6-30-12
I was contacted by UTAH VALLEY DISPATCH and informed to call OPERATOR about her boat striking a pipe in the lake.  I called OPERATOR and was informed that she hit the "Bubble Up" on the east shore of Utah Lake near Lindon Marina.  OPERATOR stated that "we were trying to find the Lindon Marina after 4-5 hours of playing on the water.  We could not find the marina and subject1 spotted a string of buoys that appeared to be a "No Wake Zone"  We headed for them.  I slowed down a little or no wake as we crossed over the line between the 3-4 buoy.  We hit the pipe--immediately after we hit subject2 looked over to her left and said, "operator, that buoy said, Danger."  We did not know what we had hit.  All of the adults were at the front of the boat looking for the marina entrance and no one noticed that there was any up coming danger."

OPERATOR also stated, "We immediately lost propulsion and I turned off the motor.  Two others were on the tube in the back of the boat and so I yelled at them to get off the tube and go see what we had hit over by the buoys.  They both swam over to the area where we thought we hit and they stood up on the pipe that was when we realized that the buoys were on top of the long pipe going out into the water."

I informed OPERATOR that she had stuck the "Bubble Up"  and that it was and has been marked by Danger Buoys and the hazard is properly permitted and being maintained.  OPERATOR stated that something needs to be done with the buoys they look a like to wakeless buoys and would like to see some red buoys out on the pipe to show there is a danger out there.  I informed OPERATOR that the danger buoys are U.S. Coast Guard approved markers and that the use of the red buoys would not be consistent with their navigational meaning.

I obtained OPERATOR's information and information about the vessel and began generating a boat accident report.  I requested OPERATOR to send me photos of the vessel and vessel damage along with a list of persons onboard the vessel.  I gave OPERATOR my phone number and email so she could send me information.  

7-11-12
After leaving a message with OPERATOR I was contacted by her and given an email with photographs of the vessel and vessel damage and a statement of what happened.  I was also given the shops name that the boat was at and I call the shop.   OPERATOR asked what the state was going to do about her boat and I stated that as soon as I could obtain all the information needed for the report I was going to forward the report onto our Risk Management representative and they would be contacting her.  

7-24-12
I emailed OPERATOR requesting insurance information, personal floatation device numbers, and other safety equipment presence or use.  I also asked for contact numbers for the passengers of her vessel.  I received an email back stating the following: "I feel like I have given you a lot of information and have not received any information back on what is going t

Lindon                        