| Just a few years ago, all 2.5" dredges were floated on innertubes. Most of them were available only with a suction nozzle to provide the vacuum and none of the 2.5’s were capable of driving an air compressor.
This all changed with the introduction of the Proline 2.5" flair dredge. This was one of the first 2.5" dredges which was mounted on sturdy polyethylene pontoons, rather than the puncture-prone innertubes. This was the first dredge of its size which used a flair and it came standard with a power jet, which was much more powerful and easier to operate than the suction nozzles.
In addition to being one of the most powerful pumps of its size on the market, our HP 175 was designed to be capable of driving an air compressor to support more active underwater mining. These features made for a very stable, powerful, and usable machine.
The year 2001 model has been redesigned to create a lighter and sleeker dredge without sacrificing strength. The dredge frame has been eliminated for weight savings and has been replaced by a front and rear assembly which mounts directly to the pontoons in a similar fashion to our 2" dredge.
The pontoons are all new and are capable of handling swifter water if necessary. They are molded to be slightly thicker and incorporate larger inserts than the previous pontoons for increased strength.
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The dredge can now be powered by two completely different engine/pump combinations. The first option is for the unit to be powered by a 4 horse power Honda engine and our HP 175 pump. This combination makes for a very powerful small dredge, and can still be equipped with an air compressor if you wish.
The second option is to power the unit with the 2.5 horse power Honda engine and our HP 100 pump. This is the same engine and pump used on the Proline 2" equipment and develops fairly good power on the 2.5" dredge. It is considerably smaller and lighter, and requires less fuel to operate, which makes it ideal for those looking for a little more than a 2" dredge. It is a somewhat limited package in that it cannot run an air compressor. In addition, it will not be able to process as much material or operate at the same depths as the original package.
The sluice box still has rolled edges like the larger dredges, and is designed for maximum fine gold recovery as well as easy clean up. Just like our 2", this machine is supplied with a knock out rod for clearing rock jams. Detailed operating instructions are provided.
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Dredge Parts and Hoses
