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/SirBiggusDikkus]

See floating and partially submerged logs frequently in Weiss Lake Alabama. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a straight vertical underwater log though. See them more often when there’s been a lot of rain. Mostly can navigate around them because I’m always on alert for them because they are so prevalent. I have a Yamaha jet boat which I suspect helps to minimize damage on the couple times I couldn’t move out of way fast enough. Certainly dark makes that harder and I mostly don’t boat in the dark because of that. Idk if a system is needed there, regular boaters there all are aware of the issue.