A sample checklist for using the Ballchek™ Corer:

The purpose of this equipment is to obtain a core sample from a lake or ocean bottom. Because the equipment is heavy, take care.

1. Attach cable from winch to corer head
2. Loop cable over end of pulley wheel on boom of crane. Use winch to gently lift corer vertically until suspended by the cable.
3. Swivel boom with corer off boat, slowly lower corer into the water with the winch. Stop just beneath the surface to let air escape from the liner.
4. Lower until it is about 5 m above the bottom. Verify depth, position.
5. Release the ratchet brake on the winch and allow the corer to free fall to the bottom. Keep hands and clothing away from cable during free fall. The cable will slacken once the corer has penetrated the bottom.
6. Wait about 2 minutes before attempting to reel in the corer.
7. Lock ratchet brake into place and reel in slack line. Do not overtighten.
8. Reel in cable until corer reaches the surface. Lay corer horizontally on deck. Place end cap on plastic liner.
6. Remove plastic liner and attach an end cap to the other end. Use a marking pen to label top and bottom of the core and its ID number.
7. Inspect sediment inside of liner. Measure and record the recovered length of core and its condition. Describe contents. Place core horizontally in a storage box. Wash off deck and corer of any loose sediment.
8. Record: Sample #________ Location__________ Date_______
Time______ Latitude____ Longitude____Depth_________
Recovered length _____________ Condition ___________
Description of core: ________________________________

Perform lab analysis of core
1. Stratigraphic description (describe on cm scale the record of sediment layers in terms of composition, particle size, color etc.
2. Chemical and/or organic analyses performed (list type and results)