General Marine Services christens fourth towboat
Written by Nick Blenkey
M/V Syble Fay
General Marine Services (GMS) Baton Rouge, La., recently christened the M/V Syble Fay at McKinney Salvage & Heavy Lift’s fleet. Named for company owner Gene Moore’s late mother, the towboat is General Marine Services’ fourth vessel. “She was the heart and soul of our family,” Moore said of his mother, who died in 2012.
The 78 ft x 34 ft Syble Fay was designed and built at the Intracoastal Iron Works shipyard in Bourg, La.
The Syble Fay has five staterooms, including the standalone captain’s quarters located on the vessel’s “Texas deck,” along with three and a half bathrooms. The layout and design aboard the Syble Fay is what truly distinguishes the vessel from others at work on the inland waterways.
“For the size of this boat, it’s the best laid out boat I’ve ever been on,” said Johnny Mazeika, captain aboard the Syble Fay. “It’s the nicest boat I’ve ever been on.”
Mazeikanoted that the boat offers easy access for any kind of maintenance the crew may need to do, from pulling wires to plumbing and the HVAC system.
“They laid it out simple, and the best thing about it is you can work on it without tearing the walls up,” Mazeika said. “They gave us access where we need it.”
The Syble Fay has a large galley and eating area, with an adjacent crew lounge. The vessel’s exercise room is located toward the stern, above the engine room, with a dedicated air conditioning system and television.
The wheelhouse aboard is extremely open, with a compact and innovative control panel that was collaboratively designed by GMS and the shipyard. Eye level aboard the Syble Fay is just over 33 feet. In addition to that, the Syble Fay features a “fleet deck,” which improves visibility from the deck and the wheelhouse, adds storage on deck and is safer for walking in all weather conditions.
The 2,000 hp towboat is powered by two Cummins QSK38 main engines, supplied by Cummins Mid-South and coupled to Reintjes WAF 563 marine gears with a 5.947:1 ratio from Karl Senner. Houma Machine & Marine LLC supplied the Syble Fay’s 4-blade propellers, which measure 78 inches by 66 inches. The vessel has 7-inch shafts and features Simplan Americas seals and Thordon bearings. Ship’s service power is supplied by a pair of Cummins QSB 7 generators.
East Park Radiator supplied the vessel’s Duraweld keel cooler, and Pneumatic Specialties outfitted the Syble Fay with its steering system.
The Syble Fay has tankage for 28,000 gallons of fuel, 600 gallons of lube oil (in three tanks), 100 gallons of hydraulic oil, and 13,800 gallons of water. Donovan Marine supplied the vessel’s Seahorse waste water treatment system.
Rhodes Electronics supplied the Syble Faye’s electronics and communications equipment, while Herbert Hiller supplied its fire suppression system.
On deck, M&M Bumper Service provided the fendering for the Syble Fay, while Eagle Industrial supplied the paint for the vessel. Byrne, Rice & Turner supplied the vessel’s Nabrico deck winches.
