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The Building of Old Codger


Chick Ludwig

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Thanks guys, but I gotta correct a couple of misconceptions. Old Codger is NOT finished. Still lots to be done. It just has to wait until after the messabout. And----He ain't no sissy "her". He's all "HIM". Got a big ol' Tohatsu hangin' on his backside to prove it! Well, maybe not a BIG Tohatsu, but still a manly outboard. No baggywrinkle looking for a nonexistent breeze for him. No oars requiring a tremendous output of effort. Just sheer horsepower to get him around the lakes and in and out of every cove.

 

Oyster, I like the "cute". That's sorta the look I was going for. As long as it is a masculine kinda cute.

 

He, and I, are looking forward to meeting his admirers, too. Just don't call him "her" when you see him. Gosh, I hope he actually floats. It wouldn't be very macho to sink at the boat ramp!

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1 hour ago, Chick Ludwig said:

Thanks guys, but I gotta correct a couple of misconceptions. Old Codger is NOT finished. Still lots to be done. It just has to wait until after the messabout. And----He ain't no sissy "her". He's all "HIM". Got a big ol' Tohatsu hangin' on his backside to prove it! Well, maybe not a BIG Tohatsu, but still a manly outboard. No baggywrinkle looking for a nonexistent breeze for him. No oars requiring a tremendous output of effort. Just sheer horsepower to get him around the lakes and in and out of every cove.

 

Oyster, I like the "cute". That's sorta the look I was going for. As long as it is a masculine kinda cute.

 

He, and I, are looking forward to meeting his admirers, too. Just don't call him "her" when you see him. Gosh, I hope he actually floats. It wouldn't be very macho to sink at the boat ramp!

While the bimini top is a necessity as we age and I understand it,  the boat needs something to offset the dainty touch;):P. And so for a trial run at gaining back the look you are desiring,,,,IMHO  the manly side will come back out with that baggywrinkle .:D:lol: I am sure the peanut gallery will weigh in so that you can make that decision before coming back east. And I bet even Rob[Mr. Tiger] will approve too.  By the way I like the portlights.  Cheers

Chick boat.jpg

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Now Oyster, I believe that what you've sketched onto the Codger's nose is called a "pudding". Baggy wrinkle is a soft covering on standing rigging to protect the sails. Sometimes "baggy wrinkle" is a derogatory term for sailboats and sailors. Like "Stinkpot" and "stinkpotter" refers  to power boaters. But I get your point. He does need something to offset that dainty Bimini top. Besides, the "pudding" you show is kinda useless behind the battering ram---er---I mean, anchor on it's bow sprit. Hmmm, maybe that's the point. Allow the ram to do it's work, but protect the Codger from getting a bloody nose.

 

I think I'm gonna hafta add another roller on the trailer half way between the end of the bunks and the roller right under his "chin". We'll see for sure when we go to the lake. It will have to be a "cobbled up" affair as there are no cross frames in that area. And none available from the trailer manufacturer.

 

Here he is resting under his permanent home patiently awaiting our trip to the lake Lake Adger if ya wanna look it up.

DSCN3681.thumb.JPG.11ee959699771104fbfb91c97b773130.JPG

 

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Yes, yes. A big old pudding up front, on his whiskery chin.

 

Also, either a flybridge or huge outriggers will add that macho touch, eh?

 

A stripe below the sheer line, like a cove stripe, maybe with a little half arrow at the bow, in a dark color. Just to give a little pop.

 

Also, consider shark teeth on the bow and/or painted flames/skulls. What? Is this a POWER boat, or not? Hahaha.

 

I hope you have a great time, Chick.

 

Peace,

Robert

 

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I  an always count on my buddy Tiger to offer some constructive ideas. Maybe a 50 cal. mounted on the fore deck? Well, it would really be a water balloon launcher. Outriggers with turkle catching nets at the ends. (Keeping turkles is one of my hobbies. Can y'all spell "herpetology"?) Flying bridge? (Is that where I could launch my r/c model planes from? (Another hobby.) (By-the-way, back in my Westlawn School of Yacht Design days, I was taught that "flybridge" was not correct. It was "flying bridge". Actually, I don't care. Just saying.)  Speaking of "pudding", I'd rather have mine to eat.

 

I do think a cove stripe would be good. "Pop" is good. I'm also considering a picture of the old man from the movie Up between the windows. (Are they still called ports when they are shaped like these?)

 

Teeth and skulls? Hey, he's macho, yet tender. And kinda low on the motor size for something quite that drastic. Brings up the old question, "Does size matter?". AND, if he looks too cocky, the really big bullies might wanna pick on him.

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Chick, so after hearing so much about sweet tea on your threads, while in Chattanooga this last week I just had to try some.  I also had shrimp and grits, hush puppies, biscuits and gravy, fried green tomatoes, okra, some of the best barbecue, bourbon, Tennessee whiskey.  Can I claim to be a southerner now?

