That old timer's advice on running the cutterhead too slow cost me a full shift

A guy named Hank, been dredging since the 70s, told me to always keep the cutterhead at low RPMs to save fuel and reduce wear. I took his word for it on a job near Baton Rouge last month, running at 15 RPM instead of my usual 25. By noon the material was piling up faster than the pump could handle and I had to stop and clear the suction every 20 minutes. Finally called the site foreman and he said 'who told you to baby it, crank it up'. Once I bumped it to 22 RPM the whole thing smoothed out and I made up time by 4 PM. Has anyone else had a veteran give you advice that just didn't fit your specific material or conditions?

3 comments

3 Comments

wren23012d ago

My first dredging gig near Mobile I ran her at 20 RPM and never looked back.

jana76912d ago

@wren230 20 RPM sounds nuts for a first gig lol.

dylan46312d ago

Wait, do you think 20 RPM is too high for a first gig? I mean, depends on the boat and the material you're moving, but I've seen guys push way harder than that on their first run out. They just gotta keep an eye on the pump pressure so you don't burn up a seal or something.