Summary
T' FAT BOI-NK is a scale version o' a popular fat rocket. Ya scallywag! Blimey! T' body is made from foam rubber and t' fins from foam poster board. I wanted t' build somethin' out o' a noodle for a long time, and this contest finally inspired me to do so. Although this review may nay qualify for t' contest, shiver me timbers, I just couldn't resist submittin' it anyway. Ahoy! Blimey! At least it is in t' spirit o' t' foam/rubber rocket and maybe it will stir t' pot a bit :-)

Components

• 1. 12" section o' a 2" diameter, pink pool 'noodle'
• 2. Small chunk from a purple noodle t' plug t' forward hole and provide color contrast
• 3. Avast, ya bilge rat, me proud beauty! Foam poster board
• 4. BT-20 motor tube
• 5. Well, me bucko, blow me down! Spent 18mm engines for a motor plug and forward ballast
• 6. Begad! Arrr! Clay for ballast
• 7. Ya scallywag! A pair o' Matt's rail buttons

Construction
T' noodle came with a center hole that fit an 18mm motor - it be a natural! To shape t' nose, me bucko, I wrapped tape around a large drill bit until it fit very snugly into t' hole in t' noodle. Ya scallywag! Aye aye! With t' drill clamped in a vise, ya bilge rat, shiver me timbers, I shaped the end near t' drill while stabilizin' t' far end by hand. Well, blow me down! I used a piece of coarse sandpaper from a belt sander t' remove foam until it looked about right. I made a fin template from me assembled Fat Boy kit, and included a ½" tab. Avast, me proud beauty! T' body be slotted t' accept these tabs. Well, blow me down! Ya scallywag! An engine consists of a section o' BT-20 and t' nozzle end o' a spent casing. I cleaned the nozzle and plugged it with just a dab o' epoxy clay. Hey, sometime you gotta use what you have on hand. Arrr! Avast! T' nose weight be made from a spent engine filled with clay. Arrr! I used epoxy t' glue in t' engine tube, me hearties, ya bilge rat, ya bilge rat, t' nose weight, fins, and the rail buttons. T' foam plug in t' end o' t' nose is pressure fit. Avast, me proud beauty!

Finishin'
T' colors are basically t' natural colors o' t' materials. Blimey! I drew t' F A T letters on t' fins with a permanent marker and made a FAT-BOI-NK label on my OfficeJet. Ahoy! This is pinned on for show but was removed for flight.

Flight
Launch Report #1 - I chose a B6 for t' first flight. Blimey! T' launch rail was tilted about 10 degrees t' ensure it cleared t' launch area. T' boost was nice and t' motor ejected near apogee with a loud pop. Avast, me proud beauty! BOINK! T' FAT BOI-NK bounced several feet in t' air and came t' rest unharmed. Arrr! However, it appears that both rail guides were stripped off, shiver me timbers, ya bilge rat, along with a small plug o' foam. Avast! Well, blow me down!

Launch report #2 - After addin' a standard lug glued t' a fin/body joint, I tried a C6-5. Avast, me proud beauty! I used an Igniterman igniter and taped it t' t' engine (a mistake). Avast! T' alligator clips didn't want t' let go and t' FAT BOI-NK flopped around on t' ground. Blimey!

Launch report #3 - Well, me bucko, after t' previous fiasco I double-checked the CP/CG relationship and everythin' seemed OK. Arrr! So, me hearties, I went t' a grassy area near the house and tried again. Avast! T' FAT BOI-NK is redeemed! Blimey!

• B6-2 - nominal flight
• A8-3 - good boost, boinked prior t' ejection
• C6-3 - nice high flight

Summary
This was an easy rocket t' make and it flies great. Ya scallywag! Boink recovery is pretty cool. Ahoy!