VESSEL 1 WAS A 24" REINELL CABIN MOTORBOAT WITH 7 PEOPLE ON BOARD.  OPERATOR WAS OPERATING A RENTED BOAT AND WAS DRIFTING 70 FEET FROM SHORE.  THERE WERE 3 PASSENGERS WHO SWAM TO SHORE AND WERE SWIMMING BACK TO THE VESSEL.  2 SWIMMERS BOARDED THE BOAT SAFELY, THE 3RD SWIMMER ATTEMPTED TO BOARD THE VESSEL BUT FELL BACK INTO THE WATER.  THE SWIMMER WAS TRANSITIONING TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SWIM PLATFORM, THINKING THERE WAS MORE ROOM TO ENTER THE VESSEL, WHEN THE OPERATOR PUT THE GEAR SHIFT INTO REVERSE.  THE PROP STRUCK THE SWIMMER ON THE LEFT LEG STARTING ABOVE HIS ANKLE AND MOVING UP HIS SHIN.  THE CUTS GOT PROGRESSIVELY DEEPER, THE FINAL CUT THAT WAS APPROXIMATELY 8" LONG AND CROSSED HIS SHIN AT A SLIGHT ANGLE TO THE INSIDE OF HIS LEG.  VICTIM WAS RECOVERED FROM WATER; 911 WAS CALLED; VESSEL MET MEDICAL PERSONNEL AT LAUNCH RAMP; VICTIM WAS TAKEN VIA AMBULANCE TO HOSPITAL.  VICTIM HAD BEEN DRINKING THAT DAY APPROXIMATELY 5-6 BEERS.  EMERGENCY ROOM PERSONNEL TOLD GAME WARDEN THAT THERE WAS NO MUSCLE OR TENDON DAMAGE.  VICTIM UNDERWENT SURGERY THAT NIGHT TO CLEAN AND CLOSE THE WOUND.  VICTIM WAS RELEASED FROM THE HOSPITAL THE FOLLOWING DAY.  NO OTHER PASSENGERS WERE INJURED DURING TIME OF ACCIDENT.  ESTIMATE DAMAGE DONE TO VESSEL $800.00.  SLIGHT DISCOLORATION APPROXIMATELY 18 X 36" IN THE CARPET; DISCOLORED AREA SMELLED OF A STRONG ODOR OF BEER.  PROPELLER WAS DAMAGED: APPROXIMATELY 1 1/2" OF THE TIP OF ONE BLADE HAD BEEN BENT TO APPROXIMATELY 90 DEGREES: APPROXIMATELY 1" OF ANOTHER BLADE HAD BEEN BENT TO APPROXIMATELY 45 DEGRESS; THE THIRD BLADE WAS UNDAMAGED.  OPERATOR WAS CITED FOR FAILILNG TO MAINTAIN A PROPER LOOKOUT.  OPERATOR ADMITTED HE HAD DRANK 1-2 BEERS WHILE OPERATING THE BOAT AND ALSO ADMITTED TO HAVING DRANK A BEER AFTER RETURNING THE BOAT TO THE MARINA TO CALM HIS NERVES.  GAME WARDEN COULD SMELL A SLIGHT ODOR OF AN ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE COMING FROM HIM AS HE SPOKE TO HIM.  OPERATORS EYES WERE RED AND WATERY, HIS SPEECH APPEARED NORMAL AND WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN BALANCE WITHOUT SWAYING.  AS IT WAS 3 1/2 HOURS SINCE THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED AND THERE WERE FEW CLUES TO INDICATE WHETHER HIS BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL HAD EVER BEEN ABOVE 0.08% THERE WAS NOT SUFFICIENT REASON TO SUBMIT THE OPERATOR TO A FIELD SOBRIETY TEST.
ZEPHYR COVE                   