The first Aquamog pieced together from a H10 harvester barge and a frame with cab and power pack. The next generation of Aquamog was dubbed the Aquamog MPAR family. The MPAR standing for “Multi-Purpose Aquatic Rig”. These aquamogs were equipped with Deutz air cooled diesel engines. The hydraulic controller were cable controlled.
These units were the test production units as well as the first commercially sold units. The Aquamog above was the first produced machine that was not in the contract fleet. It was purchased by the Lake Big Bear Municipal Water District in Big Bear California. This aquamog is the oldest machine still in service today. The Lake Big Bear unit was built in the late 1980s.
The MPAR Aquamogs being the first production units there were some testing and some flaws. The most notable was the height of the seat and the layout of the controls. The cab of these aquamogs was built around Dave McNabb’s height and arm lenghth. Dave was the very first Aquamog operator and the seats were fixed at his height and the controls were spaced at his arm reach. So once the machines started being sold and as Dave trained new operators it was quickly noticed that shorter operators feet would not reach the floor or their arms could not reach multiple controls at one time.
Below you can see additional pictures of the Aquamog MPAR machines that became the beginnings of the use of the Multi-Purpose Aquatic Rig know as the Aquamog!
The Aquamog MPAR know as the “Sidewinder”
The fastest Aquamog ever built was also a Aquamog MPAR and was know as the “Mississippi Queen”. You can click this link to read about this one of a kind Aquamog.