Hydraulic and water hoses breakdown with UV exposure and should be replaced before cracking or color changes are noticed. Dredge hull coatings are typically designed for a five- and 10-year service life. The dredge should be pulled from the water prior to these intervals, sand blasted, patched if necessary, and re-coated.

Summary

The four maintenance tasks described above form the basis of an equipment sustainability program. Each of these should be part of a dredge maintenance plan that is strictly followed by the user and sanctioned by the manufacturer. 

William J. Wetta II, PE, is CEO at DSC Dredge , LLC. He can be reached at wjwetta@dscdredge.com.