RedactedNarrative: I was dispatched to a boating accident at the Oyster Bar Marina in Escambia County.  While enroute,  I spoke with the complainant, Operator1, who stated he was inside the cabin area of the 75' vessel when he heard a loud noise and felt his vessel shake.  Operator1 stated that when he went to the weather deck, he observed a smaller recreational vessel nearly under his vessel's bow and it had apparently collided with the port side ballast which protrudes under the bow area, at the waterline.
  
  When I arrived at the scene, a USCG vessel was docked nearby and the Petty Officer in Charge informed me that he had additional information regarding the boating accident.  Operator1 met me and showed me the damaged area to his 75' vessel and he stated it would be $10,000 to repair.  I observed multiple cracks in the fiberglass around the tip of the port ballast.  I took several photographs of the damaged area. Operator1 also provided me with a list of witnesses to the event:
  
  The witnesses were no longer at the scene and I did not speak with any of them about the accident since video camera footage was available.
  
  Officer arrived on scene to assist with my investigation and the USCG informed him that the Oyster Bar Marina security video had footage of the boating accident.
  
  I then met with the operator of the vessel which struck the 75' vessel.  Operator2 and his wife stated they were on the 26' vessel which was rented from Freedom Boat Club in Orange Beach, AL and decided to dock at the marina.  Operator2 claimed he was a great operator with years of experience and both he and his wife stated that they did not hit the other vessel. 
  
  While I was speaking with Operator2, Officer spoke with the manager of the marina and reviewed video camera footage of the accident.  Ofc informed me that the video clearly showed Operator2's vessel impact both the dock and Operator1's vessel while he was attempting to come alongside the dock.
  
  I issued Operator2 a UBC for careless operation, citing violation of Navigation Rule 8; action to avoid a collision.  Operator2 didn't believe he hit the other vessel and wanted to see the video camera footage.  I informed him he could ask the manager of the marina and it was their choice to let him view it.  I also informed him that he could make a public records request to the FWC regional office next week and provided him the offense number for this accident.
  
   I subsequently reviewed the camera footage provided to me from Officer via his body camera recording while writing this report and observed Operator2 approach the dock with too much speed, resulting in the port side aft section of his vessel impacting with the ballast area of the vessel Operator1 was on.  I called Freedom Boat Club in Orange Beach, Al and spoke with the manager whom said he would have the vessel pulled out of the water and inspected for damage below the waterline. The following day a Freedom Boat Club person emailed me a photograph of the hull area of the impacting vessel operated by Operator2.  The underside of the hull had large rub marks consistent with the video footage where the vessel ran atop of the impacted vessels ballast. 
  
  End of report.
  