RedactedNarrative: Boat was pleasure cruising around Oconto Falls Pond for a couple hours.  Operator noticed that the steering was responding strangely.  Operator dropped the other occupants of the boat off at the beach on the shore of the Oconto Falls Pond.  Operator then backed boat away from shore to maneuver towards the boat launch, at this point the boat rapidly filled with water despite the automatic bilge pumping water.  Operator abandoned the boat safely.  During the recovery of the boat there was damage to the rudder and to the hull directly adjacent to where the rudder enters the boat.  This damage would have allowed water to enter the boat.  It is unknown if / when this damage occured.  Operator and passengers reported that they did not hit anything during their voyage