VESSEL 1 WAS GOING WESTBOUND IN THE BOYNTON INLET APPROACHING THE ICW. THERE WAS DREDGING OPERATIONS GOING ON IN ICW AT THIS LOCATION. WHEN VESSEL 1 REACHED THE SOUTHWEST END OF THE SEAWALL IT TURNED HARD TO THE SOUTH TO PASS THE DREDGE ON ITS STARBOARD SIDE. THE AREA THAT VESSEL 1 TURNED INTO IS A VERY SHALLOW SANDBAR AND THE VESSEL RAN AGROUND. RUNNING ON THE SANDBAR IN AN EAST WEST DIRECTION WAS THE SUBMERGED DREDGE PIPING LAYING ON THE BOTTOM. THE PROPS OF VESSEL 1 CAME INTO CONTACT WITH THE SUBMERGED HEAVY PLASTIC DREAD PIPE CAUSING SEVERAL LARGE CUTS IN THE PIPE. AT THE TIME THE DREDGE OPERATORS WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE IF THE PIPE HAD BEEN DAMAGED SO BOAT TOW USA PULLED THE VESSEL OF THE PIPE AND SANDBAR. WHEN THE DREDGE OPERATORS ATTEMPTED TO RUN THE DREDGE ABOUT 4 HOURS LATER WATER AND SAND STARTED TO BOIL OUT OF THE CUTS. THE DREDGE OPERATORS HAD TO RAISE THE PIPE AND REMOVE A 20' SECTION AND RECONNECT THE DREDGE PIPE. THAT IS WHY THERE WAS A TIME DELAY IN REPORTING THE ACCIDENT. I RESPONDED THE NEXT MORNING. OPERATOR/OWNER OF THE VESSEL WAS FLYING OUT OF TOWN SO HIS BOAT HAD NOT BEEN FULLY EXAMINED FOR DAMAGES BUT HE STATED SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH IT. HE WAS PROVIDED WITH CASE INFO. I RESPONDED TO THE OWNER'S HOUSE TO GET THE VESSEL'S INFORMATION WITH HIS PERMISSION BUT WAS UNABLE TO SEE ANY DAMAGE BECAUSE IT WAS SITTING IN THE WATER.
Ocean Ridge