Dead Head Log in th water - The Hull Truth

Justin_NJ · 05-25-2009, 06:25 PM

While running back in today, I was about 1/2 mile from the entrance to the creek where I keep my boat and we came accross a dead head log.

The log was about 12 or so inches wide and about 8 to 10 inches sticking up from the water. I got up close to the log and tied of a rope and gave it a pull to see if i could figure out how big it was. It was sitting on a slight angle in the 10 foot deep water because it was about 14 feet and couldn't go straight up and down.

Needless to say, this log was a big hazard to navigation being so close to a popular harbor I hailed the USCG since I couldn't get the log out of the water on my own. They asked for some info on the log and it's long/lat.

They had me hang on for about 15 minute or so and then hailed me back telling me I could just leave the log and they will let the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) know since they are the organization that cleans up these types of items.

I am sure the USACE won't be out any time soon to remove the log and by then I am sure it will float off. All i know is the USCG will be making a trip to this log when the next boat isn't so lucky to spot it and actually hits it.

If someone hits that log, it's going straight through their hull - no questions asked.

So - in situations like this, what else is there to do? I felt bad leaving it there and there really want to know who I should really call next time to get something like this out of the water.

mboy · 05-25-2009, 06:28 PM

Probably not much more you can do other then tow it to the beach and try to beach it (an impossibly I am sure).

gbough · 05-25-2009, 06:36 PM

Loose a Buoy, Save a Life !

marvin177 · 05-25-2009, 06:39 PM

If it were me and I wasn't able to move it I might consider sacrificing a cheap life vest tying to it as a marker or maybe a crab trap float if you had one available.

Stickbo · 05-25-2009, 06:45 PM

Probably tie a fender to it. Nothing else really to do.

commuter boats · 05-25-2009, 07:18 PM

Dead heads and logs are common obstacles in the Northwest and in that I'm in repair business I see plenty of boats that fail to avoid them. Most often the boat makes out fairly well but the running gear doesn't do nearly so well, part of the reason a single main and a good kicker is so popular in this area.

mronzo · 05-25-2009, 07:23 PM

Glad you tried to do the right thing!
I believe the term is " deadman" log.
A guide I fished with on Lake Champlain told me of
several deadman that floated around the lake for years!
He said someone made furniture from one of them!

DarthBaiter · 05-25-2009, 07:53 PM

Good of you to make the "securite" call to the USCG.

Justin_NJ · 05-26-2009, 04:34 AM

I like the life jacket approach. I keep a spare set of 4 cheapo's as a 'just in case' backup to my type 1's.

A tow to the beach wouldn't be ideal with my boat - I have inboards and wouldn't risk putting the boat in shallow water.

Mronzo - so after years - nobody cleaned out the old logs. I would have thought after a few years they would have waterlogged to the point where they would sink.

I talked to someone on Saturday while doing a VSE for them - they had hit a deadman last year which tore the starboard shaft right off the transmission as well as took out the rudder. The fiberglass did crack near the rudder and he ended up with a pair of 1 to 2 foot crack or so that needed to be dug out and reglassed.

commuter boats · 05-26-2009, 07:45 AM

They're called deadheads up here. I've seen them more than 24 inches in diameter and with the sea running, they will disappear sometimes from more than one wave cycle and then come up 12 to 24 inches out of water and then disappear again.
As I said before, deadheads and logs are common obstacles in the Northwest largely as a result of logging.
I've attached a couple photos, the first one a deadhead 50 or 60 feet long and anchored by its rootwad, still floating with the tide after many years. The second is a beach if you look closely, many of the logs have square ends and are of logging truck lengths. Many of them are species of trees that don't grow here which is to say, we collect them from all around the Pacific.

cjd · 05-26-2009, 07:53 AM

call aqualogging

rwidman · 05-26-2009, 08:06 AM

Quote:

I hailed the USCG since I couldn't get the log out of the water on my own.

Around here they broadcast the location and description. They don't send anyone out to get it. Since this is a tidal area, the location is not much use, It has moved by the time they broadcast it. They will take action though if you get too close to a US Navy ship.

We once listened and watched as boaters reported a sinking moored sailboat about 100 yards from the CG base. They did nothing and it sank, allowing fuel containers and other debris to float down the river.

A PFD or fender might warn other boaters or they might come close to see if there's a person attached to the PFD. A warning flag would work better if you could get close enough to attach it without endangering your boat. And if you wanted to go to the trouble and expense of carrying them.

bigring · 05-26-2009, 10:53 AM

I carry a clear one qt milk jug, to which I have poured a little brightly colored paint; orange or red work well, glue the top on and a scrap piece of nylon cord. When I encounter a log.....like the one that almost took me out last summer, I tie the jug on it, so that others will "hopefully" see it.

marlinmike · 05-26-2009, 12:23 PM

I like the milk jug idea.

twentynine · 05-26-2009, 12:31 PM

Down here sometimes with spring floods, hurricanes and such we got more stuff in the water than on the banks. Shucks I kno some canals down in St Bernard Parish that have whole houses sunken in them. I tie either a crab float if I got one or a 2l soda pop bottle or a milk jug, what ever I have on hand. If I stopped and marked every one I'd never get to the fishing hole.

Chances are the deadhead you are describing has been there for years and it has moved slightly to become visible.

mronzo · 05-26-2009, 04:43 PM

That's a lot of wood in your waters there
commuter boats! Now I see why so many folks out there have aluminum boats!
The deadmans you can SEE aren't the problem, it's the ones just under the surface!
I hit a submerged 2 x 8 bringing the boat in for the winter! That was scary enough!
I hope I never meet one of our "dead friends!"

Nomis · 05-26-2009, 05:13 PM

After big storms there will always be parts or whole docks floating around in Tampa bay. I try to tie something to them to make other boaters aware of them but yesterday I passed a huge hog head floating and had to just leave it.

weatherman · 05-26-2009, 06:18 PM

I had a similar event in Mobile Bay. One of the marker posts had been struck (I'm guessing by a barge), and was barely visible. It would have destroyed a glass boat. I hailed the USCG on VHF, and they asked if I could call them on the telephone. I called when I got in and reported the location and circumstances. They came and removed the pile that evening, and called me back the next morning to (a) report that the pile had been removed, and (b) to thank me for reporting the hazard to navigation. Great response!

Justin_NJ · 05-26-2009, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by weatherman

I had a similar event in Mobile Bay. One of the marker posts had been struck (I'm guessing by a barge), and was barely visible. It would have destroyed a glass boat. I hailed the USCG on VHF, and they asked if I could call them on the telephone. I called when I got in and reported the location and circumstances. They came and removed the pile that evening, and called me back the next morning to (a) report that the pile had been removed, and (b) to thank me for reporting the hazard to navigation. Great response!

Wish I had that same response. I really wanted to tow the log and get it out of the water but would have no way to get it out of the water at the marina. I would have risked the cable crossings in the creek my marina is in as well...