RedactedNarrative: On Saturday, July 21st at approximately 6:30pm, a boating incident took place in the vicinity of the area known as the "Sandbar" on Lake Norman.  This was approximately 0.6 miles northwest of Mandrain Point Drive in Cornelius, NC.  A personal watercraft (V1) circled a pontoon boat (V2) and struck it on the port-side crossing over its bow.  The exact location and direction could not be accurately determined based on the information given.  The personal watercraft was rented at CS Rentals of Lake Norman.  The pontoon boat was rented at Salt Shaker Marine.
  
  Operator1 was operating (V1) an 11-foot Yamaha VX personal watercraft with no passengers onboard at the time of the incident.  Subject was the intended operator of (V2) a 24-foot Bentley 240 Cruise pontoon boat.  V2 was not being operated at the time of the incident and the anchor was deployed.  
  
  (V1) was in front of (V2) when he began to travel in a large circular clockwise motion around the pontoon boat.   As (V1) completed rounding the stern of (V2), he lost control of his vessel after letting off of the throttle.  He tried to turn back to port but (V1) continued to travel in the path it was originally heading.  The bow of (V1) struck close to the middle on the port-side of (V2).  It continued to travel across the bow of (V2) at a high rate of speed damaging the metal gunwale and railing as it crossed.  The railing and associated seating on the portside bow of (V2) were torn from the anchor points on the decking and mangled up.  The molding that holds the upper and lower sections of (V1) together was ripped away from the port-side bow.  As (V1) struck the railings on (V2) it sustained scratching on the bow, port and starboard sides.  
  
  No injuries occurred during this incident and all the required boating safety equipment was available on both vessels.  Alcohol or drugs did not appear to be a factor in this case.
  
  It was concluded that the operator of (V1) was operating in a careless and reckless manner, had little experience on such a vessel and was not paying attention to his surroundings.  He operated his PWC without due regard for the safety of others and obviously was not within the lawful requirement to be at idle speed within 50 feet of another vessel.   He was issued a citation for careless and reckless operation and for not having a boating safety certification to operate.  He was not listed as a person who was allowed to operate on the rental agreement.  Therefore he was not covered under the rental exemption in the law and must complete the course to operate a vessel equipped with a motor of 10hp or greater.
  
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