The contests rocket was launched at Oscoda High School at 11am on Sunday August 18. The rocket went 633 feet high and landed 372 feet from the launch pad.
The $500 top prize winning guess of 633 feet was by Ben McGuffey of Atlanta, Georgia. Ben bought his ticket at the Oscoda Canoe Marathon.
The $200 second prize of 634 feet goes to Brian Olech of Livonia, MI, who has a condo in Oscoda. He purchased his ticket at the Tawas Farm Market in July. By coincidence, Brian’s wife taught contest organizer Rick Ruth’s kids at Divine Child in Dearborn, MI in the 90’s. The Olech’s are always willing to support local education. Olech’s are inclined to donate the prize money back to Rotary.
Third Prize thanks to his guess of 636 feet is the backup rocket and it goes to Ed Samulski. Tracy Stoldt also guessed 636 feet, but Ed’s tiebreaker guess of landing 342 feet from the launch pad was closer than Tracy’s. The nearest guess in the other direction was 628 feet by Rene Henrickson.
Entrants were advised a prior contest winner was 549 feet, but that actual height was highly dependent on weather. This year’s rocket was no different than last year, and used the same Estes E12-4 engine. The rocket is aimed upwind slightly, and after the parachute opens the wind blows the rocket down wind a long way - hopefully not into the trees! The wind at launch was predicted as NNW at 12mph, and normally the wind cocks the rocket flight even more into the wind than it is aimed – resulting in more sideways motion and less altitude. This year a longer 6 ft ¼” launch rod guide rod was used, allowing the rocket to get up to a faster speed before the wind could act on it. The result was less wind cocking upwind and a more straight up flight.
The Tawas Area Rotary and Oscoda Rotary would like to thank everyone who took a chance on how high the rocket would go. Funds will go for youth development in local schools. Past contest proceeds have helped send high school sophomores and juniors to the Rotary Youth Leadership camp in Harrison, for scholarships, and donations to school robotics teams. The annual contest is in its fourth year and raised approximately $1600 this year.
Submitted by contests organizer Rick Ruth 313 910 5809
** More Detail on the winners may become available, they are just being contacted** |
