         I met with Operator and had him tell me what happened when he launched the boat. Operator said that he had just gotten the boat from an individual on a trade. Operator went on to say that he had traded an aluminum boat and a $2500.00 rifle for the 1985 Peterson. After launching the boat, Operator tied it up to the dock and went to park his truck. Operator went back down to the boat and said that he sat at the dock for a few minutes getting familiar with the vessel. Operator then left the dock and got approximately 50 - 75 yards away when he noticed water in the bottom of the boat. Operator said that he then noticed water coming from the compartments near the transom. While the boat was sinking, Operator said that he stood up in the boat and attempted to call the individual he had got the boat from. It was at this time due to the weight shift, the bow of the boat started to sink as well. Operator then jumped out of the boat and had to swim to the Alabama side of the river where he was later picked up by another boat. 
          The boat floated down stream approximately 3/4's of a mile and was eventually pulled to the Alabama shore by a fisherman. I along with Operator went down the river walk and found an area where we could see the boat from the Georgia side of the river. I gathered what information I needed for the report and told Operator to call me when he recovered the vessel so that I could attempt to determine what caused it to sink. A few hours later Operator called me and said that he had paid someone to tow the boat back to the boat ramp. Operator said that the boat was upside down and that he could see a damaged area in the fiberglass that caused the boat to sink. I informed Operator to leave the boat as it was until I arrived so that I could inspect the damaged area. When I arrived back at the boat ramp, Operator had loaded the boat back on  the trailer. Operator showed me an area on the port side of the vessel where some silicone had been smeared on a fracture. It was apparent that this small area did not cause the boat to sink. Operator then said that there was another area on the bottom of the boat that had been repaired and that it was about an inch long. This area could not be seen due to the boat being on the trailer, but it didn't seem to be the cause of the sinking either. 
          I asked Operator where the boats plug was since he had told me earlier he had seen it in the transom. Operator said that when he flipped the boat upright he had seen the plug floating in the transom area. I told him plugs don't usually float and asked him was he sure that the plug was in the boat at the time it was launched and had he definitely seen it when the boat was turned upright. Operator said that he was sure he had seen the plug. I searched all through the transom area for the plug and couldn't find it. The water at the end of the boat ramp was also searched and the plug was not found. 
          In conclusion, it is my opinion that the transom plug was never in the boat. Due to the amount of water that the boat took on in a matter of approximately 20 minutes, the plug is the only viable conclusion. The boat took on water in the transom area where Operator couldn't see it. When Operator put the boat into reverse to leave the dock it only took on more water. The boat was then shifted into forward and the water shifted causing it to flood the floor of the boat and come out the transom compartments.

COLUMBUS                      