AE Commercial Diving Services Aquatic Plant Management PO Box 417 Manchester Center Vermont 05255 802-558-2985 / aediving@gmail.com AE Commercial Diving Services has been in the aquatic plant control business for 10 years specializing in suction harvesting (DASH), bottom barriers and private pond and lake front dredging. Over the last 7 years we have revolutionized the suction harvesting (DASH) industries through our innovative equipment designs and diving techniques. Allowing us to be more productive and cost effective without sacrificing quality. AE Commercial Diving Services owns / operates numerous DASH units and we also design and sell DASH units. At AE Commercial Diving Services all of our dive team leaders and the majority of our divers are certified commercial divers with Diver / Tender certifications through the American Diving Contractors (ADC). All the dive team leaders and divers have a minimum of 3 years experience working on various DASH, bottom barrier and dredging projects. All our divers also have various advanced recreational certifications and specialty diver certifications such as Open water diver, Advanced open water diver, Rescue diver, Divemaster, Deep diver, Nitrox diver, Night diver, Multilevel diver, Ice diver and dry suit diver. All of which makes them better able to think on their feet, more comfortable underwater and therefore more productive and efficient. To do the job right you need the proper equipment. At AE Commercial Diving Services all our suction harvesting crews use surface supplied air sources to minimize down time. With other methods of control such as hand pulling and bottom barriers, surface supplied air would not be as desirable and scuba tanks are used. We have also refined our suction harvesting techniques and equipment to minimize down time and to make it as easy as possible to keep thing running smoothly and safely. Everything from floating the diver suction hose, how we designed our discharge basket on the boat, pump placement, weed collection and disposal to fragment and sediment control. We have the most productive equipment and divers in the industry. AE Commercial Diving Services has many clients in Vermont and New York including the Army Corp of Engineers. In 2009 we started to expand into New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maine and Connecticut.
AE COMMERCIAL DIVING SERVICES PO BOX 417 MANCHESTER CENTER, VT 05255 802-558-2985 aediving@gmail.com
Suction Harvester Specifications 1 - 24 FOOT PONTOON BOAT WITH MOTOR AND TRAILER 1 - 23 HP BRIGGS & STRATTON ENGINE 75 FEET OF 5” SUCTION HOSE WITH DREDGING TIP 5 BUOYS FOR SUCTION HOSE FLOTATION 3” WATER PUMP 10 FEET OF 5” DISCHARGE HOSE 15 FEET OF 3” HOSE 5” JET LOOP 24” LONG 3” DIAMETER WATER INTAKE AND FOOT VALVE ASSEMBLY ALL NECESSARY HOSE CLAPS AND COUPLERS EXTRA INTAKE CAP, FUEL FILTER, FUEL PUMP AND CLAPS TOOL BOX WITH BASIC TOOLS ALUMINUM DISCHARGE BASKET WITH BOTTOM DISCHARGE ALL NECESSARY MOUNTING HARDWARE FOR BASKET 30 BUCKETS (18 GALLON) 1 GARDEN HOE 1 GARDEN HOSE (15 FOOT) 1 HOOKAH MAX SURFACE SUPPLIED AIR LP COMPRESSOR 2 HOOKAH DIVER HOSES WITH REGULATORS (100 FOOT ) 2 GAS TANKS FOR HARVESTER AND BOAT ENGINES W/FUEL LINES 1 EXTRA 5 GALLON GAS CAN 1 SILT CURTAIN (15 FOOT) 1 ALUMINUM SILT CURTAIN SLEEVE PULLEY SYSTEM FOR SILT CURTAIN 100 FEET OF FRAGMENT BARRIER ( 10 FT SECTIONS ) 4 DOCK BRACKETS FOR HARVESTER FOR ANCHORING 4 STEEL POLES (10 FT EA) FOR ANCHORING 4 BOAT ANCHORS W/25 FT OF LINE EACH
ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT PONTOON BOAT FOR BUCKET BARGE WITH MOTOR AND TRAILER VARIOUS DIVE EQUIPMENT (WETSUITS, BOOTS, GLOVES, MASKS, BCD, HOODS, FINS ETC) EXTRA FRAGMENT BARRIER SEGMENTS
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AE COMMERCIAL DIVING SERVICES PO BOX 417 MANCHESTER CENTER, VT 05255 802-558-2985 aediving@gmail.com
SUCTION HARVESTER BARGE WE BUILD OUR SUCTION HARVESTERS ON 24 FOOT PONTOON BOATS. THIS GIVES US MORE THAN ENOUGH ROOM FOR THE EQUIPMENT AND CREW AND IS A VERY STABLE WORK PLATFORM. THE PONTOON BOATS COME WITH A 40 HP MOTOR AND BUNK BOARD TRAILERS. WE MOUNT OUR JET LOOPS ( FOR THE VENTURI ) AND SOME OF THE HOSES UNDER THE DECK AND BETWEEN THE PONTOONS SO A SCISSOR TYPE TRAILER WOULD NOT WORK. WE TRY TO MAKE OUR SUCTION HARVESTERS AS USER FRIENDLY AS POSSIBLE. BY MOUNTING THE JET LOOP AND SOME OF THE HOSES UNDER THE BOAT THEY ARE OUT OF THE WAY WHICH IS SAFER FOR THE CREW AND SAFER FOR THE EQUIPMENT IN GENERAL. WITH THE BARGE ABLE TO MOVE UNDER ITS OWN POWER, RATHER THEN BEING PUSHED OR PULLED, IT IS EASIER TO MOVE AND POSITION THE BARGE.
