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I think the whole 'dredge in a straight line' advice is overrated for certain jobs
Last month on the Mississippi near Baton Rouge, I had to work a tight bend where the current was pushing hard. Everyone says to stay locked in a straight line, but after 3 tries I noticed the material was building up on the port side and the cutter kept stalling. I started angling the dredge about 15 degrees into the current and it let the material flow past the cutter without choking the pump. Has anyone else had better luck breaking the rules when the channel gets tricky?
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sage_perry3mo ago
You ever had that moment where you realize you've been dead wrong about something for years? I used to swear by the straight line method on every job. Thought anyone who angled was just being sloppy or lazy. Then last spring I was working a section on the Arkansas River where the bottom was all loose sand and gravel. Straight line kept blowing out my suction. Tried a 10 degree angle into the current just to see what would happen and it was like night and day. Material flowed clean, no stalling, pump stayed happy. Now I'm the guy telling people to bend the rules when the situation calls for it.
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