Armed with a new bucket and teeth powerful enough to grind through a limestone bottom, the dredge that has been working its way up the Dania Cut Off Canal is almost halfway through its mission of deepening the channel for visiting mega-yachts.
“The project continues to progress well, and is approximately 40 percent complete,” said David Roach, director of the Florida Inland Navigation District, the project’s major funder.
The dredge is deepening the canal from 10 to 17 feet along a mile-long stretch from the Intracoastal Waterway to just east of U.S. 1. The $7 million project, 15 years in the planning, is designed to give mega-yachts, some as long as 250 feet, access to a half-dozen specialty shipyards along the canal.
At the marinas, the yachts can undergo repair work costing from $2 million to $10 million, Roach said.
The work is part of an areawide dredging plan that a state study said would boost the maritime econmy of Broward and Palm Beach counties by $18 million.
Barring unforeseen setbacks like one that occurred in early September, the dredging could be complete by an expected February finish date. Last month, the dredge hit an unexpected patch of stubborn limestone along the canal bottom, causing a delay while engineers ordered a new bucket with powerful teeth from Baltimore, headquarters for the contractor, Lucas Marine Acquisition Co.
The new bucket is ripping through the limestone, Roach said. It’s also proving an unexpected boon to boaters who have to wait until barges are piled with dredge material and moved before they can pass through the waterway.
“The barges are being filled quicker, which means more openings per day to pass the dredge,” Roach said.
Shipyard officials along the canal are encouraged by the dredge’s steady gains. “We’re very happy with the progress,” said Jason Harrington, operations manager for Dania Cut Super Yacht Repair.
Boaters can monitor the project’s status by calling 772-403-2076.
or 954-356-4525