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AE COMMERCIAL DIVING SERVICES PO BOX 417 MANCHESTER CENTER, VT 05255 802-558-2985 aediving@gmail.com
BUCKET TRANSPORT BARGE WE SAY IT A LOT BUT WE FEEL THE ONLY TIME YOU SHOULD HAVE TO STOP PRODUCTION IS WHEN YOU HAVE TO CHANGE LOCATIONS OR IT IS THE END OF THE DAY. THE ONLY WAY TO ACHIEVE THIS IS TO HAVE A TRANSPORT BARGE TO TAKE THE WEEDS TO THE DISPOSAL / OF LOAD SITE. OTHER SUCTION HARVESTERS HAVE YOU FILL HOPPERS OR LARGE BASKETS THAT ARE ATTACHED TO OR ARE PART OF THE SUCTION HARVESTER BARGE IN SOME FASHION. YOU THEN HAVE TO SHUT DOWN PRODUCTION AND TAKE THE ENTIRE BARGE OR A PORTION OF IT TO SHORE TO OFF LOAD IT. WE FEEL THIS IS A WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY. OTHERS WILL HAVE YOU FILL SOME SORT OF “ONION BAG” WITH THE WEEDS AND PILE THEM UP ON THE BARGE SOMEWHERE. THIS IS NOT ONLY VERY MESSY, CAN ALLOW FOR ADDITIONAL FRAGMENTATION BUT ALSO FORCES YOU TO HANDLE THE WEEDS MULTIPLE TIMES. THE LEAST AMOUNT OF TIMES YOU HAVE TO HANDLE THE WEEDS THE MORE EFFICIENT AND PRODUCTIVE YOU CAN BE. WE RECOMMEND USING 18 -20 GALLON PLASTIC BUCKETS INSTEAD. WE DRILL SMALL HOLES IN THE BOTTOM TO ALLOW THE WATER TO DRAIN WHICH MAKES THEM LIGHTER AND EASIER TO HANDLE. THEY ARE OBVIOUSLY REUSABLE YEAR AFTER YEAR AND ARE INEXPENSIVE TO REPLACE IF NEEDED. YOU CAN STACK THEM ON THE DECK SO THEY DO NOT TAKE UP A LOT OF SPACE AND ARE EASILY CLEANED FOR STORAGE. THE WHOLE IDEA OF A TRANSPORT BARGE IS SO THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SHUT DOWN PRODUCTION DURING THE DAY TO DUMP THE WEEDS. WITH OUR SYSTEM, WHEN A CERTAIN NUMBER OF BUCKETS ARE FULL (WOULD DEPEND ON HOW FAR IT IS TO THE OFF LOAD SITE ) ONE OF THE CREW TAKES THE FULL BUCKETS AND DUMPS THEM AND THEN RETURNS TO THE WORK SITE WITH THE EMPTIES. THIS LEAVES THE OTHER TWO CREW MEMBERS TO CONTINUE WORKING UNINTERRUPTED. THIS WOULD BE REPEATED AS MANY TIMES AS NEEDED DURING THE DAY. WE FIND THAT IF WE ARE IN A HEAVY INFESTATION OF EURASIAN MILFOIL WE CAN PULL BETWEEN 100 & 120 BUCKETS A DAY WITH THIS METHOD. IF YOU HAD TO SHUT DOWN EVERY COUPLE OF HOURS TO DUMP THE WEEDS YOU WOULD BE MUCH LESS PRODUCTIVE.
