operator was operating the vessel heading upstream just on the east side of the channel close to river mile 476. operator stated that he had filled the wake bags on the vessel with water to see how much of a wake the vessel would make, they had started emptying the bags when one of the passengers saw a tree on a sand bar ahead of them. operator stated that he then started to slow down the vessel and at that very moment he hit the sandbar.
CHATTANOOGA                   