Kody Building 3,200 HP Pusher for Blessey

Kody Marine of Harvey, La. began construction of a powerful push boat for Blessy Marine. "It will be similar to the Dreama Klaiber and the Walter E. Blessey Jr." says Blessey’s Mitch Jones, "With the same propulsion package and four deck layout, but it is longer and wider." The progression in size has been evolutionary. The Dreama, launched in late 1999, is 95x30x12.6 feet and the Walter, launched in mid-2002, is longer and wider at 110 x 32 x 11.5 feet. Now the new boat will add still more to the dimensions to become 120 feet long with a 34-foot beam and a 12.5-foot molded depth. Jones explains that the additional beam gives the boat a shallower draft while the increased length gives improved performance. All three vessels are built with the same proven main engine package of a pair of 16-cylinder Cummins KTA50 M2 engines, delivering a total of 3200 hp (2,388 kW) for continuous duty at 1800 RPM. The as yet unnamed new vessel is scheduled for delivery in April of 2004.