My old foreman in Charleston swore a 6 inch suction line was overkill, and 3 weeks later we were digging out a plugged cutterhead | Dredge Operators - Opinions Matter
My old foreman in Charleston swore a 6 inch suction line was overkill, and 3 weeks later we were digging out a plugged cutterhead
He told me on my first week to slap a 4 inch hose on the 12 inch dredge and save the fuel, and I listened like an idiot. By day 18 out on the Ashley River we were pulling mud so thick the pump kept losing prime, and the cutterhead packed solid enough that we had to shut down for two full shifts. Cost the crew about 9 grand in downtime and the client was breathing down our necks the whole time. Swapped to the bigger line and she never coughed once after that. So who else got burned by a hand me down rule like that, and what size line do you run on a 12 inch?
Man, that 4 inch on a 12 is just asking for it, no wonder she choked out. Thick mud needs room to move, pinching it down to save a few gallons never pencils out once you're paying for downtime. We run 6 inch minimum on our 12 and it eats whatever we throw at it. Nine grand and a mad client is a rough way to learn that lesson.