RedactedNarrative: On Wednesday, May 30, 2018, I received a call for service in reference to a Boating Incident in Southport.  Upon arrival I learned that subject and his two passengers had struck a floating pipe that had surfaced in the ICW.  After investigation of the pipe, it was revealed that it was attached to a dredge boat that belonged to Coastal Dredging who was dredging a marina that was located a few hundred yards away.  After talking to the coastal Dredging crew, it was explained to me that the pipe was weighted so that it stays submerged. The exception to this is when the dredge is moving in reverse, a large amount of pressure is put on the pipe and sometimes causes it to float for a few moments.   I believe that this is what happened in this instance. The dredging pipe was only partially submerged when I arrived.  The pipe was black in color and could not be seen by the casual observer unless they noticed the flat water that was directly above the pipe.  Operator struck the dredging pipe with his 19' Carolina Skiff with a 140 horsepower motor and caused extensive fiberglass damage to the back hull of his vessel around where the motor is attached to his vessel.
  
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