Vessel 1 was a 18' advantage open motorboat with 4 people on board.  Vessel 2 was a 19'2" marlin open motorboat with 4 people on board and 1 being towed.  Vessel 2 was pulling a passenger on a tube, they were heading east from the buoys in the middle of beach #3.  Vessel 1 was heading south at an estimated speed of 15 mph.  It appeared that vessel 1 attempted to turn left to avoid the collision.  This turn happened right before the collision.  Vessel 2 struck vessel 1 on the right side of the motor cover and pushed the right side of the transom down.  The estimated speed for vessel 2 was also 15 mph.  This force ejected the three adults from vessel 1, the operator, passenger 1 and passenger 2, the eight year old girl, passenger 3 remained in the boat.  Everyone in vessel 2 remained in the boat after impact.  Statements from one of the adults in the water said that everyone from vessel 1 surfaced near the tube being pulled by vessel 2.  The statement also indicated that after the initial impact, vessel 1 swung in a counter clockwise rotation around the tube and passengers and with the left side of the bow bumped vessel 2 on the right side bow area.  This resulted in minor damage to both vessels.  The girl passenger 3 was able to stop vessel 1 and the operator, passenger 2 were taken to renown regional hospital.  Both the operator and passenger 2 were hospitalized for lacerations from a prop., passenger 1 was driven to the hospital by family for a sprain left foot.  Estimated damage to vessel 1 $1000.00 motor cowling, transfer marks, fiberglass, rubrail.  Estimated damage to vessel 2 $4000.00 rubrail, hand rail damage, transfer marks fiberglass damage.
SILVER SPRINGS                