I, indiana conservation officer, while on patrol with ico were contacted by morse marina staff stating they were just contacted by a distressed boater near morse park and beach. While approaching the scene i observed a boat near the beach area stopped in the water. Once ico and i arrived on scene we checked individuals involved for anyone in need of medical attention. No medical attention was requested. The operator stated he had grounded the boat on a solid object just below the water surface.  
Ico contacted ico for his assistance in our investigation. I gathered statements from individuals involved until ico arrived. Operator stated he was boating with his mother, father, girlfriend and his son.  Operator further stated he was towing his son, 6 years old, on a surfboard when the boat struck an object under the surface of the water. Operator stated had assisted the women and child to shore in fear the boat would sink.  He stated that he knew the water level was low but had navigated this area of the lake earlier in the summer with no difficulty. father stated that the statement given by his son operator was accurate. Operator continued to state that he believed he could navigate the boat to the marina safely if he could get the boat off of the object it had struck.
 ico then arrived on scene and listed possible options for removal of the boat to operator. Operator was firm in his belief if he could free the boat he could navigate to the marina. Icos stated we would assist them in the removing the boat from the object but were not responsible for further damage to the boat. Operator acknowledged are statements and agreed. Once the boat was freed, opeartor navigated the boat to the marina while operator retrieved a truck and trailer to remove the boat from the water for repair. Ico and i followed operator to the marina to insure his safe arrival at the marina. 
Once the boat had been removed from the water operator examined the damage to the boat. The boat had received a hole in the stern of the hull. He believed the hole was caused by the boats propeller being forced into the hull by the solid object that was struck. After the damage had been examined operator estimated the cost to be in excess of $5000. Other occupants were interviewed regarding the sequence of events leading to the accident. Voluntary written statements were then gathered from operator and girlfriend. The boat had all flotation devices required to be legally operated at the time of accident. Water level of morse reservoir was estimated 5 feet lower than its normal level at time of accident. By the end of the investigation operator had revieved a minor injury to his knee but denied medical attention.

Noblesville                   