Hoonah · Angoon · Icy Strait

Island Lifting in the Hoonah-Angoon Census Area

Nothing in this census area connects to the North American road network. Hoonah, on Chichagof Island, and Angoon, on Admiralty Island, are reached by floatplane, small aircraft, ferry or barge, and so is almost every piece of lifting equipment that works here. Like the rest of Alaska's Unorganized Borough, the area has no borough government and no borough seat; Hoonah is simply its largest town and the usual reference point. For crane work, that isolation shapes everything: a project might ship in one machine for the season and rely on whoever locally can run it, rig for it and signal for it. If you want to be that person, our online courses let you prepare for national certification from Hoonah or any village with a decent signal, at whatever hour suits your schedule.

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A cruise port built on floating steel

Icy Strait Point, about a mile and a half from downtown Hoonah, is owned by Huna Totem Corporation, the village corporation. Its first cruise berth, a 400-foot floating dock, was finished for the 2016 season. In 2019 Huna Totem and Norwegian Cruise Line announced a second floating dock of about 500 feet, with the city approving a 25-year lease for the site. The operator has said it relies on roughly 85 percent local hire.

Floating docks are installed and maintained differently from fixed piers. Pontoons, transfer bridges, gangways and restraint piles go in with barge-mounted cranes, often working from a moving deck through a large daily tidal range. Load charts for a crane on a barge are not the same as charts for one sitting on firm ground, and list and trim have to be accounted for. That is worth knowing even if your certification is for land cranes, because it explains why marine contractors are picky about who sits in the seat.

Which rules apply out here

Shore-based construction is generally regulated by AKOSH, the state program that enforces the federal crane standard, 29 CFR 1926 Subpart CC. Work done from vessels on navigable water, and longshoring or marine terminal cargo handling, generally belongs to federal OSHA under the maritime standards. On a dock job the line can move from one task to the next, so ask the prime contractor which agency covers your scope. Either way, employers expect accredited certification and a documented evaluation before you operate.

Village projects and the people who run them

Beyond the cruise dock, the lifting work in the area tracks community needs: harbor floats, school and clinic additions, water and power upgrades, fuel tank farm work and housing. Projects arrive on a barge with materials, a boom truck or small hydraulic crane, and sometimes a contractor crew from Juneau. Having a certified local operator lowers costs and keeps the work in town.

Weather is a planning factor in its own right. Southeast rain keeps ground saturated, wind across Icy Strait can stop a pick, and freight windows depend on the barge schedule. Operators who understand ground bearing, mat sizing and wind limits look like a safer bet to a contractor deciding whether to hire locally.

Planning the trip for testing

Written exams can be booked through online proctored testing, which suits island candidates. For the hands-on practical you will need to travel to wherever the certifying body schedules one; for this area that usually means flying to Juneau and possibly on to Anchorage. Finish the written side first, then line up the practical so one trip covers it.

Questions people ask

Who is the local government for crane rules in Hoonah-Angoon?

There is no borough. Cities such as Hoonah and Angoon run their own affairs, but crane operator requirements come from federal and state safety rules, not local ordinances.

Do floating dock jobs need different certification?

The operator credential is the same national certification, but marine work may fall under federal OSHA maritime rules and barge-mounted cranes need adjusted charts. Your employer will tell you which standard governs the job.

Can I study with spotty internet in a village?

The course runs in a browser on any device, so you can study in short sessions whenever you have a connection rather than needing long blocks online.

Can a village corporation or contractor enroll several people?

Yes. Employers and crews can enroll more than one worker; send a request through the enrollment form and an advisor will reply.

Courses suited to local work

  • Mobile Crane

    Study for the NCCCO mobile crane written exams on your own schedule, from a rough-terrain hydro in a Mat-Su subdivision to a crawler on a Kenai Peninsula bridge or a crane barged into a village for the summer.

  • Rigger I

    Get ready for the NCCCO Rigger Level I written exam with lessons on slings, hitches, hardware and inspection, aimed at Alaska workers who hook and unhook routine loads.

  • Signalperson

    Prepare for the NCCCO Signalperson written exam with lessons on standard hand signals, voice commands and radio discipline, for Alaska crews who direct cranes in dark, cold and noisy conditions.

  • Articulating Crane

    Self-paced study for the NCCCO articulating crane written exams, with or without a winch, aimed at Alaska drivers who run a knuckleboom on a delivery truck.

Communities in Hoonah-Angoon Census Area

Neighboring areas

Line up your crane certification prep from anywhere in Alaska

Let us know the card you need — operator, rigger or signal person — and the community you work out of, whether that's on the road system or off it. An enrollment advisor writes back with a matching course and a plan for getting your written and practical exams on the calendar.

  • Lessons open around the clock, on any phone, tablet or laptop
  • Practice questions shaped like the NCCCO written tests
  • Help mapping out where and when to take your hands-on practical

Ask about enrollment

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