ON OR ABOUT 10:00 AM THE 12TH DAY OF MAY 2009, THE OPERATOR AND OWNER OF A 1969 15 FOOT RENKIN AND HIS PASSENGER WERE INVOLVED IN A BOATING ACCIDENT NEAR HOLDEN BEACH.  
  OPERATOR AND HIS PASSENGER WERE TRAVELING EAST ON THE ICW NEAR HOLDEN BEACH.  WHILE UNDERWAY, OPERATOR NOTICED HIS VESSEL TAKING ON WATER.  WHILE SITTING DOWN ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE VESSEL, OPERATOR TURNED TO HIS LEFT WITH HIS LEFT HAND TO LOCATE AN EXTRA PLUG LOCATED IN A STOWAGE COMPARTMENT ABOARD THE VESSEL.  AT THE SAME TIME, HE WAS OPERATING THE VESSEL WITH HIS RIGHT HAND.  HE INADVERTENTLY TURNED HIS VESSEL TO THE RIGHT AND STRUCK A FIXED PIER ON THE BARRIER ISLAND SIDE OF HOLDEN BEACH.  THE VESSEL STRUCK HEAD ON WITH A PYLON AND A FLOATING PLATFORM RAMP.  WHEN THE VESSEL STRUCK THE RAMP, THE RAMP LAUNCHED THE VESSEL PARTIALLY OUT OF THE WATER.  OPERATOR SUSTAINED A MINOR INJURY TO HIS NOSE FROM STRIKING THE WINDSHIELD.  THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED NO INJURIES.  WHEN I ARRIVED ON THE SCENE, THE VESSEL WAS 2/3 SUBMERGED UNDER WATER, AND THE BOW WAS BADLY DAMAGED FROM THE IMPACT.  AFTER CONDUCTING THE INTERVIEW WITH OPERATOR, HE EXPLAINED TO ME THAT HE HAD INSTALLED THE PLUG AT THE BOAT RAMP AND IT MUST HAVE COME OUT WHILE THEY WERE UNDERWAY, CAUSING THE VESSEL TO TAKE ON WATER.  
   I DETERMINED THAT FAULTY EQUIPMENT AND LACK OF EXPERIENCE TO BE THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT.  NO EVIDENCE OF ALCOHOL OR DRUGS AS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.  OPERATOR WAS NOT CHARGED WITH ANY OFFENSE.
HOLDEN BEACH                  