Subject was making a port turn from one canal to another. The driver of the vessel stated that the passenger was obscuring his view upon making the port turn.  The driver stated that when he started to straighten out the vessel from the turn is when he struck the piling that was blocked from his view because of the positioning of the passenger who was sitting on an ice chest. The vessel sustained damage to the port bow corner. Alcohol was not a factor in the accident.  PFD's were not worn and theree were none in the vessel.
Galliano                      