Gary Eymard News

On the Mississippi and throughout the U.S. inland waterways, pushboats of about 70 feet and with around 2000 hp are ubiquitous. They can be seen in barge fleeting operations along the riverbanks for pushing one or two 30,000-barrel oil barges. In recent years, the standard power package has been a pair of Cummins’ popular KV38-M engines. These V-12-clylinder 2300-cubic-inch displacement engines have evolved over the years to take advantage of new technologies and, more recently, to meet new environmental standards. Gary Eymard has been around the inland towboat world for some time also.

Eymard Marine put its latest pushboat in the water last August from its Harvey, La. yard. The 70 x 28 x 9.5-ft. boat was finished out alongside the dock for a September delivery. Named the Kallie C. Eymard, the vessel features three Cummins KTA19 M3 engines producing a total of 1,800 hp. Each engine turns into a Twin Disc 5202 gear with a 6:1 ratio and turning 66 x 54-in. four-blade stainless Coolidge propellers from Jefferson Wheel. According to Gary Eymard, due to rising fuel prices, the center engine has been set up with a shaft brake so that if a job only required 1,200 hp, one engine can be shutdown to save on both hours and fuel. Deck winches are a pair of Nabrico 40 ton electric over hydraulics loaded. Electrical power is provided by two Cummins 4B3.9 powered 35 kW gensets.