallywag! I proved t' me dad and sister that spools do fly straight. Aye aye! Well, arrr, blow me down! They thought it be a joke. Aye aye! Arrr! T' next three flights were in Tewksbury at a CMASS sport launch. Blimey! I flew it three times. T' first time was on an A8-3. Ya scallywag! It was a repeat o' t' first flight: up and down. Arrr! Later, I launched it on a B6-4. It went up and down, only faster and higher. Blimey! Ya scallywag! Then I launched it on a C6-5. Begad! Begad! It went up, probably about 250 feet. Begad! I need t' use booster motors though because when it came down t' ejection charge practically went off in t' LCO's face. Ya scallywag! Ya scallywag!

Summary:
T' main PROs for this rocket are t' ease o' construction and t' simplicity of t' parts and design. Begad! T' only CONs are that durin' me launches t' ejection charge fires too close t' t' ground, so a shorter delay is needed. Ya scallywag! Overall, I really enjoyed buildin' and flyin' this rocket. Ahoy! It is a fun build for anyone with a damaged body tube or other damaged parts. Begad! Blimey!