Whats the chance of sucess here?

[golden optimist]

I found this on another forum. I think there will be a big learning curve here. Evidently they have never dredged.
Leonard


"We'll be in Interior AK in about a week, have leased a 6" Keene dredge, have all equip. necessary except a few incidentals which we plan to buy in Fairbanks. We've worked/camped in AK, are familiar with bear safety & should be fairly well set except for a few mining questions related to dredge use & underwater safety. Though two of us are scuba-certified, we're not familiar with dredging except what we've read. Here are the q's:
1) How much gas will the dredge use per day? (We may need to buy a couple 5-gallon containers. We expect to find gas in Eagle & Chicken, but once we get "in the bush, we'll have to rely on what we bring in containers.)
2) We have wt. belts & over 80#'s of lead wts. for two of us in the water at all times, if needed. Is it practical to have one guy moving large rocks while another dredges the bottom, as we've read, or is this over-kill?
3) What safety precautions do we need to take in roping-off the dredge? (We were planning on using 1/4" nylon para- chute cord". It's both light & strong, but will a 6" dredge pushed with the force of a river-current likely break our cord? We expect to be on the Fortymile River, it's South-Fork and the American Rivers.) "

[Hoser John]

Gas--many different engines or/and combos on 6" dredge and all consume differently AND length of hose and depth of water also. 2 x 5 hp--2 x 6.5--2 x 8 hp or 12 hp or 16 hp . Deeper water more gas as higher rpm required .
Air--your most important info is missing--MUST have a gast 263--accept NO other or your life is at peril. NO new unproven or else.
Weights--I've used for a, 5' 6" at 175 ,anywhere from 1-2 belts. Usually a base 45 to get ya there and another 30-45 to stick ya there. NOT diving so throw that experience out and NOT same same. Again depth but CURRENT and the forty mile is a ripper that'll beat ya bloody ifn'n your not careful. Trench out to the gut or fly away in the current. Visibility is absolutely horrible on the forty mile also.
2 men underwater is mandatory for any good op. Think of eating corn or typewriter action. Dredge whilst partner cleans out his 6" plus whilst you dredge--then trade and you move your oversize and away you go as he dredges his half. There is absolutely no other way less confusing and getting more done than that.
The dredge must be tended by man closest to shore as nuttn' worse than being out in deep current,airless as your dredge sinks,submarines and drags ya down the river--no YAAAA.
You need at least 2 boat anchors with chain to keep dredge in place. 1 high water ,1 low. Tethered You swing out into current ,drop anchor,2nd and always connect to frame midship as bad current will drag ya under or when a tree comes through down she goes or over.

Your headed to the most dangerous place there is to dredge--inexperienced---not smart--wish ya luck as your gonna need it and already have seen tooo much death from dredging this year---John.

[russau]

without a doubt,you just got the best info you could ask for!