Boaters: How often do you encounter partially submerged logs or “deadheads”?

[u/Ecstatic-Ability5242]

Hi everyone,

I’m a UBC Mechanical Engineering student working with a team on a design project focused on deadheads, meaning floating or partially submerged logs that can create a collision hazard for boats.

Our project is specifically looking at coastal British Columbia, but I’d be interested in experiences from anywhere, especially if this is also a problem in your area.

I’m hoping to hear from boaters about things like:

• How often you encounter floating or partially submerged logs
• Where you tend to see them and under what conditions
• Whether you’ve ever hit one or had a close call
• How difficult they are to spot, especially at speed, at night, in waves, or poor weather
• Any damage or safety issues you’ve experienced
• What you currently do if you see one
• Whether there is any system in your area for reporting or warning others about them
• What you think could be improved about how these hazards are detected, reported, prevented, or removed
• If a better system existed, what would you actually want it to do?
• Any ideas for potential solutions, even if they seem unconventional

We’re still at the problem-definition stage, so we’re not trying to push any particular solution. We’re mainly trying to understand what boaters actually experience and what would be useful.

Even short responses like “I see them all the time but have never hit one” or “I hit one once and damaged my prop” would be really helpful.

Thanks!

[u/Putrid_Bat_3862]

I have been boating on Shuswap Lake for the better part of my life. We usually have partially submerged logs and branches that come with the springs runoff in May and June. Usually these logs will clear out and go to the shoreline by early July. I don't typically boat at night so can't comment on how detectable they are then, but I imagine it's not good and you'd want to go slow. When I am boating in the spring I always try to stand as I find being higher up will give you a better view of the logs. As for a solution I bet if you had a pole coming from the bow of your boat with a camera with a Gopro and maybe some sort of AI detection system that would be the best bet. Or maybe some sort of radar could detect the logs. Depending on the speed of the boat you will want lots of notice as it can take a while to turn and avoid it on a watercraft.