Nichols Building Harbor Boat For Ergon

Nichols Boat Company, a boat and barge builder in Greenville, Miss., is currently working on a 65-foot harbor boat for Ergon Marine & Industrial Supply. It will be the 24th hull that Nichols Boat has completed, said Mark Nichols, general manager.

“Because of the high water, we’re having to do the pre-fab work at another location,” Nichols said. “The main yard is shut down at the moment.” Nichols uses Mississippi Marine Corporation’s yard nearby for such times.

A conventional cabin towboat, the vessel will measure 65 by 24 feet with a depth of 8 feet. It will be powered by two Mitsubishi S6R diesel engines with a total of 1,370 hp. at 1,800 rpm., which drive 62- by 55-inch, four-blade stainless steel propellers through Twin Disc 5222 reduction gears at a ratio of 6.10:1. It will have Wartsila shaft seals and Fernstrum coolers.

For auxiliary power, the new boat will be equipped with two 60 kw. John Deere gen sets. The main deck cabin will contain a small galley and dining area, plus a toilet. The second deck will consist of storage areas and an electronics room. There will be no sleeping quarters. Deck equipment will include two 40-ton Wintech electric winches.

Nichols Boat recently completed construction of three dock barges for Magnolia Marine Transport Company that measure 100 by 30 by 5 feet. The middle barge has an equipment room centered and mounted outboard on the landward side, Nichols said.

Caption for photo: Floodwaters at Greenville, Miss., where Nichols Boat Company normally builds its hulls, are preventing work on a new harbor boat it is building. However, pre-fab construction is able to continue nearby.