Hit 10,000 cubic yards moved last week and it got me thinking about the old days

Been running a hydraulic dredge on the Mississippi for about 8 years now. Last Thursday I checked my total volume logged and realized I crossed 10,000 cubic yards just on that one project near Baton Rouge. When I started out I remember thinking 500 yards in a week was a big deal. Now I can do that in a day easy if the material is right. The part that surprised me was how much the equipment matters. My first rig was a beat up 6-inch that clogged every 20 minutes. Now I'm on a 10-inch with a cutterhead that just chews through clay like butter. Had a guy ask me what the biggest change has been over the years. I told him it's not the horsepower or the pump size. It's learning how to read the material before you even start. Knowing when to slow down on sand vs when to push through silt saves way more time than any upgrade. Anyone else track their total yardage over the years or am I just a nerd with too many spreadsheets?

2 comments

2 Comments

zaram9726d ago

Man that's a hell of a milestone to hit, 10,000 yards is no joke. Really feel you on learning to read the material, that kind of gut feeling saves so much headache compared to just guessing and hoping. Definitely not a nerd for tracking it, if you don't measure it you can't improve it right?

robert_anderson6926d ago

Saw a podcast that said tracking is the secret sauce.