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How to Float a Sunken Dredge

Dredges are flat rectangular boats with shallow sides. They can range from small personal dredges used to find gold in creeks, to gigantic industrial dredges used to shape underwater passages for large ships. If you accidentally sink a dredge due to overloading or rough water, you can float it again with underwater lift bags. For the large industrial type, it's best if you leave that to professionals, but for small sunken dredges up to about 20 feet, you can re-float them yourself.

Things You'll Need

Boat with air compressor
Diving gear

Instructions

- 1
  Purchase air lift bags or rent them according to the approximate weight of the dredge and it's contents. Use the formula suggested by the bag capacity to determine how many bags you will need, and what size.
- 2
  Anchor your boat 20 feet from the sunken dredge. Using scuba gear, dive down to the dredge with the lift bags.
- 3
  Attach the lift bags anywhere you can on the dredge. There will be special hooks and equipment such as chains and latches that come with the bags. Use them to attach the bags equally spaced along the perimeter of the dredge. Return to the surface.
- 4
  Attach the air compressor to the air line leading to the bags. Turn it on and let the bags fill with air one at a time until the dredge surfaces.

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