RedactedNarrative: On august 25th at approximately 11:17 am conservation officers received a phone call from operator 1 reporting that he was involved in a boat accident on sunday afternoon near 9 mile island on pool 12 of the mississippi river. Operator 1 reported that no one was hurt but he did obtain a damage estimate of $3,370.50 for the damage to his boat. 
  
  Operator 1 stated that he was heading out of massey slough into molo slough when he collided with another boat. Conservation officers asked operator 1 if he reported the accident at the time that it happened and he stated that he did not want to bother anyone that day because it was really busy on the river. Operator 1 stated that he had looked up the accident reporting requirements and was making his report within the required 5 days. Conservation officers asked operator 1 where the boat was now and he stated that it was at his residence. Conservation officers asked operator 1 if he got the information from the other boat operator and he provided conservation officers with operator 2 information. 
  
  Conservation officers informed operator 1 he would contact officers to come meet with him to investigate the damage to his boat and have him fill out an operator's report form as required by law. Officer’s report is attached to this incident report. Conservation officers then contacted operator 2 by phone and asked if he was involved in a boat collision on sunday and he stated that he was. Conservation officers asked if he had reported the accident to law enforcement and he stated that he did not. 
  
  Conservation officers asked to meet with operator 2 to have him fill out an operator's report and inspect the boat. Operator 2 reported that the boat was docked at millennium marina in east dubuque. 
  
  Conservation officers then met with operator 2 operator 2 at approximately 6:00 pm. Conservation officers took photographs of operator 2's boat and observed an 13 foot long white scuff mark down the port side of the vessel starting near the transom about one foot above the waterline. Conservation officers had operator 2 fill out an operator's report and asked him questions about what had happened. Operator 2 stated that he was traveling north bound in molo slough near the north end of 9 mile island when he was struck on the port side of his vessel. Operator 2 stated that he did not see the other boat prior to the impact. 
  
  After the collision operator 2 stated he stopped and exchanged information with operator 1. Operator 2 stated that when he first contacted operator 1, his wife was very agitated with him but she calmed down. Operator 2 reported to conservation officers that operator 1’s wife told him that she had tried to warn operator 1 a couple of times that of another boat in their path but they collided anyway.
  
   Conservation officers asked operator 2 if he had been consuming alcohol that day and replied that he had not drank any alcohol that day. Conservation officers asked operator 2 if he noticed any alcoholic beverages in operator 1's boat or signs that operator 1 was under the influence and he stated that he did not. Conservation officers asked operator 2 about the damage to his boat and he stated that he only had the scuff mark and he was not concerned with getting it fixed. Conservation officers observed the scuff mark came off when rubbed with his finger. Conservation officers did not observe any structural damage to operator 2's boat. Conservation officers asked operator 2 about a gouge mark in the fiberglass on the port side and he stated that was there when he bought the boat.
  
  On september 3rd at approximately 3:00 pm conservation officers met with operator 1 to have him describe how the incident happened and to show him a location on the map where the incident occurred. Operator 1 explained that he was heading north bound near the tip of 9 mile island when his wife warning him of a boat coming from their back and to the right of them. Operator 1 said the boat was approximately 75 to 100 yards behind him to his right at that time. Operator 1 said he started to turn left to avoid the boat and his wife warned him again the boat was still coming. Operator 1 stated he noticed the boat was now about 25 yards away and he tried to turn more as he backed off the throttle. Operator 1 then stated that the boats collided. Operator 1 stated the bow of operator 2's boat was up in the air preventing him from seeing his boat.
  
  Based on the investigation conservation officers found both of the operators to be partially at fault. A diagram is attached to this report showing how the collision happened. Vessel 1 in this report is the boat operated by operator 1. Rules of the road indicate that operator 1 should have yielded to the vessel on his right as he was involved in an angled crossing situation traveling north east from massey slough towards the operator 2n channel. Operator 1 also failed to keep a proper lookout and failed to make a valid effort to steer his boat in a way to avoid the collision. Due to the fact that operator 1's boat is a jet propulsion he likely experienced off throttle steering loss preventing him from being able to turn the vessel sufficiently to avoid the collision.
  
  Vessel 2 in this report is the boat operated by operator 2 operator 2. Rules of the road indicate that in an over taking situation that the over taking vessel is the give way vessel. In this incident operator 2 was in a partial overtaking situation and failed to keep a proper lookout for other boat's ahead of him in his path. Operator 2 stated that he did not see operator 1's boat at all prior to the collision. It is likely the high bow design of operator 2's boat and the very low height of the driver's seat in his boat contributed to him not seeing operator 1's boat. Had operator 2 been keeping a proper lookout and given way to the vessel he was overtaking this incident could have been avoided.