Rant: My main suction line blew a gasket right at the worst time

Happened Tuesday morning on the Lake Erie job. We were pulling up a heavy clay mix, about 15 feet down. Heard this loud pop, then a spray of muddy water hit the deck. The 8-inch line's flange gasket gave out completely. Had to shut everything down for three hours. The spare gasket kit was buried under a pile of chain in the storage locker. My deckhand, Mike, kept saying 'I told you to check those last month.' Had to drain the line, clean the flange faces with a wire brush, and bolt it all back tight. Lost a whole morning's production. Anyone have a better system for keeping those gasket kits easy to get to?

3 comments

3 Comments

olivia5731mo ago

Classic Mike. Always right after the fact. Sounds like your storage locker is playing hide and seek with the important stuff. Maybe bolt a small toolbox right to the deck near the pump? Keep the gaskets and a wrench in there.

beth_hunt1mo ago

Read about a guy who did that, saved his trip.

claire99217d ago

This. Smart and simple.