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ew power, new life, new mission Ten Years Ago /the towboat Senator Eastland burned on the Arkansas River. After the fire, the hulk was towed away, the deckhouse and machinery were removed, and the hull was painted and stored. Flash forward to 1997. Stewart & Stevenson purchased the old hull, together with new rudders and propeller shafts, and the old propellers. S&S concluded it could rebuild and repower the vessel as a 5400 H.P. towboat. S&S subcontracted with Halter Marine, Inc. to do a detailed design and to repair the hull, then complete the boat like an all new boat. The hull was towed to Halter Gulf Repair in New Orleans, a Halter repair yard, where it was dry- docked. Audio gauge readings of the hull showed the hull to be in like new condition. So work began. The gridcooler boxes were changed or added, and the generator channel coolers were lengthened. New bearings, sea chests, a water maker and strut barrels were installed. The propeller shafts were installed and a new pair of stainless steel, four-blade propellers with 90% developed area ratio were installed. New rudders and new Fernstrum grid- coolers were installed, and the hull was sandblasted and paint- ed. The hull was re-floated and towed to Halter Marine, Inc. in Lockport, Louisiana. While the hull was at Halter Gulf Repair for three months, work was proceeding on the deckhouses at Lockport. When the hull arrived, the interior as prepared for some changes and the machinery was Coverage to spare i S&S offers engineering and sales in 26 U.S. States and 28 foreign countries, including all the Caribbean Islands. HB EMD/DD SALES & SERVICE •• EMD SALES & SERVICE DD SALES & SERVICE EMD SALES ONLY installed. A pair of Lufkin Model RHS 3020 reverse-reduc- tion gears in ratio of 3.75 to 1 were installed, then a pair of remanufactured EMD 1 6-645EC turbocharged engines were installed to produce 2720 hp each at 800rpm. Two Detroit Diesel 8V71N, 115 KW generator sets were installed. Renamed Espiritu Paraguayo (Paraguayan Spirit), this new vessel has high horsepower and generous crew capaci- ty. It will operate on unmarked river sections with no shore electricity available, where it must lay over at night. The deck- house is unusually tall (49 feet eye level) to provide the greatest viewing advantage. This is possible because there are no low bridges where the boat will be in operation. As might be expected, redundant fire control features are in place as well. Following sea trials in March, 1999, the vessel was loaded onto a semisubmersible boat for transportation to Paraguay. Stewart & Stevenson is delivering it to Navegacion Paraguaya Americana, S.A., a company affiliated with the South American barge line ventures of Allen Mott. This is the third tow- boat purchased by Mott from S&S, and the fourth towboat powered by Electro-Motive Division of General Motors (EMD) engines by S&S for Mott and Associates. Stewart & Stevenson engines were chosen to power these new vessels because our DDC and EMD engines have given many years of reliable service at home and abroad. Let us show you how S&S can provide economical and reliable power to bring new life to your vessel. ELECTRO-MOTIVE NEW ORLEANS BRANCH 1400 Destrehan Ave., Harvey, LA 7QD58 (504) 347-4326 • Fax: (5D4) 348-8970 HOUSTON BRANCH 8631 East Freeway, Houston, TX 77029 (713) 671-6100 • Fax: (713) 671-6197 Circle 217 on Reader Service Card
