[Superglidesport]

Saw this post tonight after getting in from clearing the driveway. Sad way to learn a lesson. That being said these guys did a great job with the recovery.

Here's the link to the story with additional photos: Hamm Lake Recovery

 

[rtgt]

That was an expensive mistake.

 

[Herminator]

Sounds like the operator was Ok but what a bad day.

 

[DRobinson]

The guys that got it out are pretty doggone talented.

 

[MF231]

Going out on a limb, but I’m guessing this crew has done this a time or two before. My first though was who drew short straw and had to get in that water but the in the wetsuit looks as happy as he can be. Tractor op is lucky!

 

[jdmich]

Used to go to Tip Up Town every year on Houghton Lake. Was entertaining watching the tow companies getting everything out that fell threw the ice. Every year people would drop brand new truck, snowmobiles threw the ice. Was amazing. Tow companies made lots of money every year.

 

[theduke]

Lake gave birth to a nice clean snow blower.

Whats the guess for recovery......5K$

 

[etcallhome]

Expensive weekend... WOW

 

[rtgt]

Whats the guess for recovery......5K$

Sure wasn't covered by AAA.

 

[AJgrn78]

Fresh water. Drain and refill all fluids, make sure the cylinders are cleared out, probably have to replace some electrical stuff, but it will live again. I'd probably drain and refill everything after a few hours of running again for good measure.
Talk about a bad day though....

 

[Benz88]

Fresh water. Drain and refill all fluids, make sure the cylinders are cleared out, probably have to replace some electrical stuff, but it will live again. I'd probably drain and refill everything after a few hours of running again for good measure.
Talk about a bad day though....

All depends how long it was under for, Im guessing awhile to let the ice get thick enough to recover it. One of the local snowmobile clubs had a Snowcat(groomer) go through this weekend. Cheapest way to get it out is the way shown. Its going to cost them around $45K to get it out. Insurance will cover it and most likely a new machine since it has to sit under water for awhile. They called an air lift company to see about using a heli but that was a $150K recovery due to coming from out of State.

 

[AJgrn78]

This reminds me of a story and old photos from somewhere in the great white north, maybe Alaska, some kind of mining operation in the 1950's. They sank a Caterpillar D8 or D9 crawler through ice in a lake. They managed to hook on with a diver and pull it out. Built a shelter around it, the story said they had it drained, refilled, and running again in like 8 hours or less.
I'll never forget that story.

 

[rtgt]

All depends how long it was under for

According to the FB post, it went under on 1 Jan and the recovery was 14 Jan. Fresh water. As long as they got on it once it came out it should be ok.

 

[AJgrn78]

All depends how long it was under for, Im guessing awhile to let the ice get thick enough to recover it. One of the local snowmobile clubs had a Snowcat(groomer) go through this weekend. Cheapest way to get it out is the way shown. Its going to cost them around $45K to get it out. Insurance will cover it and most likely a new machine since it has to sit under water for awhile. They called an air lift company to see about using a heli but that was a $150K recovery due to coming from out of State.

Yep...time is critical. Once bare metal starts to corrode it's a whole other ballgame.

 

[Shellback]

Hope the engine was off when it went under water!

 

[rtgt]

Hope the engine was off when it went under water!

Likely not.

 

[AJgrn78]

Hope the engine was off when it went under water!

I've seen videos of people with less than enough presence of mind sinking on a tractor, bulldozer, snowmobile, etc, and they never shut it down. You see the water splashing off the fan and maybe some gurgles out the exhaust and you know one or more connecting rods are now a different shape.

 

[AJgrn78]

Likely not.

It looked to me like it was sitting above water plenty long enough to shut it off before the intake went below the water line. I sure hope anyway, haha.

 

[rtgt]

It looked to me like it was sitting above water plenty long enough to shut it off before the intake went below the water line. I sure hope anyway, haha.

Good point.

 

[notwrkng]

I have a small pond I have thought about clearing to make a skating rink. After seeing this, no chance.