Breathing New Life into Old Workboats
There is no question that timely repairs and preventative maintenance can extend the life of almost any workboat. It is also true that changing market conditions can lead to renovations to effectively extend the life of many vessels. The one event that triggers many repair projects is the Coast Guard's five-year hull inspection program, often referred to as a "shave and a haircut". Most operators use these occasions to inspect shafts, wheels and do top side repairs as well. With the hull is out of the water, not only can shafts, rudders and wheels be repaired, but also anodes replaced, sea chests inspected and the entire bottom given a coat of anti-fouling paint.
Christenings & Deliveries: Black Hawk Fleet Embarks on Repower Program
Blackhawk Fleet, Inc. operates towboats and barges along the Mississippi River out of Davenport Iowa. The city, on the Mississippi River 300-miles up river from St. Louis, has long been a maritime center. When 84-year old Capt. David Tipton died at the wheel of his snag-pulling steamboat in 1904 he was buried here. To honor the Mark Twain contemporary, his crew hauled an anchor from the river to mark his grave site. His vessel, the Col. A. Mackenzie was renamed the David Tipton. Tipton's death was declared the end of an era, but it hardly marked the end of riverboat work around Davenport. Today,Blackhawk's eight boats and 35 barges have a variety of capabilities including crane, deck and sand barges.