 

Nice progress on the codger.

 

BTW, I don't ever need to eat okra again thanks.

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Chick,

 

I’m just glad flybridge was close to something real. Haha.

 

Anyway, forget all that. What you REALLY need is a big old long platform type sprit device off the bow, like a swordfishing boat. Of course it will be hinged, like a drawbridge, or riverboat planks.

 

Then, while the Boss steers and sips tea, you can eke out on the very end of your suspended walkway, way up yonder, in the finest turkling habitat, far from the spooky shadow of the boat proper, and gently spoon Mr. Turk Leton into his own new little ChicKingdom, created just for the pure joy of turkles everywhere.

 

Why, that’s macho AND sensitive, eh?

 

Wait, were you after PRACTICAL?! Oh. Stripe’s about all I got, then. :)

 

Peace,

Dr. Smartlee Thinkerton III, Esq.

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smccormick, you can always claim to be Southern, but I can't judge. Do you actually live in the South? If a blood test was done, would the Real Southern Sweet Tea show in the results? Do you have BBQ drippings on your shirt, and fried chicken grease on your fingers?

 

I gotta agree with you on the ocra. Except for the very rare occasion where the cook knows how to fry it without it being slimy.

 

Tigr. Interesting idea except for the fact that Miss Debbie doesn't come along on my cruises. She originated way up north where folks have never seen a boat and would NEVER spend the night on one! Maybe a string or two back to the motor to steer? Seems practical to me. Stripes is good too!.

 

 

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47 minutes ago, Chick Ludwig said:

smccormick, you can always claim to be Southern, but I can't judge. Do you actually live in the South?  If a blood test was done, would the Real Southern Sweet Tea show in the results? Do you have BBQ drippings on your shirt, and fried chicken grease on your fingers?

 

I gotta agree with you on the ocra. Except for the very rare occasion where the cook knows how to fry it without it being slimy.

 

Tigr. Interesting idea except for the fact that Miss Debbie doesn't come along on my cruises. She originated way up north where folks have never seen a boat and would NEVER spend the night on one! Maybe a string or two back to the motor to steer? Seems practical to me. Stripes is good too!.

 

 

The only was you can prove to be truly from the South is if any and all blood tests will detect Lard in the system. 

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   I only spent 21 years in NC but I do still claim to be Southern. Partly because I know how to cook okry so it's crispy and not slimey, partly because I can pick a banjer, and partly because I live closer to Antartica than all y'all. :)

I sure do miss sweet tea and biscuits and gravy, though...

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Ken, come on back! The "Southern Gene", once it develops, never goes away.

 

For the rest of y'all, Southern or not, here's a quick report on the Codger's first time to get his belly wet. Today, Miss Debbie went along with me to keep me out of trouble in the next step in Mr. Hatsu's break-in. He was only allowed to go up to half throttle except in short bursts. This is for two hours. At that speed, he has just gotten on plane. In a short burst of full throttle, he is over-revving, so we'll hafta get a steeper pitch prop. He sits down by the stern just a bit at rest, but not too badly, especially considering that I'm sitting in the back so I can reach the tiller. By the messabout he'll have a Doel-Fin stabilizer which will help him trim under power. Everything else worked out as expected. Both Old Codgers, me and the boat, are happy and looking forward to seeing everyone in two weeks.

 

We got pretty bored running back and forth in Lake Adger. At our speed, and taking time to poke into a cove or two, it took under half an hour each way. The lake was down a bit, so the end where the ramp is was pretty shallow. We kicked up mud going out. The channel marker buoys are not where they outa be. Remember red-right-returning? Here it was red, or green, right, or left returning or going! We were the only boat on the lake, but there were a couple of kayakers. It was a sunny day. A bit hot, with a forecast of less than 5mph breezes. Not much variety to look at. Lotsa trees and purt, fancy houses. To an old salt-life guy like me, it is not very exciting. The bigger lakes we'll eventually cruise on will have much more to see.

 

Until then, you can check-out a few pictures.

The Old Codgers.

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Miss Debbie, with a typical lake house behind her.

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The dam.

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A rock!

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57 minutes ago, Chick Ludwig said:

We have the Doel-Fin already, and the steeper pitch prop will be here in time for the messabout.  Old Codger is "quivering" with excitement.

I personally do not like the whale tail stuck on anything remotely close to being pretty. You would not like one on any ladies now would you?:P Personally I would try a simple bag of decorative stones, about 40 lbs in the bow forefoot if possible for a test and this will deal with how the boat sits in the water and also with your lard in the cockpit area B)before running it.  And this may deal remove the need for that ugly appendix , You can always put a small wedge between the engine bracket too, which adds more negative trim to the boat for running and trimming the boat out without it.

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