338
February 2006

LaForce of LaBatre Busy

Ready for launching showing the bow rake, push knees and side
mounted grid cooler.

Hurricane Katrina ripped some big holes in the LaForce Shipyard in Bayou LaBatre Louisiana, but it seems hardly to have slowed production at this busy yard. In the big building shed a pair aluminum crewboats were taking shape in mid January.  Outside three 74x28x11.5-foot push boats were in varying stages of production from keel laying, to plated hull and a finished hull ready for launch.

The completed hull would be put in the water and towed to another site where the superstructure was to be lifted into place before final fitting out. The hull, formed from 1/2-inch plate with 3/4-inch for the aft forty feet, is fitted with two 3x16-foot push knees. Fendering is from M&M Bumper of Bourg Louisiana (www.mmbumperservice.com). Already installed in the hull was a pair of keel cooled Cummins KTA 38M0 main engines rated for 1000 HP each at 1800 RPM. The engines turn into Reintjes WAF562 gears with 5.947:1 reduction ratios. The boat's 5-blade 72x58-inch propellers are by Kahlenberg Brothers of Wisconsin ( www.kahlenberg.com/marine.html ). As with most inland river push boats in the US the boat has two a steering rudders and four flanking rudders.

A close up view of the two starboard flanking and single steering rudders.

The interior of the new boat will be finished in fiberglass panels with accommodation for six. In addition to the three boats under construction framing is also ready for additional push boats that are already sold says yard owner Ray LaForce.

Showing the props, steering and flanking rudders and guards.

For additional information and pictures contact:

Ray LaForce
LaForce Shipyard, Inc.
P.O. Box 107
650 Shell Belt Road
Bayou La Batre
Alabama 36509
Phone: 251 824 2152
Fax: 251 824 7742

Larry Neff
 Marine Sales Manager
 Cummins Mid-South Inc.
 1924 East I65 Service Road North,
 Mobile,Al 36617
 USA
 Phone: 251 456 2236
 E-mail: Larry.E.Neff@Cummins.com

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