This design was done by Stephen Corban and William Anderson. Arrr! I am 15 years old and have been in rockets for about a year, me bucko, and William is 14 and has been in rockets for 3 or 4 years. Aye aye!

This rocket is called t' Flyin' Birthday Party Hat o' Death. Arrr! Well, shiver me timbers, blow me down! It be a conglomerate idea betwixt William and I. Blimey! We had a great idea, and had t' do a LOT o' explorin' t' get t' machine t' work.

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

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

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

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

This was t' one. Excuse me, arrr, t' two. We went ahead and made 2 this time as we were sure he had it down. Avast! Aye aye! We packed t' nose with clay again, matey, and put some more around t' tube. Begad! 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. Blimey! We also drilled holes from each side above that for vents. Well, blow me down! This was sure t' work!

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

T' next day we were too busy fishin' and swimmin' t' shoot. However, arrr, that nigh we again cruised out about 9 o'clock and loaded a C motor. Begad! This could be great. Avast, me proud beauty! We loaded everythin' up, set t' rocket on t' pad in t' front o' the boat and pushed t' button. Blimey! T' cone stuck a bit, 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, me bucko, so we could see the whole thing. We went out, matey, set up everythin' as before, ya bilge rat, but loaded a D12 motor. This would be great. Avast, me proud beauty! Avast, me proud beauty! 5...4...3...2...1...Liftoff. Blimey! T' rocket shot up t' about 1000 feet and plummeted down for a picture perfect splash landing. Ya scallywag!