Posted on July 22, 2026
On July 21, 1956, The Dredge Alameda was launched with a festive party celebrating her release in Rio Vista, California. She was the second of four all-steel, all-welded dredges designed & built by Ed Dutra, who received only a high school education, but clearly had a talent for drafting and design. The clamshell dredge had quarters for 10 people, as well as a complete galley. She was originally built with a 146-foot boom, and her hull is 40 feet wide by 100 feet long. Her original bucket size was 2-3/4 cubic yards (water measure). However, in January 1979, her hull was made larger – to 53 feet wide by 103 feet long and her bucket size increased to 3-1/2 cubic yards.
The Dutra Group continues to recognize importance of welding skills today and is a proud sponsor of Rio Vista High School’s welding program. The importance of investing in the next generation of skilled craft labor is a key focus of Dutra’s commitment to community
