On August 7, 2010 at or around 1500 hours, I received a call to assist Boating Officer who was towing a swamped boat to Paris Landing State Park.  Following is a synopsis of the events based upon evidence and witness statements:

Operator and his wife launched their newly purchased runabout boat at Paris Landing State Park for an afternoon cruise.  He states that he left the Paris Landing Harbor and went under the bridge and headed towards Eagle Creek.  He states that he was initially going around 30-35 mph after he passed under the bridge, then slowed and was in the process of speeding up when he states his boat hit something hard. He states that he was going around 25 mph according to the speedometer and was plowing through the water.  No one was injured during the allision.   He states that he noticed a log in the water behind them.  The boat began to fill up with water and he signaled to a passing boater for assistance.  The assistance vessel towed Operator's vessel to the Hwy 79 bridge until Boating Officer Riggins took over.  The submerged vessel was towed to Paris Landing State Park where it was loaded onto the trailer.

The vessel was inspected when it was removed from the water.  The entire outdrive was separated from the transom and attached only by hoses and wires.  There was no other obvious damage noted to the vessel.

KY Lake elevation at Paris Landing was around 357.8

Contributing factors and an explanation follows:

1.  Excessive speed:  Operator was traveling fast enough to knock off the outdrive in a shallow area of the lake.   Inland Nav Rule 6 includes "In determining a safe speed the following factors shall be among those taken into account:.....the draft in relation to the available depth of water."The partially submerged log is in approximately 4 feet of water 
2.  Improper Lookout:  The log that was struck is partially submerged with approximately 1 foot of the log sticking out of the water and is visable if keeping a sharp lookout.  Operator was operating the vessel and his passenger was sitting in the seat next to him.  From this position, neither operator or occupant could see immediately in front of the boat when it was plowing.
3.  Operator inexperience:  Operator was operating his vessel outside the marked channel and in shallow/hazardous waters during times when the lake is less than summer pool.  In addition to the partially submerged log, his vessel passed either over or very near a shallow bar that was covered by approximately 2 feet of water.  

The vessel's registration was in the previous owner's name.  Operator states that he purchased the vessel on August 5, 2010 and he had not been to the Court Clerk's office to pay sales tax and to apply for registration.   I took no action on this violation.

It is my recommendation that TVA place a danger buoy near the log.  

BUCHANAN                      