This design was done by Stephen Corban and William Anderson. I am 15 years old and have been in rockets for about a year, shiver me timbers, and William is 14 and has been in rockets for 3 or 4 years. Avast, shiver me timbers, me proud beauty!

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

T' idea came from... Well, blow me down! Well who knows where it came from, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, but it was a good idea. Avast, me proud beauty! We wanted t' build a rocket that would float and fly straight. Begad!

We started out by gettin' a pack o' small party hats from t' local variety store. Ahoy! Aye aye! Then we got together and CAed a piece o' BT 5 t' t' top o' t' cone. Ya scallywag! We then filled t' rest o' t' void areas with 2 part foam. Begad! This is party hat number 1. Begad! After gettin' this filled, ya bilge rat, me hearties, and lettin' it set we shoved a 3/16" launch rod through t' foam t' make a 1/8" launch lug. Well, blow me down! T' we loaded up an A10-3 and took it outside t' fly. We set up our launch controller, me hearties, and William backed up and I stayed low. Well, blow me down! We check t' make sure t' area was clear and gave an audible countdown because we didn't know what was goin' t' happen. 5...4...3...2...1... Avast! Ahoy! Liftoff. Ahoy! 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.

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

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

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

Well, matey, t' weekend came when I took William, arrr, and another fiend Jason t' our cabin at Lake Mattoon for 3 days. Arrr! Begad! If you remember t' original idea was for this t' float : ) Well, me bucko, on t' Sunday we arrived t' family be still there (more than usual as it be a family reunion, matey, and we couldn't make it). Begad! Begad! So we went out into t' half a cornfield lot that we own behind our house. Ya scallywag! Well, arrr, blow me down! We set up next t' t' knee high corn and did a test fire. Avast! T' rocket flew as straight as an arrow, me hearties, me bucko, 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, ya bilge rat, and t' launch equipment into t' pontoon boat. Avast, me bucko, me proud beauty! We then went tubin' behind t' speed boat. That night we were wound so went out on a night cruise. We were cruisin' around the lake at about 9 o' clock at night and we had an idea. Aye aye! We set up the launchpad on t' front o' t' boat. Hooked William launcher t' t' 12v battery in t' boat, shiver me timbers, matey, and had continuity. Avast! Ahoy! We couldn't get too far away for this flight! I armed t' Q-Beam and William began a countdown. Aye aye! Well, blow me down! 5...4...3...2...1 LIFTOFF. T' rocket screamed into t' air. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! It looked so cool havin' a B motor leave at night from feet away! I lost it with t' Q-Beam, me hearties, but got sight just as it hit the water. Arrr! It did more than float, it bounced back up another 3 feet. Aye aye! Aye aye! We recovered t' rocket and headed in. Avast, me proud beauty! Arrr!

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

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