New toy MLB Chuck Huff

J

Joe Bruno

Member


Just picked this up yesterday. and boy do i have a lot of questions. It is a MLB Chuck Huff.The guy i bought it from purchased it in 09 and never used it or rigged it.
Do i have to make some kind of floor to keep by butt off of the hull?
could some of you guys post up some pics of your rigs so i can see how to attach grass/ camo
I also have the spray shield. do you guys trailer with it on or do you take it down?
 
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Joe,

I'm not home right now or I could put some pictures up for you. If you do a "search posts" (look at the top of the page) and type in "Chuck Huff", the results will be several threads and many pictures.

PS. I sent you a PM.
 
Nice! Check out Dave's photos on how he dressed his up. If you Google the boat some photos of them camoed up may show up also
 
Joe,

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Dave. do you trailer with it all grassed up? do you trailer with the spray shield up?
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Yes and yes, up to 68 mph. The last photo in the campground, is after driving 3 hours from Shell Rock IA to just south of Lacrosse WI.
 
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Dave,

Did you add any additional straps to your dodger to haul at highway speeds? I've never tried it with mine. Also had a guy that does custom boat canvas work tell me not too even with straps.


Ron
 
Dave,

Did you add any additional straps to your dodger to haul at highway speeds? I've never tried it with mine. Also had a guy that does custom boat canvas work tell me not too even with straps.
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Ron, No additional straps. The canvas has quite a few (never counted them) snaps along the leading edge. I may have changed the fasteners along the sides edges, can't remember if what's there is original or not, twist lock fasteners along the side edges.
I am thinking of replacing the canvas before next season. If I do, I'll go with a extruded fastener used with RV awnings and such all around the leading 180 degree arc of the dodger. The leading edge of the canvas then has a rubber insert sewn to the hem (or one can sew in a rope into the hem) which is then pulled thru the length of the extruded fastener. That way the entire edge is secure and waterproof.
 
Mine is made from Sunbrella and is nice and tight when snapped down in place. I might give it a short distance try when grassed up. I've always just unsnapped it and rolled it up and bungied down for transport. I'm thinking your added camo mesh may help create a more stationary system.
 
Dave,

Did you add any additional straps to your dodger to haul at highway speeds? I've never tried it with mine. Also had a guy that does custom boat canvas work tell me not too even with straps.
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Ron, No additional straps. The canvas has quite a few (never counted them) snaps along the leading edge. I may have changed the fasteners along the sides edges, can't remember if what's there is original or not, twist lock fasteners along the side edges.
I am thinking of replacing the canvas before next season. If I do, I'll go with a extruded fastener used with RV awnings and such all around the leading 180 degree arc of the dodger. The leading edge of the canvas then has a rubber insert sewn to the hem (or one can sew in a rope into the hem) which is then pulled thru the length of the extruded fastener. That way the entire edge is secure and waterproof.
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Dave, that type attachment wont work if you want the dodger to go up and down without removing it. We did our first dodger that way and the double bow will not fold down. Its stays to tight to allow it to move. We now use snaps and twist locks for the dodgers to hold them in place. snaps are not enough they will come off. But with a twist lock fitting front center and one on each side board it now stays in place nicely.
 
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Dave, that type attachment wont work if you want the dodger to go up and down without removing it. We did our first dodger that way and the double bow will not fold down.
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Tony,

I hate to contradict you but you are wrong. Your dodger may not fold down, but the one on my hull will fold down, as planned, with the entire leading edge firmly fastened. I have already proved it out with a prototype pattern.

You seem to be assuming that the bows, the canvas shape and layout, for your dodger, are identical in design, length and pivot point, as the design installed on my hull.

I am going to assume that that they are not identical.
 
Dave I look forward to seeing it when it's done. Using the awning rail welt and track. We use this system on many boats but it doesn't work with a 2 bow dodger where the bows are in a sewn in pocket.
 
My two bow dodger that came with my Chuck Huff folds flat for transport while attached to the boat. That is why it's really not a big deal for me to unsnap, fold down and wrap a bungee around it to keep it from flapping in the wind. It is however folded flat. I think the position of the secondary bow pivot point is key in this function
 
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Dave I look forward to seeing it when it's done. Using the awning rail welt and track. We use this system on many boats but it doesn't work with a 2 bow dodger where the bows are in a sewn in pocket.
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Tony,
I really don't mean to sound condescending. It's not too difficult to figure the proper geometry to make this work. I'm sure any designer with a CAD program would be able to draw up a working model for you. I did the trig the old fashioned way on paper and then mocked up a working model. I just didn't have the awning rail on hand and the project fell to the back burner, until such time as the canvas will actually need replaced.

In my model, to replicate the awing rail and welt, I screwed down the edge of the fabric pattern in the area where the rail would be located. Thus the fabric was held in place same as it would be when restrained by the rail and welt. The model functioned as designed and I knew my figures for bow length, rail length, and pivot point location were just as correct in the real world, as they had been on paper.

If the fabric is getting tight when one goes to fold the dodger flat, then most likely either the awning rail length is incorrect or the pivot point location is incorrect. These two parameters are closely tied together in how they affect the function of raising and lowering the dodger. If one wishes to exceed the trig behind these parameters, one can easily overcome this by incorporating a sliding pivot point into the design.

Hope this helps you.
 
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Any opinion on how to power this? it is rated up to a 15Hp. i was thinking of 6 to 9.9. any special make of motor anybody prefers? Merc, Mariner, Johnson, Evinrude.
 
Joe,

I run a 9.5 Evinrude for deep water and I have a PPF Woodduck mud motor also. The PPF mount allows for the Evinrude to mount right over the top of that mount. I really like the PPF due to short length, great quality, great price, and super light for the power. 59 lbs. Here's a shot acouple years ago on a Mississippi back water scouting trip with the PPF on there. You won't win any speed contests with a 7hp semi-longtail...but you should get there just the same. This boat flies with the 9.5 though so i think if you're going 9.9 you may find it sufficient
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