Got asked to bid a very unusual project

[Hay Dude]

Put in a temporary "floating barrier dam" to prevent dislodged debris from floating down river.

Rent a long arm boom excavator and proceed.

Long boom excavator is like 20-25’ rreach. This is like 50‘ or water and 20’ of river bank. It can’t be done safely, or really at all with a fixed boom. Much too far of a reach.
I’m picturing an old school crane with some king of toothed grapple bucket.

 

[paulsharvey]

Know any local loggers who would take hired work with a foresty loader/knuckle boom?

Or a dock builder who has a powered barge boat with a 5k crane? I know pictures can't show dimensions well, but it looks like it would be very difficult to get even a 24 ftx12 barge in there.

 

[Gee Ray]

You might look into a floating excavator. Put a barrier below the jam, and then place the floating excavator up river and disassemble the mess. You might have to pick up some of the stuff places on the barge and then pull the barge over to the shore so that you could transfer the material to a truck.

You might look into a dock builder, who would have the equipment to work off of. Here in Florida it is common to find that type of equipment but I don’t know your neighborhood.

 

[Hay Dude]

I know a smaller crane company owner. I think he’d take the work, but I don't think he has the right “attachment” for the crane. We shall see.

 

[4570Man]

Long boom excavator is like 20-25’ rreach. This is like 50‘ or water and 20’ of river bank. It can’t be done safely, or really at all with a fixed boom. Much too far of a reach.
I’m picturing an old school crane with some king of toothed grapple bucket.

A long boom excavator that they use for dredging can reach upward of 60’. But they almost always just have a smooth bucket. You’d have to have a thumb to do any good.

 

[paulsharvey]

I know a smaller crane company owner. I think he’d take the work, but I don't think he has the right “attachment” for the crane. We shall see.

Is the log pile stable enough for a (safely tied off, and wearing PFD) person to stand out there and tie the logs individually off?

 

[Hay Dude]

Biggest issue would be “pulling the string that unravels the whole ball of yarn”.
Pull the wrong log early in the project, and the entire wad of logs could cut loose.

 

[Hay Dude]

Is the log pile stable enough for a (safely tied off, and wearing PFD) person to stand out there and tie the logs individually off?

No, and honestly that a suicide mission. I would never ask anyone to take that risk.

I’m crazy enough to do it though.

 

[2manyrocks]

Biggest issue would be “pulling the string that unravels the whole ball of yarn”.
Pull the wrong log early in the project, and the entire wad of logs could cut loose.

Looks like this would be the problem no matter how you try to do this. How could you ever figure out which ones to pull out and in what order? It's not like you can walk right up to the pile to inspect things. Would think the logs are interlocked some way under water.

I have no idea what the liability risks are for logs that float downstream or if Corp. of Engineer permits are needed.

 

[Hay Dude]

Looks like this would be the problem no matter how you try to do this. How could you ever figure out which ones to pull out and in what order? It's not like you can walk right up to the pile to inspect things. Would think the logs are interlocked some way under water.

I have no idea what the liability risks are for logs that float downstream or if Corp. of Engineer permits are needed.

Bingo
Then you end up downstream with logs ramming into someones bridge and do damage….
Bet that job requires 5 million in insurance minimum.

Wondered if I could get someone to operate a water rescue boat while I lean over and cut small pieces away one at a time with a chainsaw, so as not to create large floating battering rams downstream?