Operator was fishing a bass tournament out of hanging dog access area.  He was traveling toward nottley river at a speed of approximately 70 mph.  Just before making a right turn, the lower unit of the motor stopped working.  The nose of the boat went down and the boat went into a right hand spin.  Operator tried to turn the boat, but it wouldn't steer without power.  He saw that the boat was going to collide with a rock cliff, so he jumped out of the boat.  The boat collided with the rock cliff on the port side.  The operator was wearing a mustang inflatable type ii pfd that he had rearmed within the last month.  The pfd did not inflate.  When i opened the inflatable, the co2 cartridge was not anywhere to be found.  He advised that he did put it in.  He remembers the guage turning green when he engaged it.  The impact of hitting the water at a high rate of speed may have dislodged the co2 cartridge.
 
Operator swam to the boat and climbed into it.  It was still running, but the propeller would not turn.  Two subject fishing the tournament came upon him and towed him to hanging dog access area.  Operator had a sore and swollen right knee and a sore hip.  He did not require medical attention.
MURPHY