ON OCTOBER 1, 2009 AT APPROXIMATELY 3:45 PM, subject 1 WAS OPERATING A PONTOON BOAT THAT HE HAD RECENTLY RENTED FROM SHEFFILDS SEAFOOD IN OCEAN ISLE BEACH.  ACCORDING TO  subject 1, HE WAS OPERATING THE VESSEL AT AROUND 25 MPH NEAR MARKER 57 ON THE INTRACOASTAL WATERWAY, WHEN HE RAN INTO A BOAT LIFT ON THE ICW WHICH WAS HOLDING subject 2'S BOAT.  BASED UPON THE INFORMATION THAT WAS PROVIDED BY  subject 1, HE WAS NOT PAYING CLOSE ATTENTION AND GOT TOO CLOSE TO THE DOCK AN BOAT LIFT, AND THE CANOPY ON THE PONTOON BOAT MADE CONTACT WITH THE MOTOR OF THE BOAT ON THE LIFT AND RESULTED IN DAMAGE TO BOTH THE RENTED PONTOON ANDsubject 2'S OUTBOARD MOTOR.  THE DAMAGE THAT RESULTED WAS THE CANOPY OF THE PONTOON BEING PARTIALLY BROKEN OFF AND ALSO DAMAGE TO THE AREA OF THE RUB RAIL AND ANYWHERE THE CANOPY HAD BEEN ATTACHED TO THE PONTOON.  subject 2'S MOTOR SUFFERED DAMAGE TO THE STEERING ARM OF HIS MOTOR AS WELL AS COSMETIC DAMAGE TO THE MOTOR HOUSING.  AT THIS POINT IT IS STILL UNCERTAIN AS TO WHETHER THERE IS ANY PORT IN THIS ACCIDENT.  THE OPERATION AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT DOES NOT LEND ITSELF TO BEING GROSSLY RECKLESS OR NEGLIGENT AND AS SUCH NO CHARGES WERE FILED AGAINST  subject 1 IN THE ACCIDENT.  THE VESSEL WAS EQUIPPED WITH THE APPROPRIATE PFD'S AND SAFETY EQUIPMENT.  IT APPEARS THIS ACCIDENT WAS A RESULT OF OPERATOR INATTENTION, INEXPERIENCE AND FAILING TO MAINTAIN A PROPER LOOKOUT.
HOLDEN BEACH                  