3. The vessel pictured is the "Jenny S" pushing 42 regulation barges {35' wide x 195' long makes one regulation barge regardless if it's a hopper, flat deck, or tank barge}. The tow consists of ten loads, five on both port and starboard outside strings squared at the stern of the tow, and 32 empties. The Jenny S was built in 1966 by the Nashville Bridge Co. {NaBriCo is how the company stamps it's timberheads on the barges they build} and was given hull number 501709. She was originally built for the Power Transportation Co. who named her the "Maba Kelce". She is 50 wide x 180 long and her three Caterpillar 3608 engines turn three wheels {which are propellers to a pleasure boater} producing 7800 horsepower. She was renamed the Jenny S by Mid-South Towing when they purchased her in May of 1987 from Mid-America Trans. Photo Courtesy & Property of Mike [MacGyver] Kenny.

4. This is the underside of the M/V Elaine Jones, her hull number is 506770. This is a view of her starboard wheel and rudder assembly as seen from the intake side of the "kort nozzle" (that's the large cylinder that encircles the wheel). Forward of the wheel are the "flanking" rudders. These rudders steer the vessel when she is in motion astern (in reverse) and aid in steering sharp bends when under headway (forward). When underway, anything drawn into the kort nozzle comes out the other side as dolphin safe tuna. Whole trees are reduced to small logs after a losing battle in the wheel assembly. See M/V Elaine Jones on Dry-dock, View 2 for the aft view of the wheel and rudder assembly, and to get an idea in scale just what size these wheels are, see View 3. Photo Courtesy & Property of Mike [MacGyver] Kenny.

5. This photo shows the starboard wheel and rudder assembly of the M/V Elaine Jones, hull number 506770. She received new wheels and "steering" rudders while in the shipyard. These three photo's were taken during late Feruary/Early March of '96 on the Harvey Canal on the dry-docks in Harvey, La. The Starboard wheel and rudder assembly has been completed in this photo. The port side had yet to be done. See "M/V Elaine Jones on Dry-dock, View 3" to see the port side disassembled, and to get an idea in scale just how big these wheels are. Photo Courtesy & Property of Mike [MacGyver] Kenny.

6. This photo shows a thinner, younger me. But I'm still the same height. Standing inside of the port "kort nozzle" of the M/V Elaine Jones, hull number 506770, this photo shows a good representation of the size of the wheels on the average flagship towing vessel. I'm 5'10" tall, and if the wheels can pulverize a tree into splinters, just imagine what it could do to me (See Views 1 and 2). Photo Courtesy & Property of Mike [MacGyver] Kenny.

7. This is the M/V Leviticus on the Illinois River S/B (Southbound) above the Beardstown bridge in Beardstown, Illinois. The Leviticus was built in 1976 in Greenville, Mississippi by Superior Boat Works and was assigned hull number 577329. She is 38' wide x 147' long and is a jack-up boat.....that is to say that her pilot house is retractable, elevating up and down on a hydraulic shaft. Her twin General Motors Electro-motive Division 12-645E5 engines produce 4200 horsepower. Owned by Dow Chemical Co. in Plaquemine, Louisiana; she was sold in 1994 to Brent Transportation Corp. in Greenville, Mississippi. "Leviticus" is the only name that she has held. Photo Courtesy & Property of Mike [MacGyver] Kenny.

"Pushing Water-View 1"

8. This towboat (name not known) is pushing 12 regulation cover-top hopper barge loads S/B on the Illinois River at Chillicothe, Illinois. The maximum for any towing vessel on the Illinois R. is a 15 barge tow. The boat is seen here pushing barges in tow as it passes a green can buoy, seen at the front corner of the tow on the starboard (right) side. What is not seen is the concrete cinder block now covered by water here near the bank, or the 750,000 gallons of water that is being displaced by the towboat's tow. Where this a 15 barge tow, there would be 950,000 (that's almost one million) gallons of water being pushed out of the way by the tow of loaded barges. See "Pushing Water-View 2". Photo Courtesy & Property of Mike [MacGyver] Kenny.

"Pushing Water-View 2"

9. The larger towing vessels on the Inland Waterways System are propelled by very large "wheels". They are like the propeller on the back of a pleasure boat, except much, much, bigger. See "M/V Elaine Jones on Dry-dock". The concrete cinder block, now visible, shows the drop in the river level caused by the loaded tow more than 400' away. This is caused by the boats large wheels drawing water at such a velocity that as the water near the vessel is drawn under and through the wheels, that the water near the bank is drawn toward where the water near the vessel once was. Notice that the river bank is now visible as well. The principle here is the same as if you cup your hand and move it swiftly through the water. It leaves an empty pocket of air behind your hand which is filled by the water left behind. At an average speed of 4 mph, the water is displaced more slowly, but there is a greater volume of water being displaced. See "Pushing Water-View 3". Photo Courtesy & Property of Mike [MacGyver] Kenny.

"Pushing Water-View 3"

10. The towboat now about a mile down-river, the water level has returned to normal. In View 1, the tow had pushed 750,000 gallons of water forward and to its sides as it navigated on its way, causing the river to rise slightly in front of the loaded tow. In View 2, the river level drops drastically, as the water is drawn under and rearward of the towing vessel. In View 3, the river has returned to its normal level. The concrete cinder block is now just barely above water, and the green can buoy stands alone out in the channel, the deepest path of the river. Photo Courtesy & Property of Mike [MacGyver] Kenny.

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