Earlier this year, Horizon Shipbuilding, Bayou La Batre, Ala., delivered the 95'x43'x10' Z-drive towboat Dan Reeves to the Corps of Engineers Little Rock, (Ark.) District. The new boat is ABS classed Maltese Cross Towing Vessel, River Service and Maltese Cross AMS, designed to comply with the proposed USCG Subchapter M requirements, although the final rule has yet to be published.
The Corps delivery team included both the Little Rock District and the Philadelphia-based Marine Design Center, which oversaw construction of the vessel. The towboat, which has accommodations for eight crewmembers, is designed for maintenance and repair activities on the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System infrastructure. The system includes 445 miles of navigation channel, 18 lock and dam structures, four federal powerhouses, and numerous park and recreation waterfront areas and boat ramps. The majority of the activities require heavy lift capability and are inaccessible from land.
Main propulsion comes from twin Caterpillar C32 WOSR “C” rated diesel engines, producing 1,300 hp each at 1,800 to 2,100 rpm, connected to two Thrustmaster TM1500MZ Z-drives with Hung Shen 4-bladed 67.75" props in nozzles and gear reduction ratios of 5.74:1. The Z-drive system has environmentally acceptable lubricants inside and the vessel has the capability to operate as a Zero Discharge Vessel.
With a draft of 8'6" and an air draft of 47'10", the Dan Reeves has a displacement of 657 LT.
Capacities include 22,800 gals. of fuel; 7,500 gals. potable water; and 19,400 gals. ballast capacity.
In the wheelhouse is a Furuno electronics suite and on deck are four Patterson WWP 65E-7.5 14 winches, a Rapp Hydro Pro 4,000 lbs. capacity deck crane with a 10' radius and Schoelihorn-Albrecht inline, 10-hp, 14,000 lbs. line pull capacity capstan.
Ship’s service power comes from John Deere-powered 6068AFM85 gensets, sparking 150 kW of electrical power each.
