The Waterways Journal
19 June 2006
From left, Rich Lockwood, Pittsburgh District chief of operations; John Evanick, brother of the vessel's namesake George Evanick, Jr.; Joanne Evanick, wife of George Evanick, Jr.; Col. Steven L. Hill, Commander of the Pittsburgh Engineer District; and James McCarville, Director, Port of Pittsburgh Commission executive director.
The Pittsburgh Engineer District christened the mv. Evanick in a ceremony last week.
The twin-screw 3,000 hp. vessel will be used for towing and tending the district's maintenance branch unit on Pittsburgh's Three Rivers. It is 124 feet long, 34 feet wide and has a draft of 61/2 feet.
Built by Orange Shipbuilding, Orange, Texas, the vessel is powered by two Caterpillar Cat 3512B diesel engines, turning five-blade, 80-inch propellers through Falk 2083MRHV gears with 4.5:1 ratio.
The plant unit — consisting of a service barge, two floating cranes, a workboat and up to nine flat-deck cargo barges and two hopper barges — is used to perform major maintenance and emergency repairs to 23 navigation locks and dams within the district's 328 miles of navigable waterways.
The vessel was christened on June 14 with the assistance of Joanne Evanick, the widow of the towboat's namesake, George Evanick Jr., who was inland towboat master and first class pilot with the maintenance branch, operations division. He died in July 2003 at the age of 73.
Prior to joining the Corps in 1983, Evanick had worked for LTV Steel, formerly Jones & Laughlin. He also served in the U.S. Navy for four years during the Korean War aboard the USS Rochester. His combined military; private and public sector time serving aboard vessels totals 58 years.
In last week's ceremony, the late Mr. Evanick was also inducted into the Pittsburgh District Gallery of Distinguished Employees.
The 3,000 hp. mv. Evanick was built for the Pittsburgh Engineer District by Orange Shipbuilding.— Photos by Craig D. Cicconi, USACE, (retired), courtesy of Pittsburgh Engineer District