ADFG Camera Sled

In 2006 Bay Welding was asked to design and build an aluminum-constructed solution for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG). ADFG was implementing a new process of ocean-bottom surveying for resource management in Alaska Gulf Coast waters. By working closely with ADFG personnel to gain a complete understanding of the scope and intent of their new process, Bay Welding began and completed a detailed process of design.

The result was two custom-crafted underwater camera sleds that house four independently adjustable strobe lights and one high definition, three frames per second, digital camera. The sled is balanced and designed in a way to be towed along the ocean floor behind a research vessel at speeds of up to 3 knots. The sled has sacrificial wear plates on the runners, a hydrostatic release recovery system, and is tethered to the tow vessel by a high tensile strength stainless steel cable with fiber optic core.

The camera sled is deployed and retrieved by a custom-built hydraulic articulating aluminum u-frame that is attached to the tow vessel and designed for easy removal. The operation has provided ADFG successful ability to operate with fewer personnel and a higher degree of accuracy for resource management. Bay Welding is proud to have been part of this project to meet the State of Alaska’s specific needs and aid in cost-effective resource management.