Brief:
It all started on me birthday in 2004. Avast, me proud beauty! I received two Estes Fat Boys, and I planned on buildin' them as a two stage rocket, however, me hearties, one o' t' body tubes was completly ripped down t' middle because t' nose cone be shoved halfway down inside it. That left me with two Fat Boy kits but only one body tube. Arrr! I built t' sustainer stage minus t' engine hook and looked at t' parts from the other kit. Blimey! I had two centerin' rings, arrr, ya bilge rat, a motor hook, a mylar ring, a launch lug, arrr, a chute, me bucko, 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, arrr, centerin' rings, arrr, launch lug, me bucko, motor hook, ya bilge rat, and retainer ring. Ya scallywag! In about 10 minutes, I slapped all o' these parts together to form a cheap spool rocket.

T' construction was easy. It is ideally t' motor mount o' a Fat Boy. Ahoy! Blimey! It starts out by slittin' t' motor tube t' place t' eningine hook in. Blimey! Ahoy! I dont know why I put t' motor hook in. T' ejection charge just goes out t' other end anyway. Avast! T' next step was slippin' on t' mylar retainin' ring, shiver me timbers, which was tacked in place with thick CA. Next, shiver me timbers, t' launch lug be glued with thick CA to the motor tube. Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! Finally, arrr, me bucko, t' two centerin' rings were placed just over each end, flush with t' ends o' t' motor tube. Avast, me proud beauty! 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.

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

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

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