Innovator and Inventor
Charlie was known as a tinkerer. He often collected boat parts and other mechanical tidbits and used them in efforts to create more efficient rowing gear. Having many friends in the national and international rowing community it was not uncommon for Charlie to consult with and be consulted by boat, oar, and other rowing manufacturers. Charlie was partial to Volkswagens and drove a black VW Bug convertible, a Karmegia, or a station wagon. The cars were repositories for rowing gear and often accommodated boats and oars to be repaired in the basement shop in his home. The full shop in his basement and garage (which may never have seen a car) and proceeded to build composite singles (1x) during the late 70's through the mid 80's. The shells were known to be stable and fast, perfect for beginners especially. He also was known for creating rowing barges out of two shells placed side by side and connected via a metal scaffold and plywood. Charlie created and experimented with some of the earliest catamaran coaching launches, building them using old 1x's for the pontoons.
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Famous quotes containing the words innovator and/or inventor:
“One is rarely an impulsive innovator after the age of sixty, but one can still be a very fine orderly and inventive thinker. One rarely procreates children at that age, but one is all the more skilled at educating those who have already been procreated, and education is procreation of another kind.”
—G.C. (Georg Christoph)
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