This past weekend, I was honored to be invited to join Grigg Jr (Grigg the Elder) on his tribute to Chesapeake Bay "Buy Boats," Mr. Dickie, on a voyage to and from Solomons Island. All told, about 16 very wonderful hours underway!
A kid raised on Hotwheels, Matchbox and Tonka cannot be reasonably expected to own only one vehicle as an adult.
1949 Chevrolet 3804 In the Legacy Gallery | In the Gallery Forum 1973 IH 1310 Dump 1963 Kaiser M38A1 2001 International/AmTran RE3000 "Skoolie" 2014 Ford E-350 4x4 (Quigley)
Mr Dickie is powered by a WW2 vintage 4-cylinder Buda diesel engine that originally powered a Navy launch. Grigg Jr. had purchased two of them at auction years ago after they had apparently gone through depot-level maintenance He still has the second one. The engine sounded great and had a really cool low throaty resonance, especially when the throttle was advanced with enthusiasm. It gave us a very steady and firm push for 16 hours. It moved Mr. Dickie along nicely at about 950 RPMs for 7.5 knots (~ 6-7 MPH).
It's gentle hum at 950 was so steady that a couple of times when I adjust the throttle to maintain station keeping on the boat we were traveling with, it always got the attention of the other crew.
Another interesting bit of info out of the "It's a small world" file ... my crewmate in the picture below, Eric, and I have a special connection. We'd never met each other prior to this trip (we're both friends of the Mullens), but come to find out -- his mother's family and my mother's family both emigrated from the same island in Sweden, the island of Marstrand. His grandfathers served in the royal residence there and mine were boatbuilders/fishermen.
Pretty cool stuff!
~ John
A kid raised on Hotwheels, Matchbox and Tonka cannot be reasonably expected to own only one vehicle as an adult.
1949 Chevrolet 3804 In the Legacy Gallery | In the Gallery Forum 1973 IH 1310 Dump 1963 Kaiser M38A1 2001 International/AmTran RE3000 "Skoolie" 2014 Ford E-350 4x4 (Quigley)
~ Cosmo 1949 Chevy Half Ton Rocinante, like Don Quixote, he is awkward, past his prime, and engaged in a task beyond his capacities. "...my good horse Rocinante, mine eternal and inseparable companion in all my journeys and courses." ...Don Quixote, Cervantes "If you come to a fork in the road, take it."...Yogi Berra "Rudeness is the weak man's imitation of strength." ...Eric Hoffer
He still has the second one. The engine sounded great and had a really cool low throaty resonance, especially when the throttle was advanced with enthusiasm. It gave us a very steady and firm push for 16 hours. It moved Mr. Dickie along nicely at about 950 RPMs for 7.5 knots (~ 6-7 MPH).