I used to think a full bucket was the only way to run a cutterhead dredge on the Mississippi

For years on the river, I'd pack that bucket as full as possible, thinking more dirt meant more money. Then a guy named Frank on the 'Big Muddy' showed me how running it at about 80% full keeps the pump from bogging down and actually moves more material over a full shift. It felt wrong at first, but the numbers don't lie. Anyone else find a simple change like that made a big difference in their yardage?

3 comments

3 Comments

aliceharris5d ago

Huh, interesting. I always found a full bucket gave me the best pump pressure on my stretch. @victor_nelson, maybe it depends on the soil type?

victor_nelson5d ago

Totally get that. Same thing with the pump speed on my old rig. Running it a bit slower kept the whole system from shaking apart. Felt lazy but the production logs were way better.

flores.mark4d ago

So you're telling me I've been working too hard this whole time? Classic river logic, where doing less is somehow the right answer. Figures the real trick is just not trying so hard.