This design was done by Stephen Corban and William Anderson. Well, blow me down! I am 15 years old and have been in rockets for about a year, and William is 14 and has been in rockets for 3 or 4 years. Ya scallywag! Ahoy!

This rocket is called t' Flyin' Birthday Party Hat o' Death. Avast, me proud beauty! It was a conglomerate idea betwixt William and I. We had a great idea, me hearties, and had t' do a LOT o' explorin' t' get t' machine t' work. Arrr!

T' idea came from... Blimey! Aye aye! Well who knows where it came from, arrr, but it was a good idea. Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! We wanted t' build a rocket that would float and fly straight.

We started out by gettin' a pack o' small party hats from t' local variety store. Blimey! Then we got together and CAed a piece o' BT 5 t' t' top o' t' cone. We then filled t' rest o' t' void areas with 2 part foam. Ahoy! This is party hat number 1. Arrr! After gettin' this filled, and lettin' it set we shoved a 3/16" launch rod through t' foam t' make a 1/8" launch lug. T' we loaded up an A10-3 and took it outside t' fly. We set up our launch controller, shiver me timbers, and William backed up and I stayed low. Begad! We check t' make sure t' area was clear and gave an audible countdown because we didn't know what be goin' t' happen. 5...4...3...2...1... Blimey! Begad! Liftoff. Avast, me proud beauty! T' rocket went no more than 75 feet in t' air doin' loops. Well, blow me down! It hit t' ground about 50 feet away. T' ejection charge fired and sent t' hot motor flyin' back at us. Arrr! Avast!

Well, matey, we went back inside his house and knew a few things. It was SERIOUSLY underpowered, me bucko, it needed noseweight, matey, and we needed some way t' keep in the motor. Begad! Aye aye! So we got another hat, shiver me timbers, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, packed clay in t' top and stuck a chunk o' BT 50 in it. Begad! Aye aye! We again pored t' foam, me hearties, me hearties, rammed a launch guide, and shoved a bit more clay down t' BT 50. Aye aye! We wrapped 2 baskin' tape rings around a B6-4 and took it outside again. Ya scallywag!

We again took t' procedures t' make sure t' launch are be clear, and gave another countdown. Ahoy! Blimey! Blimey! 5...4...3...2...1...Liftoff. Avast! Blimey! This time t' rocket had a marginal flight t' a couple hundred feet, hit t' ground and t' ejection charge fired. Well, blow me down! Blimey! T' engine stayed in place, but our clay packed tip went flying across t' yard. Blimey! We laughed and went back inside. Arrr! Blimey!

This be t' one. Excuse me, t' two. Ahoy! Well, blow me down! We went ahead and made 2 this time as we were sure he had it down. We packed t' nose with clay again, ya bilge rat, and put some more around t' tube. We then poured in t' foam, and rammed t' launch guide. This time we inserted little pieces across t' motor tube for positive motor retention. We also drilled holes from each side above that for vents. Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! This was sure t' work!

Well, t' weekend came when I took William, and another fiend Jason t' our cabin at Lake Mattoon for 3 days. Ya scallywag! If you remember t' original idea be for this t' float : ) Well, on t' Sunday we arrived t' family was still there (more than usual as it be a family reunion, and we couldn't make it). Begad! Avast, me proud beauty! So we went out into t' half a cornfield lot that we own behind our house. Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty! We set up next t' t' knee high corn and did a test fire. Well, blow me down! T' rocket flew as straight as an arrow, and landed on me Aunt's camper : ) We also used an Estes igniter to light a bottle rocket : )

Well once t' family left we took our fishin' stuff, shiver me timbers, and t' launch equipment into t' pontoon boat. Ahoy! We then went tubin' behind t' speed boat. That night we were wound so went out on a night cruise. Avast, matey, me proud beauty! We were cruisin' around the lake at about 9 o' clock at night and we had an idea. We set up the launchpad on t' front o' t' boat. Ya scallywag! Hooked William launcher t' t' 12v battery in t' boat, matey, and had continuity. Well, blow me down! We couldn't get too far away for this flight! I armed t' Q-Beam and William began a countdown. 5...4...3...2...1 LIFTOFF. T' rocket screamed into t' air. It looked so cool havin' a B motor leave at night from feet away! I lost it with t' Q-Beam, matey, but got sight just as it hit the water. Well, blow me down! Begad! It did more than float, it bounced back up another 3 feet. Avast, me proud beauty! We recovered t' rocket and headed in.

T' next day we were too busy fishin' and swimmin' t' shoot. Avast! However, me hearties, ya bilge rat, that nigh we again cruised out about 9 o'clock and loaded a C motor. Avast! This could be great. Aye aye! Avast, matey, me proud beauty! We loaded everythin' up, matey, set t' rocket on t' pad in t' front o' the boat and pushed t' button. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! T' cone stuck a bit, nearly pullin' our pad into the water, shiver me timbers, matey, but it flew and was successfully recovered. Begad!

T' next day we decided t' launch it durin' t' day, ya bilge rat, so we could see the whole thing. Ahoy! We went out, set up everythin' as before, but loaded a D12 motor. This would be great. 5...4...3...2...1...Liftoff. Begad! T' rocket shot up t' about 1000 feet and plummeted down for a picture perfect splash landing. Aye aye!