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April 26, 2000

Another Cummins Powered Pushboat

Recently, as owners look for modern engines that incorporate fuel efficiency with compliance to IMO emissions regulations, the Cummins share of the inland river pushboat market has shown rapid growth. Several large operators are ordering a steady stream of these engines for repowers and new construction. At the same time, a number of smaller operators are opting for Cummins engines.

Marine operators in the Louisiana bayou county tend to take a measured approach to their engine purchases. They like to do business with neighbours that they know and trust. Cummins Mid-South territory sales manager Joe Gregory grew up in bayou country where his dad took care of marine diesels for a lot of years. People like that history as they look to the changes that modern environment regulations and economics demand. N.J "Blackie" Bourgeois, with the help of brother Dick, has been building boats along Bayou LaFourche in Thibodaux Louisiana. for several decades. Larry Girffin has been running his towboat company out of Galiano since 1971. His brother-in-law had a boat built by Blackie and recommended the yard. When Larry and Blackie were planning the boat, they went to Joe to talk engines. The "Mr. Griffin", a 64x26x10-foot pushboat, will be powered by a pair of Cummins Marine's latest electronic QSK19 engines delivering 660 HP each at 1800 RPM into Twin Disc MC5202 gears with a 6:1 ratio and turning 64x60-inch props on six-inch stainless steel shafts. The original recommendation for the engines came through Larry Griffin's contacts in the marine community, "I have a friend that put these engines in his boat on a repower," says Griffin, "He told me that he saved 15 to 18 percent on fuel and gained 1.5 miles per hour when pushing."

The heavily built boat has 1/2-inch bottom plating, 3/8-inch side shell, 5/16-inch decking and 1/4-inch cabins. Electrical power for the boat, with its two Patterson 40-ton electric deck winches, will be provided by a Cummins four-cylinder engine turning a 35Kw gen set.

Delivery on the boat, the fourth in the Griffin Towing fleet, is scheduled for the end of May and Griffin reports he already has several offers for work.

For more information on this boat contact:

Noah "Blackie" Bourgeois
St. Charles Steel Works
Thibodaux, LA
Phone: 504 447-7834

Larry Griffin
Griffin Towing, Inc
Galiano, LA
Phone: 504 475-5459 Fax: 504 632-8899

Joe Gregory
Territory Sales Manager
Cummins Mid-South
110 E.Airline Highway
Kenner, LA70062
Phone: 504 468_3535 cel: 504 438_1798
e-mail: joe.gregory@cummins.com

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