For the first time, six manure agitation boats participated together in an equipment demonstration last month at Marshland Acres Custom Heifer Raising in Durand, Wisconsin. Prior to the demonstration, manufacturers and company representatives shared information about each boat.
JT Boats LLC
JT Boats LLC started manufacturing its manure agitation boat last fall. The boat measures 22 feet long and 15 feet wide. The wheels under the boat can raise and lower 5 feet for a more level lagoon entry. In addition, it is equipped with a hydraulic hitch to detach itself upon entry to the lagoon.
The boat floats on steel pontoons, which were designed to endure ice chunks in the spring.
It has three rotating nozzles that move up and down and side to side, a 240-horsepower engine and a 2:1 reduction gearbox. It is capable of pumping 5,000 gallons per minute with its high-volume, low-pressure 8-inch Houle pump.
Fuel consumption can be as high as 10 gallons per hour, but that is in the thickest part of a sandy lagoon.
The guns run independently and are remote-controlled. Each nozzle has a light for operating after dark.
The manufacturer estimates a six-week build time.
Maxville Truck/Practical Applications
Chris Lindstrom, owner of Maxville Truck and Practical Applications in Durand, Wisconsin, has a niche in working with hydraulics. Therefore, he opted to install two Veneroni hydrostatic pumps that can move 2,000 to 2,500 gallons per minute on his agitation boat. The cutter pumps are independent of one another and are reversible should one become clogged.
The boat has an old Cummins L 10 engine that uses up to 12 gallons of fuel per hour. When operating at a typical 30 pounds of pressure, it consumes 8 to 10 gallons of fuel per hour.
The first set of pumps ran for 540 hours. Even when the impeller and cutter housing wore down, Lindstrom says he was still getting the same amount of pressure.
Still in its prototype stage, he admits some difficulties with pit entry. The unit needs to be lifted and the wheelbase removed prior to being slid into the lagoon.
He estimates at least two months to manufacture another unit.
Nuhn Industries Ltd.
The Lagoon Crawler by Nuhn Industries Ltd. is a self-propelled vehicle that, depending on the type of ramp, can drive in and out of the manure pit on its own. The drive wheels can also assist in getting out of a stuck area within the lagoon.
It is 11 feet, 8 inches wide and weighs 13,500 pounds when it is empty or 15,000 pounds full of fuel.
It has a 10-inch header pump, which is submerged to eliminate priming. The boat can load 10,000 gallons per minute into a frac tank.
It comes with a 6.7-liter Cummins engine that uses 6.5 to 7 gallons of fuel per hour. There is also an option to install a John Deere engine.
There are two nozzles on each side designated for steering, which works well in smaller, tighter lagoons.
The housing is hardened entirely to help it stand up in sand.
Phil’s Pumping & Fabrication Inc.
Based in Chilton, Wisconsin, Phil’s Pumping & Fabrication Inc. built a self-contained unit with a 275-horsepower John Deere engine. Running at 1800 rpm, it consumes 6.5 to 7 gallons of fuel per hour while pumping 6,500 gallons per minute.
This prototype weighs 14,500 pounds and was commissioned last August. It has 150 hours on it, but has yet to be used in a plastic-lined lagoon.
The boat operates with a remote control. It has two 4-inch nozzles in the back for steering and one 5-inch nozzle in the front. It also has an 8-inch nozzle for loading.
Everything on the boat, except the motor, is fabricated in-house. This summer they plan to start production on a new design that will be four feet narrower than the prototype.
Puck Custom Enterprises
The 2067 C boat from Puck Custom Enterprises in Manning, Iowa, has a 17-inch impeller with a high-head Cornell pump. With all three guns opened up, it will move 4,000 gallons per minute with 30 pounds of pressure. It is capable of both agitating and loading.
The 275-horsepower John Deere engine uses 5 to 6.5 gallons of fuel per hour.
Full of fuel it weighs 10,500 pounds. The boat folds to road width and can be transported on a car trailer for standard licensing.
A winch is used to pull the boat on and off the trailer and a log chain is there for getting it in and out of the pit.
The company is launching a new remote control system with GPS and Internet access this summer. It is capable of mapping the lagoon to record the locations of the boat in the lagoon. The new system is available now, and they hope to have auto steer capabilities ready by fall, which can be added to the newer model.
Sundstrom Bros. Custom Fabrication LLC
Sundstrom Bros. Custom Fabrication LLC in Colfax, Wisconsin, developed a remote-controlled steel barge with six separate containers. It is 8 feet wide, weighs 13,000 pounds and consumes 4.5 to 5.5 gallons of fuel per hour.
It is equipped with a cable winch to drag it across the lagoon. Wheels are placed on each of the four corners to protect plastic-lined lagoons.
Wanting to make sure parts were readily available if needed, a Houle pump is used.
While focused on agitation, there is also an option to make it capable of loading. The manufacturer estimates a production time of two months.
The demonstration event was planned and coordinated by the Professional Nutrient Applicators Association of Wisconsin (PNAAW), Minnesota Custom Applicators Association (MCAA) and University of Wisconsin – Extension. PD
See the manure agitation boats in action! Watch the equipment demonstration video.
