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In 1962, two gentlemen named Norbert Degelman and Harold Morgan had an idea: a device capable of removing sediments from the lakeshores of Minnesota. They decided to build their own machine, but first it had to meet certain criteria. It had to be very portable. It had to operate in a roto-tiller, vacuum cleaner-type fashion, and it had to be a two man operation. With this in mind, they set out to build such a machine in a one car garage in the suburb of Fridley, Minnesota.

Their first attempt was a very crude and cumbersome machine that actually didn't float too well, but the idea of using the auger-type cutter proved very successful.

The first Mud Cat Auger Dredge
(photo courtesy of Dale Degelman)

After 3 years perfecting this first prototype of the auger dredge, they decided that they had an idea worth pursuing. They found some investors and formed their first company. They also came up with a name, Mud Cat. They built 4 more Mud Cat dredges and started the first auger dredging company.

An early Mud Cat Auger Dredge
(photo courtesy of Dale Degelman)

The investors decided to take this idea to National Car Rental Systems to promote the idea of rental dredges. National liked the idea and bought the manufacturing rights in 1970. This was the beginning of the 2nd generation of the Mud Cat dredge. National built over 500 units over the years and marketed the idea worldwide. You can still find these 2nd generation Mud Cats in service today.
In 1987 National Car Rental sold the Mud Cat division to the oldest dredge manufacturer in the United States, Ellicott International, a company that has been in business for over 100 years.

Ellicott then took the Mud Cat to a higher level in the dredging industry. They developed the 3rd generation models, the SP-815 and the newer model MC-915 dredges. Recently, Ellicott developed a highly innovative 4th generation of Mud Cat, the MC-2000.

The Mud Cat SP-815

The Mud Cat MC-2000

In the 36 years that the Mud Cat dredge has been in existence, I have watched it develop from a backyard project to what it is today, the best selling dredge product in the history of the industry. I have yet to see a similar machine out-perform the Mud Cat in operation and durability. I am proud of the fact that my father and his friend gave the world a device that has proven itself. To date, the Mud Cat has pumped over 450 million yards (588.6 M3) of material from our nation's waterways. The Mud Cat is still the leader in the cleanup of wet industrial waste.
This history of the Mud Cat is dedicated to my father and his friend Harold Morgan.

Author: Dale Degelman, 1999