Triple Z-Drive Pushboat
Cummins Vessel Reference #752
Long talked about and occasionally experimented with, the Z-drive is rapidly gaining acceptance on America’s inland waterways. While a number of operators have recently built boats powered by a pair of Cummins 1000 HP K38 M engines and Z-drives, Main Ironworks is building a series of four boats with three Cummins 750 HP QSK19-M engines coupled to well-mount ZF WM5000 drives. This combination gives the boats a similar, but slightly higher, 2250 HP with greater flexibility for rebuild and maintenance of EPA tier requirements. The engines are set on the main deck level of the 11-foot molded depth hull, to give the boat an operating draft of ten feet which includes the one-foot plate keel that helps protect the Z-drives in conjunction with the stump jumpers.
Four of the 79.5 by 34-foot boats, Jock Cenac, Eugenie Cenac, Jack G. Cenac, and Loretta G Cenac have been delivered. Acceptance of new approaches can be slow on the inland waterways, but the Z-drive is rapidly gaining prominence as a means of propulsion in the 2000-HP class of pushboat.
For further information:
Marc Molaison
General Manager
Main Iron Works Shipyard
148 Old Ferry Rd.
Houma, LA 70364
Phone: 985 876 6302
E-mail: marcm@mainironworks.com
Mike Lee
Territory Sales Manager
Cummins Mid-South Inc.
Kenner, LA
Phone: 504 734 3075
E-mail: mike.lee@cummins.com
Alan Haig-Brown
Over 30 years as an author for global commercial marine and fishing publications backed with hands-on experience on commercial fishing boats and coastal freighters makes Alan Haig-Brown uniquely qualified to provide vessel reference articles for Cummins Marine. You can find him in shipyards around the world, and on his own website, www.haig-brown.com.
