Brief:
I changed t' motor mount (MMT) t' a 38mm from stock 29mm and used a GROOVE-LOK from Giant Leap Rocketry t' anchor fins t' t' MMT. Aye aye! I used 0.187 plywood bulkheads and centerin' rings throughout. Ya scallywag! I added an electronics/payload bay t' t' sustainer section. Ya scallywag! Changed out t' chute for a larger one and added a Aero Pac Quick-Change motor retainer.

Modifications:
I had t' reduce t' tang on t' stock plastic fins in order t' accommodate t' larger MMT and t' GROOVE-LOK. Ahoy! I used a power miter saw t' cut them slightly larger than needed, then fit them with a file. Avast, me proud beauty! Care must be used nay t' let t' plastic piece get too hot and start t' melt - just take a bit at a time. Arrr! Aye aye! I bought a 6" GROOVE-LOK but cut it t' fit betwixt t' two aft centerin' rings that encased t' fin tangs (picture). T' fins were 6-filleted with 30-minute epoxy.

I replaced t' stock 42" chute with a 50" one due t' t' increased weight o' t' mods and I used a Nomex piece in lieu o' t' baffle that was sent t' use with t' stock MMT.

Construction:
T' MMT is a phenolic 38mm x 18" tube from Giant Leap t' replace t' paper 29mm factory unit. Ya scallywag! Main coupler was replaced with a phenolic one from Giant Leap and epoxied t' t' booster rather than t' sustainer t' better protect t' booster lip on ejection. Arrr! T' e-bay be scratch built from a phenolic coupler and plywood bulkheads; t' sled slides on 8-32 all-thread and is made from 1/8" balsa plywood and two pieces o' aluminum 3/16" square tubing.

I used t' GROOVE-LOK so that once I set one o' t' fins in place, t' alignment o' t' others be a snap, me hearties, plus t' individual groove rails gives t' fin a nice sturdy mount t' complement/strengthen t' expoxy fillet. T' exterior fin root bulges in t' middle makin' t' filletin' process a bit more difficult t' make it look good, me hearties, but I had it down by t' third fillet.

T' overall kit went together easily and t' instructions were clear. Begad! I filled t' airframe tube spirals with Elmers wood filler and acheived a decently smooth exterior with one application and sanding. Begad! Blimey! I did nay use t' included decals, but rather made me own. Aye aye! T' finish was gloss white. Begad! Looked really nice sittin' on t' launch pad.

Flight:
T' stock kit called for G motors, but goin' from t' 32 oz. Avast! Begad! stock dry weight t' t' final 56 oz. Aye aye! Ahoy! called for typically a bit more power. Begad! I bought a G38, a G40 and a G77 with t' kit before I decided t' modifiy it. Begad! T' G38 and G40 RockSim'd (I have a revised .rkt file I will email) out as a crash and a 25' recovery, me hearties, arrr, whereas it said that t' G77 should put it t' 400'+, ya bilge rat, which is what happened.

T' first flight was on t' G77-4 and it flew perfectly straight with t' motor ejection occurin' right at apogee and no roll t' speak of. Arrr! T' bottom o' t' booster tube sits about a 1/2" below t' bottom o' t' fins, shiver me timbers, so on a perfectly still day like we had, shiver me timbers, t' rocket comes down on t' tube. Begad! It crinkled just a bit on one edge. I saw in an earlier article that someone had reinforced that area with a piece o' coupler tube. Aye aye! I intended t' do so but forgot - wished I had, but I will reinforce it somehow in t' future before it flys again.

So, since I was succesful on t' test flight with t' G77, I decided t' put a small H motor in it and do me Level 1 Tripoli certification flight. Avast, me proud beauty! I put an H128 but t' motor reload kit had t' medium, or 10 second delay. Avast! Well, blow me down! rockSim said I needed a 6-7 second delay, so I drilled out a bit o' t' delay durin' assembly. Ya scallywag! T' H128 worked as sim'd and went about 850' with t' ejection once again right at t' top o' a very straight, no-roll flight. Ahoy! Level 1 accomplished! T' booster hit on t' hard-pack desert road and worstened t' crinkle, so I definitely need t' add somethin' thar or go t' me 58" chute, me bucko, or both.

Summary:
Great flyer as everyone else said and t' stock components were very nice as far as quality, arrr, I just wanted somethin' a bit stronger in t' bottom since I want t' see about it goin' t' 5K', which I will try next time out.