The day I realized my dredge bucket was clogged for 3 months straight

I was out on the Mississippi near Baton Rouge last summer, pulling up way less material than usual but just figured it was a dry season thing. Then my buddy comes over and points out this crust of old clay and roots jammed in the bucket teeth. I spent a whole afternoon cleaning it out with a pressure washer and the next haul was like double the volume. Has anyone else had a sneaky clog that messed with their numbers without them noticing?

1 comments

1 Comment

the_sandra1mo ago

Man, I used to think clogs were something you’d notice right away. Then last fall I was pulling gravel out of the Ohio River and my buddy timed me. I was averaging like half a bucket every two minutes versus my normal pace. Finally looked close and there was a solid plug of silt and roots stuck behind the teeth. Spent an hour with a crowbar getting it loose. Never would have caught it if he hadn’t timed me. Changed my whole view on checking the bucket face every morning.