Vessel was towing a skier on an inflatable device.  The operator was entering a bend in the canal when he observed a vessel approaching him from ahead.  The operator moved to his starboard side of the canal. the inflatable device slid over the starboard side of the vessel's wake. After the two vessels passed each other the operator turned to port to take up a position in the center of the channel. The inflatable device then surfed along the wake and struck a set of pilings.One of the skiers on board the device struck the pilings and ddrowned.  The skier did have a PFD on at the time of the but it was removed by a passenger while trying to render assistance.  The loperator of the vessel, Whitten, voluntarily submitted to a blood alcohol test.  The results showed that his blood alcohol level was .000g%.
Houma                         