RedactedNarrative: On 10/25/2015 and around 0715 hours, V1 Operator was cruising N.NE in the ICW heading into Grouper Creek. The operator indicated he was sitting down on the helm station seat. The operator indicated he stopped to identify the Flashing Red Marker (54).  He reported seeing the flashing red (54) and a bit of reflection on day marker red (52),  however he reported not been able to locate the green day marker(53) in the dark.  He sat down and continue cruising heading into Grouper Creek.  The operator also indicated he was cruising at an estimated speed of 27  MPH.  While his vessel was on plane he collided with an object.  The impact threw him forward into the vessel steering wheel and console.  After the impact he inspected the vessel damaged and then realized he had collided with green marker 53 which was now on its side and almost completely submerged. Operator was not injured.  
  
  After inspecting the vessel inside and out, I also inspected Marker 53 in the ICW.  Marker 53 was laying on it's side and almost submerged.  I also observed paint transfer from the gel coat of the vessel into the piling.  The vessel is dark blue with a white vessel cap.  Both colors are present in the marker as well as fiberglass.  The impact point on the marker pole is too high for the vessel to have hit there if the marker was in the up-right position before the impact.  It is my conclusion Marker 53 was already leaning when it was hit by this vessel.  It may be the reason why the operator failed to see the marker.  The operator did mention not been able to locate the green marker during his stop prior to the impact.  With the information provided by the operator and the physical evidence on the marker pole, I must conclude the marker was leaning at a lesser angle and closer to its original position prior to the impact by this vessel. However the impact angle into the pole was a perpendicular heading into Grouper Creek from the shoreline than if the vessel was traveling the N.NE heading of the ICW.  The angle entering the creek from the shoreline would have prevented the operator from seeing either reflecting side of the marker, as he was looking to the middle void portion between the two reflecting panels, and the reflecting panel towards the vessel was at a shallow angle closer to the water which makes it harder to see in the dark. 
  
  On 10/25/2015 USCG Sector Key West was notified by the FWC dispatcher of the condition of ICW Green Marker 53.