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AE COMMERCIAL DIVING SERVICES PO BOX 417 MANCHESTER CENTER, VT 05255 802-558-2985 aediving@gmail.com
SUCTION HARVESTER ENGINE & PUMP THE MUSCLE BEHIND OUR SUCTION HARVESTER IS A 23 HP BRIGGS AND STRATTON ENGINE WITH A THREE-INCH WATER PUMP. THE ENGINE COMES WITH AND ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY FOR A KEY START BUT IT ALSO COMES WITH A PULL START SHOULD SOMETHING HAPPEN. THIS IS A HEAVY DUTY INDUSTRIAL PUMP THAT WILL GIVE YOU YEARS OF UNINTERRUPTED SERVICE.
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AE COMMERCIAL DIVING SERVICES PO BOX 417 MANCHESTER CENTER, VT 05255 802-558-2985 aediving@gmail.com
DISCHARGE BASKET OUR DISCHARGE BASKET DESIGN IS ONE OF A KIND. BUILT FOR EFFICIENCY AND DURABILITY. IT IS FABRICATED OUT OF ALUMINUM SO IT WILL NOT RUST OR DETERIORATE. OUR DISCHARGE BASKETS ARE ALL EQUIP WITH BOTTOM DRAINS THAT WILL ACCOMMODATE OUR UNIQUE SILT CURTAIN DESIGN. THE PLANTS ARE DISCHARGED ONTO A PERFORATED STAINLESS STEAL SHEET. THE WATER AND MUD DRAIN THROUGH THE PERFORATIONS AND OUT THROUGH THE BOTTOM DRAIN. THE WEEDS ARE THEN RAKED INTO BUCKETS AT THE END OF THE BASKET. SINCE THE DISCHARGE BASKETS ARE FABRICATED OUT OF ALUMINUM AND BECAUSE THEY DRAIN VERY QUICKLY THERE IS VERY LITTLE EXTRA WEIGHT ADDED TO THE SUCTION HARVESTING BARGE.
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AE COMMERCIAL DIVING SERVICES PO BOX 417 MANCHESTER CENTER, VT 05255 802-558-2985 aediving@gmail.com
SILT CURTAIN OUR SILT CURTAIN IS ALSO UNIQUE IN DESIGN. IT IS ONLY 24” ACROSS, 15 FEET LONG AND MADE OF HEAVY DUTY VINYL. IT DROPS DOWN UNDER THE SUCTION HARVESTER AND IS ON A PULLEY SYSTEM MAKING IT HEIGHT ADJUSTABLE TO THE DEPTH OF WATER YOU ARE WORKING IN. THE PULLEY SYSTEM ALSO MAKES IT EASY TO PULL THE SILT CURTAIN ALL THE WAY UP MAKING IT QUICK AND EASY TO MOVE THE SUCTION HARVESTER FROM LOCATION TO LOCATION. OTHER SILT CURTAINS WRAP AROUND THE ENTIRE SUCTION HARVESTER MAKING IT MORE TIME CONSUMING AND DIFFICULT TO MOVE. THEY ARE ALSO NOT HEIGHT ADJUSTABLE TO THE DEPTH OF WATER, WHICH CAN AFFECT THE DIVERS VISIBILITY AND THEREFORE THEIR PRODUCTION.
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AE COMMERCIAL DIVING SERVICES PO BOX 417 MANCHESTER CENTER, VT 05255 802-558-2985 aediving@gmail.com
FRAGMENT BARRIER MOST EURASIAN MILFOIL INFESTATIONS SPREAD BECAUSE OF FRAGMENTATION, SO STOPPING ANY FRAGMENTATION THAT MAY OCCUR IS IMPORTANT. THEREFORE, WE ALSO INCLUDE 100 FEET OF FRAGMENT BARRIER WITH OUR SUCTION HARVESTERS. MOST OTHER SUCTION HARVESTER WILL WRAP THE BARGE IN SOME KIND OF SILT/FRAGMENT BARRIER COMBINATION AND CALL IT GOOD. A FRAGMENT BARRIER NEEDS TO GO AROUND THE WORK SITE TO BE EFFECTIVE. SIMPLY WRAPPING THE BARGE IS NOT ENOUGH. FRAGMENTATION SHOULD NOT OCCUR THROUGH THE DISCHARGE BASKET SO THIS WOULD OBVIOUSLY NOT BE AN EFFECTIVE METHOD. OUR FRAGMENT BARRIERS ARE MADE IN TEN-FOOT SEGMENTS WITH QUICK RELEASES BETWEEN THEM. THIS ALLOWS YOU TO QUICKLY AND EASILY ASSEMBLE, DISASSEMBLE AND STORE THEM BETWEEN DIVE LOCATIONS, FOR THE NIGHT, OR THE OFF SEASON. THE SEGMENTED FRAGMENT BARRIER ALSO ALLOWS YOU TO USE AS SHORT OR AS LONG A BARRIER AS YOU NEED FOR THE JOB SITE.
