RedactedNarrative: Vessel traveling south in Gandy Shipping Channel.
       Vessel hits channel buoy #23 on port side. 
       Vessel navigates to shallow water outside of channel.
       Vessel takes on water and settles on bottom half submerged.
       Vessel towed by Sea Tow to Sailor's Wharf in St. Pete.
  
   I made contact with Operator 1 who advised that he was bringing a brand new vessel back from the boat show at the Tampa Convention Center when he hit the buoy. He said it was still dark, around 0700 hours and he was heading south in the Gandy Shipping Channel, watching for the lit beacons. The vessel was a brand new 38' Chris Craft cabin motorboat with triple 350 horsepower Mercury Outboards. He said he was traveling at a speed of around 35-40 mph and while looking at the next lit beacon, suddenly saw a green channel buoy right in front of the vessel. He said he turned the vessel sharply to the starboard side, however the vessel hit the green channel buoy (#23) on the port bottom side of the vessel causing it to take on water rapidly. He steered the vessel into shallow water outside the channel where it sunk about half way.