On Monday afternoon 12/16/13 I Officer with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission received a call from dispatch regarding a vessel accident.  The reporting party was Operator and he told dispatch the he estimated the damage at $5000.00..  I was given a phone number for Operator and a number for Tow Boat US.  I called Operator's number and got his voice mail.  I called Tow Boat US and was told that they had received a request to assist a sailboat that had run aground in Ft Pierce just east of the City Marina.  They stated that they were unable to get the vessel off and left due to darkness and low tides.  Tow Boat US came back the next morning and was able to pull the boat to deeper water and took it to Cracker Boy Boat works and removed the boat from the water.

When I came on duty Tuesday morning I had an e-mail from dispatch stating that Operator had called the night before after I was off duty.  I called him back and was able to make contact.  I met him at Cracker Boy on Tuesday morning at approx. 10:30 AM.  He stated that he had run aground and called Tow Boat for assistance.  He said that during the two attempts to free the boat Friday night and Saturday morning that his rudder had been damaged by Tow Boat.  I advised Operator that the boating accident was his hard grounding and that the matter of damage during the tow was a civil matter between him and Tow Boat US.  He stated that he understood.  I advised that he could receive a copy of the report by contacting FWC Regional Office in West Palm and gave him my business card with the contact information
FORT PIERCE