Fishing Skidder

All photos with blue borders expand if clicked

This is a boat launch and pick up facility near the mouth of the Anchor River at Anchor Point. The launches and pickups are being made directly into Cook Inlet. At the timeof these photos it was high tide and there was little beach. When the tide is out several hundred feet of rocky beach are exposed.

To launch you deliver your boat on a trailer to their parking lot and unhook the trailer. The skidder which is adapted with a hydraulic elevating ball hitch picks up your trailer and all the folks going out in the board climb in. The skidder pulls the trailer down to the beach and backs into the surf. When you get to the launch position, the attendant riding on the drawbar unties the bow rope, and you back the boat off the trailer and away you go.

Upon return you radio a warning of your arrival and they pick up your trailer, and prepare for your arrival. You drive the boat up on the trailer and the 'catcher' ties it off to the bow hook and skidder heads for high ground. For obvious safety reasons they try to avoid days with rough water, and watch the weather forecasts pretty closely.

Additional information: see Wikpedia - Skidder