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Working a salvage job in the Gulf last month, we had a big argument about using lift bags versus a crane for a heavy piece.
We were pulling up a big steel beam from about 90 feet down. The foreman wanted to rig it with two 500-pound lift bags and bring it up slow. He said it gave us more control and was cheaper than calling a crane barge. But our lead diver, a guy named Carl, said that was asking for trouble. He had a story from three years ago off the coast of Louisiana where a bag got snagged on a piling, shot to the surface, and almost hit a supply boat. He wanted to wait for the crane, even if it cost the client extra and put us a day behind. I saw points on both sides. The bags can work fine if you're careful, but that 'if' is a big one down there. What's the smarter play in your book, control and cost with bags, or the safety and speed of a crane for heavy lifts?
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mark7316mo ago
Carl's story says it all, man.
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piperh506mo ago
Yeah, I'm with Carl and mark731 on this one. That 'if' you mentioned is everything, and on a bad day it's huge. I've seen a bag get away on a smaller lift, just a pump, and it was scary enough. Watching that thing rocket up past you changes your mind real quick. For something as big and heavy as a steel beam, the crane is just the right call. The extra day and cost beats the risk of a runaway lift or a snapped line any time.
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skyler_white955mo ago
Exactly, that pump story shows how fast things go wrong. With steel, the force could cut someone in half if a line parts.
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