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May 19, 2000

Blessey to Christen Second Retractable Wheelhouse Towboat

The New Orleans waterfront will once again be the site for the christening of another vessel in Blessey Marine’s growing fleet. The 2400 HP 95x30-foot "Norman P. Proehl", is the second of three retractable wheelhouse towboats that the company is building at Kody Marine. The first, the "Mary Burke Liles", went into service in January of 1999. The third is scheduled for the spring of 2001. Each of the three vessels are powered by a pair of Cummins KTA38M2 engines rated 1200 HP @ 1800 RPM and turning 80x56 four-blade stainless wheels from Sound Propeller through Reintjes WAF673 gears with 6.417:1 ratios. Electrical power will come from a pair of Cummins 6BT 5.9G 75 Kw. Gensets.

Steve Proehl, after whose father the boat is named, explains, "These are very versatile boats. They can and do work anywhere on the inland water ways from Texas to St. Paul, although they are designed with the retractable wheelhouses to work the difficult stretch of upper Illinois River between LeMonte and Chicago where some 40 bridges cross the waterway in about 25 miles."

A telescoping three stage hydraulic ram lifts the wheelhouse from a low position with a clearance over the wheelhouse once the antenna has been retracted, of just 18 feet. Fully extended the top of the wheelhouse with have an eye level view of 32 feet. In the lowered position the wheelhouse will nestle into a space cut away in the forward part of the main deck house. The boats are also classed ABS limited loadline to allow them to travel sections of Lake Michigan out of Chicago.

Representatives of the marine press are invited to attend the Christening dockside at the Hilton Riverside Hotel at 4:00 PM on June 14 at the foot of Poydras Street in New Orleans.

For invitations, or photos if unable to attend, contact:

Steve Proehl
Blessey Marine, New Orleans
Phone (504) 734_1156
E-mail: sproehl@blessey.com

For additional vessel details, contact:

Paul Boudreaux
Kody Marine, Inc.
600 Peters Rd. Harvey, LA 70058
Phone: (504)364_1176 Fax: (504)364_1712

or:

Al Heisler
Territory Sales Manager
Cummins Mid_South Inc.
Kenner LA 70062
Phone: (504) 465_3403 Fax: (504) 465_3408

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