After a military career spanning several decades, Col. Charles &ldquo;Nick&rdquo; Nichols moved to San Diego in 1977 bringing his engineering know-how and work ethic to civic groups and community theaters throughout the county. Among his famed engineering feats was the construction of the forward section and bow of a boat for the 2001 production of &ldquo;The Sign of Four&rdquo; at Chula Vista&rsquo;s Onstage Playhouse.