Operator 1 stated to me that he was traveling across Arrowhead Lake and noticed some jet skis in the area to the left of his location.  Operator 1 stated that he had slowed down as he was coming across the lake and then went back up on plane.  It was at this time that he noticed a jet ski just to the left of his watercraft.  He immediately put the watercraft into reverse and swerved to the right, trying to avoid the jet ski.  

The jet ski and boat collided at this time.  Operator 1 stated that both of the occupants were thrown from the jet ski and were in the water after the collision.  Operator 1 went back to the scene and asked them if they were injured.  

Operator 1 also showed me the damage to his bass boat.  There was substantial damage to the hull of the bass boat.  The damage was primarily limited to the underside of the hull on the port side (see pictures).  Operator 1 also stated to me that the motor was damaged when he put it into reverse at the moment of the crash.  

The watercraft was on a trailer when I looked at it and I did not see any other damage to the watercraft.

Operator 1 stated to me that his son and daughter where on the boat as passengers at the time of the crash.  Operator 1's female passenger, injured her back during the crash by striking it on part of the inside of the boat.  


I also spoke to the operator of the jet ski that evening.  The operator, who was fifteen years old at the time of the crash, stated to me that she was “stopped” in the water and turned around to talk to her passenger.  She saw the bass boat “out of the corner of my eye” and the boat struck the jet ski.  Operator 2 and her passenger,  were thrown from the jet ski and into the water.

I summonsed Operator 2's father, for allowing a person less than sixteen years of age to operator a personal watercraft.  Maine boating laws require anyone who operates a personal watercraft to be at least sixteen years of age.

Operator 2 sustained a bruised right knee and a scratch on her left arm because of the crash.  

The jet ski had scuff marks on the bow where it contacted the bass boat.  One of the owners of the jet ski told me that after the watercraft was removed from the water, there was a crack found along the hull near the original damage.

There were Coast Guard navigation rules that were violated in this crash.  Operator 1, violated the navigation rule of having a proper lookout.  

Operator 2, stated to me that she was “stopped” in the water.  I later spoke to her and she told me that the jet ski’s engine was still running prior to the crash.  If a jet ski’s engine is running then the jet ski will be moving forward at a slow speed even if the operator is not engaging the throttle.  There is no “neutral” in a jet ski.  The jet ski approached the bass boat from the port side.  If a vessel approaches another vessel from the port side, the vessel approaching from the port side is the “stand down” vessel, giving the other vessel the right of way.

Operator 1, stated to me that he was traveling about thirty miles per hour just prior to the crash.  There is no indication that Operator 1 was within a water safety zone and therefore there is no speed limit on Maine Lakes.  The speed that vessel one was traveling is common on that lake during the day.

Waterboro                     