Reagan Equipment Company News

U.K.-based EJ Bowman has manufactured its range of marine heat exchangers and oil since 1919. The company recently had its range of hydraulic EC to PK shell and tube oil coolers design approved for marine use by the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) and now hold certificate no. 02-LD302798-PDA. Bowman heat exchangers and oil coolers are suitable for use on engines up to 1,400 kW (1,880 hp) and for gear boxes up to 1,800 kW (2,400 hp). As a result of this design approval EJ Bowman are exhibiting at the Workboat Show in New Orleans in December 2003. Guests at Universal Orlando theme parks benefit from complimentary, on-site transportation to and from its resort hotels and theme park attractions.

Over the past three years the Spanish engine manufacturer Guascor has been making inroads into the U.S. workboat engine market. They not only have a good product, but also were fortunate enough to sign an agreement with the Marine Division of Reagan Equipment Company, Plaquemine, La. Reagan also distributes engines for John Deere and Waukesha, so the addition of Guascor fits well into their overall engine lineup. Over the past couple of years Reagan has sold dozens of Guascor engines to repower push boats. "Our Guascor engine line which includes 575 hp, 750 HP and 1150 HP at 1800 RPM have been good engines for this application," said Warren Berthelot, general manager of Reagan Marine.

The picturesque town of Bayou La Batre, Ala. has long been known for its production of shrimp trawlers. Normally, about 150 of these 90-105 ft. vessels come out of 8-10 yards set up specifically to produce these boats. Increasingly, however, large deepwater offshore service vessels are taking their place along side of the trawlers as the Bayou La Batre boat builders join with their Louisiana cousins in producing vessels for the oil patch. Interestingly, it is many of the same builders who construct dozens of trawlers a year that are in the forefront of OSV production. One of the prime examples is Master Boat Builders, Coden, Ala., about three miles south of Bayou La Batre.

The design challenge for towboats in the new Millennium is they are being called upon to do tougher jobs on the water but at the same time have be more environmentally friendly to the water on which they sail. Also, many of today's towboats are light years ahead of their predecessors of just a few years ago in crew amenities and berthing spaces. "Much of the new technology we are seeing on towboats is because of new IMO, EPA, OSHA and ABS regulations," said Terry Boffone, president of Progressive Barge Line, Westwego, La. Progressive's business is mid-streaming fueling, so careful delivery of the products they carry such as diesel fuel and gasoline from the tank barge to the ship is critical.

With the repowering of the 204-ft. (73.1 m) double ended vehicle ferry, Cameron No. 2, Reagan Equipment Company's marine division has added ferries to its list of vessels it has powered or repowered with John Deere marine diesels. The 50-vehicle ferry, which was constructed in 1965 and owned by the state of Louisiana, recently underwent a major overhaul at Conrad Industries, Morgan City, La., which included the installation by Reagan of four John Deere 6018AMPK engines developing a total of 940-hp and two John Deere 6068TFM generator engines driving two 96KW Stamford Newage generators. New Twin Disc power take-offs drive the ferry's existing Z-drives.

Guascor Inc, a manufacturer of diesel and gas engines, power systems and marine reduction gears based in Northern Spain and distributed throughout the Southeastern United States by Reagan Equipment Company, Inc. has accumulated a number of interesting references in the past six months, installations that should go a long way in extending the brand to users throughout the country. For the Louisiana Department of Transportation's Ferry Division, Guascor supplied a pair of SF 180 TAs for the repower and repair of the 30-year-old ferryboat, M/V Acadia. M/V Acadia has a busy work life, crossing the Mississippi River at State Route 75 in Plaquemine, LA, every half-hour, 16 hours a day, seven days a week carrying up to 35 cars per trip.