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AE COMMERCIAL DIVING SERVICES PO BOX 417 MANCHESTER CENTER, VT 05255 802-558-2985 aediving@gmail.com
SURFACE SUPPLIED AIR WE WILL ALSO SUPPLY YOU WITH A HOOKAH MAX SURFACE SUPPLIED DIVING SYSTEM. THIS IS THE BEST SYSTEM OF ITS KIND THAT WE HAVE FOUND ON THE MARKET TODAY. IT COMES EQUIP WITH TWO 100’ DIVER HOSES WITH REGULATORS AND BCD HOSES. WE FEEL THAT EVEN WITH ONE DIVER IN THE WATER AT A TIME IT IS IMPORTANT TO HAVE REDUNDANCY. SPARE PARTS KEEP THE JOB RUNNING AND SAVE YOU DOWN TIME AND MONEY. SURFACE SUPPLIED AIR ALSO SAVES YOU MONEY ON AIR FILLS FOR SCUBA TANKS AND THE TIME IT TAKES TO GET THE FILLS AT YOU LOCAL DIVE CENTER. WITH THE HOOKAH MAX SYSTEM YOU WILL USE ABOUT A GALLON OF GAS A DAY. IF YOU WERE TO USE SCUBA TANKS YOU WOULD NEED BETWEEN FOUR AND FIVE TANKS A DAY DEPENDING ON A NUMBER OF VARIABLES. MOST DIVE CENTERS WILL CHARGE YOU AN AVERAGE OF FOUR TO SIX DOLLARS A FILL, YOU CAN DO THE MATH. SURFACE SUPPLIED AIR WILL ALSO SAVE YOU TIME BECAUSE THE DIVERS DO NOT HAVE TO GET OUT OF THE WATER TO CHANGE TANKS, WHICH WILL GIVE YOU MORE PRODUCTION TIME. SURFACE SUPPLIED AIR WILL SAVE YOU TIME AND MONEY.
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AE COMMERCIAL DIVING SERVICES PO BOX 417 MANCHESTER CENTER, VT 05255 802-558-2985 aediving@gmail.com
SUCTION HOSE WE SUPPLY YOU WITH 75 FEET OF DIVER SUCTION HOSE. MOST OTHER SUCTION HARVESTERS ONLY SUPPLY YOU WITH 50 FEET AND SOME WILL EVEN SUPPLY YOU WITH TWO HOSES THAT ARE 50 FEET LONG BUT ONLY 3” IN DIAMETER. IT HAS BEEN OUR EXPERIENCE THAT 3” HOSES DO NOT WORK. THREE-INCH HOSES TEND TO GET “PLUGGED” FREQUENTLY, WHICH MEANS YOU, LOOSE PRODUCTION TIME UNPLUGGING THEM. IT HAS ALSO BEEN OUR EXPERIENCE THAT HAVING TWO DIVERS IN THE WATER AT THE SAME TIME HURTS PRODUCTION. THE DIVERS TEND TO GET IN EACH OTHER’s WAY, SUCTION HOSES AND HOOKAH HOSES GET ENTANGLED AND THEY TEND TO RUIN EACH OTHERS VISIBILITY. ALL OF WHICH COST YOU TIME AND MONEY. WE ALSO FEEL THAT THE ONLY DOWN TIME YOU SHOULD HAVE DURING THE DAY IS WHEN YOU ARE MOVING THE SUCTION HARVESTER FROM ONE LOCATION TO THE NEXT. WITH A 75 FOOT SUCTION HOSE, YOU SIMPLY HAVE TO MOVE FEW TIMES DURING THE DAY. WE HAVE USED 50 FOOT SUCTION HOSES IN THE PAST, BUT WHEN WE SWITCHED TO A 75 FOOT SUCTION HOSE WE NOTICED OUR PRODUCTION HAD INCREASED BY APPROXIMATELY 9%. OUR DIVER LIKE IT BETTER AND OUR CLIENTS LIKE IT BETTER. WE ALSO INCLUDE FIVE BUOYS TO FLOAT YOUR SUCTION HOSE. TRYING TO DRAG AROUND A 50 - 75 FOOT, 5” SUCTION HOSE FULL OF WATER IS VERY DIFFICULT. WE KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE THAT A TIRED DIVER SLOWS DOWN AND IS LESS PRODUCTIVE. IT IS IMPORTANT TO MAKE IT AS EASY FOR THE DIVER AS POSSIBLE AND THIS ONE LITTLE, AND OFTEN OVER LOOK THING, CAN MAKE A VERY BIG DIFFERENCE. THE END OF THE DIVER SUCTION HOSE ALSO COMES WITH A WEED CONTROL TIP WITH A HANDLE TO MAKE IT EASIER TO USE.
