461 January 2008

Eymard Bros. Towing Building Spec Boat

The new towboat taking shape on the levee at the Harvey Shipcanal near New Orleans will have Cummins K38-M2 Tier 2 engines. Alan Haig-Brown photo.

In their yard between Peters Road and the Harvey Ship canal the father and son team of Gary J. Eymard Sr. and Jr. are having a good time building a spec boat together. “Dad’s outside running the crane,” said junior, when a visitor arrives at the office. The two men share office responsibilities with Operations and Safety Manager Gary Lerille. They also share the crane and virtually every other aspect of building a modern pushboat. From cutting to welding the two are working with a small crew to build a solid 75 by 28-footer with a pair of Cummins recently introduced K38-M Tier 2 engines turning into Twin Disc 5321 gears.

Set just on the inside of the levee the boat’s hull and lower deck house were in place and long stern tubes extended under the hull waiting for shafts and props. The hull has a familiar form and the process of building is equally familiar to the Eymard family. In early 2007 they completed construction on a slightly smaller version with a pair of 600 HP Cummins KTA19-M3 engines. This latter boat is currently at work with the family’s barge handling division moving grain barges in the New Orleans area.

Powered by a pair of Cummins KTA19 engines, the Dixie Lee Eymard was launched in early 2007. Photo courtesy of Eymard Bros. Towing, Inc.

The new 2000 HP boat is expected to be completed in April or May 2008 and will join the Dixie Lee Eymard in the family company if an suitable buyer has not been found before that. Over the past two years the father/son team has built two boats and refurbished two more.

For more information:

Gary J. Eymard, Sr.
President
Or Gary J. Eymard, Jr.
Vice-Preident
Eymard Bros. Towing Inc.
2500 Peters Rd.
Harvey, LA 70058
Phone: 504 367 7878
Fax: 504 367 3770
Mobile: 504 340 1538

Al Heisler
Territory Sales Manager
Cummins Mid-South Inc.
Kenner LA 70062
Phone: 504 465 3403
Fax: 504 465 3408
E-mail: al.heisler@Cummins.com

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