RedactedNarrative: V1 while cruising began to take on water for unknown reason.  V1 was driven onto a sandbar to  keep the vessel from sinking.  Water intrusion and wave action caused the vessel to partially sink and eventually capsize.]
  ASSESSMENT/INSPECTION:
  Upon inspection of the vessel, I did not find any evidence of the vessel being involved in a collision. The only damage to the fiberglass appeared old and not from this incident (see photo 4). There was also recent fiberglass repair done on the bottom of the vessel near the stern. The switch for the bilge pump was in the on position (see photo 12). The bilge pump was not properly secured and was lying loose in the bilge (see photos 13 and 14). The vessel’s T-top was broken off from it capsizing (see photos 10, 11 and 15). The vessel was also missing some of its upholstered padding on the bow (see photo 9).	
  PRE-ACCIDENT:
  OPERATOR 1 and OCCUPANT 1 spent the day anchored near Egmont Key. At approximately 10 PM, the vessel was headed eastbound in the mouth of the Manatee River, near Emerson Point, and was heading to the Riverside boat ramp in Palmetto. They were traveling at approximately 8 miles per-hour due to the conditions on the water, at that time there was 2-foot seas and 7-10 mph wind. Both subjects were in the rear of the vessel, behind the console.
  ACCIDENT:
  At approximately 10 PM OPERATOR 1 noticed that there was standing water on the deck of the vessel. He turned on the bilge pump but was unable to tell if it was effectively dewatering the vessel due to the water line already being above where the bilge evacuates. OCCUPANT 1 called emergency services and both subjects put on Personal Flotation Devices. Approximately five minutes later the vessel capsized and sank, becoming completely submerged.
  POST ACCIDENT:
  After the vessel sank OPERATOR 1 and OCCUPANT 1 waited in the water for approximately twenty minutes until they were picked up by a fire rescue vessel. They were transported to the Riverside boat ramp and arrived there at approximately 11:30 PM. The vessel was raised by Sea Tow and towed to the Riverside boat ramp, where it was inspected and photographed. 
  CONCLUSIONS:
  Based on evidence and information gathered to date, the vessel took on water in choppy conditions while crossing Tampa Bay, possibly without effective means of dewatering. It is also possible that the bilge of the vessel already had water in it from the time it was at anchor earlier in the day. The bilge of the vessel was holding water while the boat was traveling at a plowing speed. This caused the bow to raise and the stern to sit low in the water. With the stern sitting low in the water, taking a wave over the transom likely caused the boat to capsize and sink.
  