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AE COMMERCIAL DIVING SERVICES PO BOX 417 MANCHESTER CENTER, VT 05255 802-558-2985 aediving@gmail.com
PRODUCTION LEVELS AND TRAINING WHAT SOME PEOPLE CALL YOUR RATE OF PROGRESS OR “ROP” WE SIMPLY CALL YOUR PRODUCTION LEVEL. YOUR PRODUCTION LEVEL WILL BE AFFECTED BY A NUMBER OF VARIABLES, INCLUDING BOTTOM COMPOSITION, LEVEL OF INFESTATION, SIZE OF PLANTS AND DEPTH OF WATER. HOWEVER, THE TWO VARIABLES THAT WILL AFFECT YOUR PRODUCTION LEVEL THE MOST ARE THE EQUIPMENT DESIGN AND THE QUALITY OF YOU DIVE CREW. WITH THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT AND THE RIGHT DIVE CREW, THE OTHER VARIABLES BECOME LESS OF A FACTOR. OVER THE LAST NINE YEARS, WE HAVE ACHIEVED A HIGH LEVEL OF EFFICIENCY AND PRODUCTIVITY BECAUSE OF OUR UNIQUE EQUIPMENT DESIGNS AND OUR DIVE CREWS. WHEN YOU BUY A SUCTION HARVESTER FROM AE COMMERCIAL DIVING SERVICES YOU WILL GET THE BEST-DESIGNED SUCTION HARVESTER ON THE MARKET. WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF HOURS OF SUCTION HARVESTING EXPERIENCE OVER THE LAST NINE YEARS. WE HAVE WORKED IN ALL TYPES OF ENVIRONMENTS AND BOTTOM COMPOSITIONS. WE HAVE REFINED OUR TECHNIQUES AND EQUIPMENT TO ACHIEVE THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF EFFICIENCY AND PRODUCTIVITY. YOU WILL NOT FIND A MORE EFFICIENT, PRODUCTIVE OR POWERFUL HARVESTER ANYWHERE. OUR SYSTEM IS SO EFFICIENT THAT IT ONLY TAKES TWO DIVERS AND ONE TENDER TO OPERATE AND SHUTS DOWN ONLY TO CHANGE LOCATIONS. OTHERS TAKE FOUR PEOPLE OR MORE TO OPERATE AND MOST REQUIRE YOU TO SHUT DOWN TO DISPOSE OF THE WEEDS. EACH OF WHICH COST YOU MONEY. WE TRY TO MAKE IT AS EASY AND SAFE FOR THE DIVERS AND TENDERS AS WE CAN SO THEY CAN BE MORE PRODUCTIVE. WE WILL ENSURE THAT THE SUCTION HARVESTER MEETS ALL STATE REGULATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS. WE CAN ALSO HELP YOU SET UP A SUCTION HARVESTING PROGRAM INCLUDING MANPOWER, TRAINING, AND SCHEDULING . OUR HARVESTER AND OUR CUSTOMER SUPPORT ARE THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS. WE WOULD WELCOME AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEMONSTRATE OUR HARVESTER AND OUR CUSTOMER SERVICE TO YOU. WE ARE SURE YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.
THANK YOU CHRIS SHELDON AE COMMERCIAL DIVING SERVICES 802-558-2985 aediving@gmail.com
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